Growing your email list consistently [that’s the magic word!] can be difficult! That’s why we recommend investing in Meta Ads [Facebook & Instagram] to drive paid traffic to your website to sign-up for your email list.
This is generally through a free opt-in that incentivises the process. So if this is something you’re wanting to take seriously, stay tuned!
What are freebie opt-ins?
Freebie opt-ins are an online ‘transaction’ where you provide value for free and the potential customer or lead provides their details. This commonly includes their first name and email address, but other details can often be requested too, such as their phone number, birthday, post code, business name and other relevant questions. However, we’d recommend only asking what’s necessary and limiting this to a small number of questions to increase the likelihood of them submitting the form.
If you’re keen to hear some ideas on what you could create as an opt-in freebie, here’s one example of a first purchase incentive offer:
Don’t worry, there are plenty more ideas coming up in this blog post! But first, let’s chat about the importance of your email list!
Why is growing your email list a priority?Â
As a business owner, you know how important it is to advertise your brand on social media, such as Facebook and Instagram. However, did you know that having an email list can be your secret weapon for scaling your business and ensuring you stay top-of-mind to your new and existing customers? Here are 3 reasons why:
1. It is your personal asset
With a click of an ‘export’ button, you own your email database. And the power lies in the fact that you can then take this data anywhere and use it to contact your email list. We naturally lack control over major platforms, which means that if your TikTok followers were to disappear overnight because the platform is shut down, you can still use your email marketing to speak to your audience.
2. It allows you to personalise your marketing
There are so many marketing messages out there, that for a typical consumer, it can feel super noisy. The best way for brands to break through the noise is to personalise their marketing. And the best way you can do that is through your email marketing.
You can create highly-targeted emails to subscribers (one on one) because most people open their email inboxes at least once a day. You know what they like and how they have been in contact with your business, and this information allows you to directly deliver emails with relevance. By asking the right questions, you are able to send personalised and targeted email campaigns to specific people or even segment your audience into different interest groups.
We love this example from hope&plum! They have personalised their email list sign-up form, so that their email system segments the user based on their answer and therefore, ongoing emails are relevant to the person’s current situation (ie. buying a gift for someone, expecting a baby or already a parent):
3. Improve your conversions & stay top-of-mind
Analyse your open and click-through rates, as well as sales attributed to your emails, then double down on what’s working. Split-test different aspects of your emails to determine which subject lines, content, and offers are more effective with your subscribers. Additionally, you can use reporting tools to identify which countries have the most subscribers, change your time zone selections, and send emails at the appropriate times.Â
Reports show that email marketing has an average return on investment of 4400%. Its success largely stems from the fact that email subscribers joined your list from your website, and are indicating that they are extremely interested in what you have to offer. They are more likely to convert into paying customers than those who are not on your list.
If you haven’t already done so, now is the perfect time to begin building your email list and elevate your Facebook & Instagram Ads to new heights!
So, what kind of opt-ins should you create for your business?
There is a wide variety of freebie opt-ins that you can create to grow your email list. So here are a few idea to get your creative juices flowing:
- Discount Coupons [e.g. 10% off Your First Purchase, $50 off with this CODE]Â
- eBook or Planner [e.g Free Wedding Planner Upon Sign Up]
- Interactive Quizzes [eg. Take the Quiz to Find Out Which Hair Extension Colour Suits You Best!]
- Access to Challenges and/or Brand Community [e.g Free Access to 30 days Weight Loss Challenge]
- Templates or Cheat Sheets [e.g. Sign Up to Download Excel Templates with Build-in Formulas]
- Webinars or Workshops [e.g. Register Now for Free Outfit Styling Workshops]
- Resource List [e.g. Get our Exclusive Beginner Guide]
- Product Sample [Free Makeup Sample with first purchase when you sign up]
But wait…do Facebook & Instagram Ads really work to promote these freebies and grow your list?
They sure do! Let’s show you with some of our real-life clients!Â
Example 1: This business targets social media managers looking to save time in their own client management processes. The brand sells online digital products to help provide quick and easy, customisable templates that their audience can use to save time with tasks such as reporting, onboarding, strategy proposals and more. This particular campaign promoted a free workflow template to their ideal target market with the objective of growing their email list with potential customers.
With a cost per sign-up of US$1.57, the business has been able to acquire 765 new email sign-ups over the period of one month. Not only has this grown their email list with new subscribers, but this enables the business to continue to nurture this audience with further value and start to introduce their paid offers.
Example 2: This business targets newly engaged couples and offers an online wedding website platform. While the free plan offers a customisable wedding website, the paid plans provide access to a range of features that help save time in the wedding planning process.
To attract these potential customers, the business offers a Guest List Planner PDF that their audience can download for free. In the space of one month, the business spent almost $1,000 on list building ads and generated 482 email sign-ups with a cost per sign-up of AU$2.04.
What’s the recipe for an effective freebie opt-in?
The most important aspect of your freebie opt-in (or lead magnet) is RELEVANCE. There is zero benefit in creating a freebie that grows your email list with the wrong people! And let’s be real – how many freebies have you signed up for that have only landed in your inbox to sit there and collect dust forever? (Guilty!!)
Your freebie should be something that your potential customer or client is interested in. If you’re stuck on what that might be, think about some common questions your audience asks and see if you can bundle that up into a guide of some sort.
A freebie we’re loving for clients at the moment are quizzes! Not only are they fun and interactive, but they provide a hit of instant gratification when you receive the results. This could be a great way to help a potential customer understand more about your service offerings and which may be better suited to their needs.
The title of your freebie is also super important. Make sure you include the value in the title. For example, 5 Ways to Save Money on Your Ads Today [FREE PDF]. This can help communicate the value that your audience can expect to receive from the freebie.
The crux of it? Create a relevant freebie AND deliever on the promised value! What you’ll find is that not only do your build your email list with warm leads for your services or potential buyers of your products, but you will build trust and credibility with your audience! By providing high quality freebies that truly benefit your audience, you can establish yourself as an authority in your niche and gain their trust and loyalty.
So your freebie is created and your email sequences are in place! Now, you’re ready to pour fuel onto the fire and get that email list cranking?
If you’re keen to get more warm leads and potential customers inside your email list – and more importantly, ready to invest in paid ads to make that happen more consistently, we’d love to chat with you on a FREE discovery call!