TODAY, IN 4 MINUTES OR LESS, YOU’LL LEARN:

• The crucial elements of an irresistible lead magnet.
• How to use your existing content to attract more subscribers.
• The best places to capture leads — and what to send people once they’re on your list.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m all about actionable advice that gets results. 

So today, to continue that trend, I’m diving into a topic that can make a massive difference in your business: building your email list. 

Let’s break down my exact process.

Step #1. Create An Irresistible Lead Magnet

Creating a powerful lead magnet is the cornerstone of your list-building strategy. 

A lead magnet, also known as an opt-in or freebie, is a valuable resource you offer for free in exchange for someone’s email address. Examples include things like an ebook, audio or video mini-course, quiz, checklist or worksheet.

What makes a great lead magnet?

• Highly relevant: Your lead magnet should address a specific problem or need that is highly relevant to your target audience. It needs to resonate with their goals, desires or pain points so deeply that they feel compelled to download it immediately.
• Instantly useful: Your freebie should provide immediate value or a quick win for your audience. This builds trust and establishes your expertise. (So even though it might seem counterintuitive, a 1-page checklist is typically more attractive here than a 50-page ebook.)
• Professionally packaged: The perceived value of your lead magnet increases with professional presentation. So design matters — a visually appealing lead magnet will attract more sign-ups and build more trust in your brand.
• Exclusivity: Offer something unique that can’t be found just by browsing your site. This exclusivity makes your offer more enticing.
  

Hot tip: Before you go creating a brand new lead magnet from scratch, take a look at your existing assets. Is there something you can split out from a paid offering that has standalone potential, e.g. a worksheet, checklist, audio, webinar recording, etc? You might be surprised at how many potential lead magnets already live inside your Google Drive!

Begin by developing ONE outstanding lead magnet tailored to your dream customer. Focus on quality and relevance to ensure it hits the mark. 

As you become more familiar with your audience’s preferences, you can expand to have multiple lead magnets targeting different types of customers.

The key here is to start simple then scale wisely; one well-crafted lead magnet can significantly boost your email list more effectively than several poorly executed ones.

Step #2. Choose Your Delivery System

You’ll need an ESP (Email Service Provider) to capture people’s email addresses and facilitate the delivery of your lead magnet to people’s inboxes.

I am using SheLaunch CRM as my ESP and to scale my new business, but there are plenty of other options out there (e.g. Kajabi, ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, MailChimp, etc.) so do your own research and pick one that suits your needs.

Step #3. Make Your Lead Magnet Highly Visible

The next step is to make your lead magnet visible across your digital presence.

Your goal is to integrate it across multiple touchpoints to maximize exposure and conversion opportunities.

Put it on your website:

• Homepage Banner: Feature your lead magnet prominently on your homepage (above the first fold) with an eye-catching banner that invites new visitors to download.
  

• Sidebar and Footer Widgets: Utilize sidebar and footer widgets on your blog or website to offer the lead magnet. These areas get a lot of eyeballs and can be effective spots for your sign-up forms.
  

• Blog Posts: Include call-to-action (CTA) buttons or embedded forms within your blog posts, especially those that are topically related to your lead magnet. This method converts readers already engaged with your content.
  

• Contact and About Pages: Often overlooked, these pages are prime real estate for your lead magnet. Visitors on these pages are already showing interest in learning more about you and your offerings.

Make use of smart pop-ups:

Pop-ups sometimes get looked down on, but the reality is, they’re highly effective.

• Timed Pop-Ups: Set up a pop-up that appears after a visitor has spent a certain amount of time on your site. Make sure it’s not too soon, or it might be annoying, and not too late, or they might miss it.
• Exit-Intent Pop-Ups: These are triggered when a user’s mouse moves to leave the page. It’s your last chance to offer them value in exchange for their contact information.
• Slide-Ins: Less intrusive than pop-ups, slide-ins can be effective when they appear as the user scrolls down through your content. They provide a gentle reminder without being too disruptive.

Get social:

• Profile Links: Drop a sign-up link in your social media bios or link tree.
  
• Share Often: Post about your lead magnet regularly. Use stories to tease what they’ll get.

Easy Email Add-Ons:

• Your Signature: Every email you send is an opportunity to get a new subscriber, so adding a sign-up link to your signature is a no-brainer.
• Transactional Emails: Include a link in the template for your transactional emails too (like receipts, invoices, etc). These emails have sky-high open rates — so don’t waste the opportunity!
  

Hot tip: The fewer steps required to sign up, the higher the conversion rate. So whatever format or placements you use, ensure that the sign-up process is as straightforward and frictionless as possible. (For example, I typically only collect people’s first name and email address.)

Step #4. Drive Traffic to Your Lead Magnet

Use your favorite marketing strategies to drive traffic to your lead magnet.

Your traffic strategy might include talking about your lead magnet on social media, podcasts, in interviews, articles or even investing in paid ads.

Hot tip: One of my absolute favorite ways to drive sign-ups is through content marketing. This means creating content (blog posts are usually the simplest option) that relate to the topic of your lead magnet. Use these blog posts to establish your expertise and include multiple CTAs throughout the post, encouraging readers to download the full lead magnet for more in-depth information.

Step #5. Automate Email Deliveries

Set up an email autoresponder in your ESP to automatically send the lead magnet to people who sign up.

This first email is important, so use it wisely. Don’t just send over the lead magnet and leave it at that — thank them for subscribing, confirm that they’ve received the lead magnet, and set expectations for what they will receive next. This immediate contact helps to reinforce their decision to engage with your content.

Step #6. For The Love Of Lima Beans, Follow Up!

Creating a powerful lead magnet is just the beginning of your relationship with your new subscribers. What truly converts these new leads into loyal customers is the follow-up. 

Here’s how to make the most of your follow-up emails (also known as a welcome sequence or nurture sequence) — 

Provide Additional Value: Subsequent emails should continue to offer value related to the lead magnet they received. For example, if your lead magnet is an eBook on time management, your follow-ups could include additional tips, case studies, or common mistakes to avoid in time management. Each email should feel personalized and beneficial, not just a sales pitch.

Check In On Their Progress: Include emails that ask for feedback on the lead magnet. What did they find most useful? Do they have questions about the material? This not only shows that you care about their experience but also engages them in a conversation, making them more likely to respond and remain connected.

Educate About Your Products/Services: Gradually introduce your products or services that relate to the theme of the lead magnet. For instance, after a few initial value-packed emails, you can include a soft pitch like, “If you found the checklist helpful, you might benefit from our comprehensive course on time management.” Highlight how your offerings can further help them achieve their goals.

Schedule Thoughtfully: Plan the timing of each email carefully. Sending an email every 3-4 days for the first few weeks can be effective, but ensure the schedule aligns with the content of the emails and the engagement level of subscribers. Adjust based on the feedback and open rates you observe.

Automate for Efficiency: Use your ESP to automate the follow-up sequence. This not only saves you time but also ensures consistency in your communications. Automation tools also allow you to set up conditional paths in your email sequence, so subscribers receive personalized follow-ups based on their interactions (e.g., opened previous email, clicked on a link, etc.).

Keep the Conversation Going: Encourage ongoing interaction by including calls to action in your emails. Ask them to follow you on social media, comment on a blog post, or join a community discussion. Each interaction increases their engagement with your brand.

Step #7. Optimize, Optimize, Optimize

Finally, it’s time to finetune.

Regularly test different versions of your entire set ups — from the wording, placement and design of your sign-up forms and landing pages, through to the subject lines and content of the emails you send afterwards.

The Bottom Line 

Building your email list is not just about collecting email addresses; it’s about building a community of people who really care about what you have to offer. And as an online business owner, it’s one of the most high-impact activities you can spend your time on.

So don’t wait for the “right moment” to start — there’s no such thing. The best time to build your list is now. Every day you wait is a missed opportunity to connect with someone who might need *exactly* what you offer to the world.

Ready to start building, Beautiful? ✨

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Til next time, sending so much love,