It allows you to stay in touch with your customers, keep them up-to-date on your latest offers, and build a relationship with them that can result in more sales.

In this article, we will teach you how to build an email list quickly and easily.

We’ll also discuss some traffic sources for finding email subscribers, as well as some best practices to follow.

Overview of Email Lists

Before you can start to create your email subscriber list, it’s good to understand the basics.

What Is an Email List?

An email list is a list of email addresses collected from people who permit you to contact them.

Once you have a list of email addresses, you can send out special offers, coupons, new product announcements, or anything else you think your customers might enjoy.

Why Is an Email List Important?

An email list is important because it allows your company to stay in touch with its prospects.

It can become a direct source of revenue for your business.

Many companies make a significant portion of their income by placing offers in front of their email list subscribers.

Who Uses Email Lists?

All types of businesses use email lists.

These might include online retailers, brick-and-mortar stores, service providers, bloggers, course providers, coaches, SaaS companies, and more.

What Are the Costs Associated With Building an Email List?

The cost associated with building an email list depends on how you go about it.

Typically, you’ll pay $50 to $100 or more per month to use an email service provider like MailChimp, Drip, or ConvertKit.

What Is the Fastest Way To Build an Email List?

There are a few methods you can use that will help you build your list quickly.

One method is to offer a lead magnet in exchange for an email address using paid ads.

A paid ad campaign lets you collect leads the moment you put the campaign into motion.

If you have as many as 500 to 1000 unique monthly blog visitors, you can start generating leads immediately as well.

What Does an Email List Include?

An email list includes the following four items.

1. Email Addresses

The most important part of an email list is the email addresses.

These are the addresses to which you’ll send your offers.

2. Contact Information

In addition to email addresses, you can collect other types of contact information.

You might include first and last names, phone numbers, mailing addresses, and more.

3. Demographic Information

Demographic information can help when segmenting your list.

Some of the demographic information you might collect includes the following.

• Age
• Gender
• Income level
• Job title

If you sell high-end products, for instance, you might segment your list by income level and send targeted offers to those who can afford your products.

4. Sales Information

You can track sales information inside an email list.

The data can include how much each person spends, what they purchase, and when they make a purchase.

Creative Ways To Build an Email List

Most businesses use one or more of the following three ways to build email lists.

Leverage an Existing Audience

Your existing audience already knows, likes, and trusts you.

They’re also more likely to buy from you.

Existing Clients

If you already have a database of customers or followers, you can start building your list immediately.

To do this, send out an email to your current database inviting them to subscribe to your list.

Include a link they can click on to subscribe.

You might also want to offer an incentive, like a discount code they can use when they make their next purchase.

Existing Followers

Do you have followers on social media?

Invite them to subscribe to your list.

When posting on your social media platforms, include a link they can click on to join your list.

For example, you might teach your audience three quick tips related to your industry.

At the end of the post, invite them to subscribe to your list for additional tips.

Convert Website Traffic

Existing website traffic gives you a leg up on starting a new email list.

You already have people interested in what you do.

Now, you just need to get their email addresses.

Optin Forms & Popups

Adding an opt-in form or popup to your website is an effective way to collect email addresses from your website visitors.

Different pop-ups exist.

For example, you can use exit-intent popups to capture the attention of those leaving your website.

Or, you can add slide-in forms to the side or bottom of your blog posts.

Many businesses will find that embedded opt-in forms on blog posts convert the best.

Offer a content upgrade relating to each article, place an opt-in form inside the content column, and watch your list grow.

Gated Content & Downloads

Another way to convert website traffic into email subscribers is by gating content.

Gated content is content that’s only accessible if the person provides their email address.

For example, you might gate an ebook or an instructional video.

Email Newsletter Subscriptions

If you have an email newsletter, make it easy for people to subscribe to it on your website.

Include a prominent link or button they can click on from every page of your website.

If you don’t have an email newsletter, consider starting one.

You can use it to share your latest blog posts, product releases, or coupon codes.

Webinars

Try building an email list by running webinars.

Webinars are live or recorded online events where you educate your audience on a particular topic.

They typically last between 30 minutes and one hour.

To run a successful webinar, you need to promote it on your website beforehand and offer something of value.

For example, you might offer a free ebook or an instructional video along with the webinar registration offer.

Once people register for the webinar, they’re typically added to your email list so you can follow up with them afterward.

Run Ad Campaigns

Ad campaigns work well to build an email list.

The key is to make sure to run a targeted ad campaign and that you’re promoting a valuable offer so people feel good giving you their email addresses for it.

Add a Subscribe Button to an Email Signature

If you’re sending emails regularly as part of your work, make it easy for people to subscribe to your email list by adding a subscribe button to your email signature.

That way, every time you send an email, people will see the link and can easily sign up if they’re interested.

How Do I Create an Email List?

To create a new email list, follow these five steps.

Select an Email Marketing Platform

The first step to creating an email list is selecting an email marketing platform.

Some people call these platforms email service providers (ESPs).

Inside these software services, you’ll store your subscribers’ email addresses, send your emails, and track your results.

Take time to research the various ESPs on the market to find the best one for your needs.

Popular email marketing platforms include the following.

• ActiveCampaign
• AWeber
• Constant Contact
• Drip
• GetResponse
• iContact
• MailChimp
• ConvertKit

Create a List or Audience in the Platform

The next step is to create a list or audience inside your email marketing platform.

The list is where you’ll store your subscribers’ email addresses.  

To create a new list, find the “Lists” or “Audiences” tab in your email marketing platform and click on it.

Then, click the “Create List” or “Create Audience” button.

The software will ask you to provide a name for your list.

It may also help you set some additional options, such as how often you plan to email your subscribers.

Once you create your list, you’re ready to start adding subscribers to it.

Create Optin Forms and Funnels for That List

Create opt-in forms and funnels for your list during the next step.

An opt-in form is a form that people fill out to subscribe to your email list.

Your email service provider will typically make it easy to create these forms.

It’s usually a matter of dragging and dropping the elements you want to show on the form.

Opt-in forms become the first part of an opt-in funnel.

A typical opt-in funnel includes the following steps.

The visitor sees a piece of content (usually a blog post) and clicks on the option to subscribe to your email list.

If they subscribe, they’re added to your email list and receive a welcome email.

After subscribing, they’re taken to a thank-you page where they’re given additional content, such as an ebook or video.

Drive Traffic and Subscribers to the List

Next, start driving traffic to your opt-in forms.

The goal is to get people to subscribe to your email list.

There are a few different ways to do this.

You can use paid advertising, such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads, to drive traffic to your opt-in forms.

You can also organically promote your opt-in forms on your website or blog.

Finally, you can use social media to promote your opt-in forms.

Send Emails to Your List

The final step is to begin sending emails to your list.

Login to your email marketing platform and create a new email.

Add the content you want to include in the email and send it out to your list.

Best Practices for Building an Email List

Now that you know how to build an email list, follow these best practices.

Always Provide Value

The most important best practice is to always provide value.

Your subscribers gave you their email address because they’re interested in what you have to say.

Don’t abuse their trust by sending them irrelevant or sales-heavy emails.

Instead, focus on providing value in every email you send.

It could include helpful tips, interesting information, or exclusive content.

Leverage Automation and Autoresponders

Automation can help you send emails to your subscribers without having to do it manually every time.

Autoresponders can help you send a series of emails to new subscribers automatically.  

Both of these features can save you a lot of time and help you build better relationships with your subscribers.

Clean Your Email List Often

Keeping your list clean will help improve your deliverability rate and ensure that your emails go to people who want to read them.

To clean your list, log in to your ESP and look for the “Inactive Subscribers” or “Unengaged Subscribers” report.

Then, remove any subscribers who haven’t interacted with your emails in a while.

Email List Providers: Should I Buy an Email List?

You might wonder if buying an email list will effectively help you earn money.

Let’s explore this option

Why People Buy Email Lists

People buy email lists for a variety of reasons.

The most common reason is that they don’t have the time to build their list.

Another reason is that some people aren’t sure how to go about building one themselves.

As well, some people believe that buying an email list is a shortcut to building a successful business.

The Pros of Buying an Email List

There are some pros to buying an email list.

The most obvious pro is that you’ll get access to a large number of email addresses.

If you’re looking to build a list quickly, this could be a good option for you.

Another pro is that you can target your ideal customer with laser precision.

When you buy an email list, you can specify the type of person you want to reach.

The Cons of Buying an Email List

There are some cons to buying an email list as well.

The most glaring con is that you might violate the law.

The CAN-SPAM Act prohibits sending emails to people who haven’t given you their permission.

Another con is that you could end up with a low-quality list.

A lot of times, people who buy email lists don’t verify the quality of the list.

It can lead to a high number of bounced emails and low engagement rates.

Should I Buy an Email List or Make One Myself?

We recommend that you make one yourself. It might take a little longer, but it’s worth it.

You’ll comply with the law and you’ll build a higher-quality list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s answer three commonly asked questions about building email lists.

Wrapping Up

An email list is one of the most important assets your business can build.

It allows you to stay in touch with prospects and customers, promote new products and services, and build relationships that result in more sales.

Do you have further questions?

Please ask them in the comments below.

If you’re ready to start building your email list, decide on an email service provider and follow its directions.

If so, you’re in luck.

In this post, we’ll share some strategies that you can use to improve your open rates.

We’ll also provide tips for creating emails that are more likely to be opened.

So, whether you’re just starting or you’ve been blogging for a while, read on for some valuable insights.

What Is Email Open Rate?

Email open rate is a metric that measures the percentage of recipients who open an email.

The email open rate is calculated by dividing the number of people who open an email by the total number of people who received it.

These rates can be affected by several factors, including the perfect subject line, the time and day the email is sent, and whether or not the recipient is a subscriber.

Email providers often have algorithms that determine how likely an email is to be opened, which can also affect open rates.

Open rates can be used to measure the success of an email marketing campaign and to optimize future campaigns.

10 Effective Strategies To Increase Your Email Open Rates:

Below is the detail of effective 10 strategies to increase your email open rates.

1. Keep Your Subject Lines Short And To The Point

Your email subject line is one of the most important elements of your message.

It is what determines whether recipients will actually open and read your email, or send it straight to the trash.

So how do you write a great subject line?

Keep it short and to the point.

In general, shorter subject lines have higher open rates than longer ones, so try to keep your subject line under 50 characters.

Also, make sure your subject line is relevant to the content of your email – recipients are more likely to open an email with a subject line that sounds interesting or useful.

Finally, avoid using common spam phrases like “free” or ” offer” in your subject line, as these will likely trigger spam filters and prevent your email from reaching its intended recipients.

2. Segment Your Email List Into Different Categories

Your email list is one of your most valuable marketing assets.

But, if your emails are not being opened, they are not doing you any good.

That is why it is important to segment your list so you can send targeted, relevant messages that will get read.

One way to segment your entire email list is by location.

This is especially useful if you are a brick-and-mortar business with multiple locations.

You can send emails that are specific to each location, which is more likely to be opened and read by recipients.

Another way to segment your list is by purchase history.

This allows you to send targeted messages to people who have bought certain products or services from you in the past.

For example, if someone bought a product from you that requires refill cartridges, you could send them an email reminding them to buy a new cartridge before they run out.

Finally, you can also segment your list by engagement level.

This means sending different types of content – such as special offers, coupons, or invitations to events to people who have recently interacted with your brand (Opened an email, clicked on a link, etc.).

This ensures that they’re seeing content that is relevant to them and more likely to be opened.

3. Personalize Your Emails

When you personalize your emails, you are more likely to get them opened.

Why?

Because people are more likely to open an email that is addressed to them by name.

Personalized emails have been shown to have 6 times higher transaction rates than non-personalized emails.

Personalized subject lines are also 26% more likely to be opened.

Personalization doesn’t have to be complicated.

You can start by simply addressing your recipients by their first name in the subject line and the body of your email.

But, if you want to take things a step further, you can also include other personal details like their city, state, or country.

When recipients see their name in the subject line of the greeting, they are more likely to open the email.

You can also include other personalization details, such as their location or purchase history.

By making your emails more relevant to the recipient, you can improve your chances of getting them to read.

Just make sure, next time to send the same email or marketing messages with a personalized subject line and see the difference in click-through rates.

A personalized subject line gives a sense of a personal connection to the active subscribers.

Many AI marketing tools can do this, but so can most of the most popular email marketing platforms.

4. Use Interesting And Eye-Catching Subject Lines

As we discussed earlier in the blog post that email open rates are a key metric for any Email marketer.

A high email open rate means that your recipients are engaged with your content and are more likely to click through to your website or take the desired action.

Interesting and eye-catching email subject lines will grab and re-engage the recipient’s attention and encourage them to open the email.

Including personalization in the subject line is also a great way to increase email open rates.

Studies have shown that including the recipient’s name in the subject line can increase open rates by up to 26%.

So, if you’re looking to increase your Email open rates, make sure you’re using interesting and eye-catching subject lines.

5. Experiment With Different Send Times

One of the best ways to determine what time works best for your audience is to experiment with different send times.

Try sending emails at different times of the day or on different days of the week and see how your open rates respond.

You may find that certain times work better than others.

It’s also important to keep in mind that different types of content will perform better at different times.

For example, promotional emails are more likely to be opened on weekdays during business hours, while informative or educational emails may perform better on weekends or evenings.

The best way to determine what works best for your audience is to experiment with different send times and see how your open rates respond with new subscribers.

Also, ensure to experiment with a specific audience with new email messages, and send emails with a better subject line with a company name.

Mobile-friendly emails are also important as over 50% of emails are now opened on mobile devices.

6. Incentivize People To Open Your Emails:

If you want more people to open your emails, you need to give them a reason to do so.

Fortunately, there are several strategies you can use to incentivize recipients and increase your open rates.

One approach is to offer a discount or special offer in the subject line.

This can be an effective way to entice recipients, especially if they’re already interested in your product or service.

Another strategy is to include a personal message in the body of your email.

This could be something as simple as a short note letting the recipient know that you’re thinking of them.

Or, you could include a more detailed message sharing some news or updates from your company.

Either way, adding a personal touch can help increase the likelihood that someone will open your email.

Finally, make sure you’re sending relevant and targeted emails.

If people feel like they’re receiving valuable information from you, they’re more likely to open your messages.

So, take some time to segment your list and send content that’s specifically tailored to each group of recipients.

By taking these steps, you’ll be well on your way to increasing your email open rates.

Related: The best times to post on social media for maximum engagement

7. Provide Valuable Content

If you want people to open your emails, you need to give them a reason to do so.

Fortunately, there are several strategies you can use to incentivize recipients and increase your open rates.

One approach is to offer a discount or special offer in the subject line.

This can be an effective way to entice recipients, especially if they’re already interested in your product or service.

Another strategy is to include a personal message in the body of your email.

This could be something as simple as a short note letting the recipient know that you’re thinking of them.

Or, you could include a more detailed message sharing some news or updates from your company.

Either way, adding a personal touch can help increase the likelihood that someone will open your email.

Finally, make sure you’re sending relevant and targeted emails.

If people feel like they’re receiving valuable information from you, they’re more likely to open your messages.

So, take some time to segment your list and send content that’s specifically tailored to each group of recipients.

By taking these steps, you’ll be well on your way to increasing your email open rates.

Also related: How To Monetize A Blog In 2022

8. Use an Email Marketing Service

There are several different ways to increase your email open rates.

However, one of the best and most effective ways is to use an email marketing service.

For example, email service providers like MailChimp offer a variety of features that can help you segment your list, personalize your emails, and track your open rates.

Taking the help of an email service provider is an especially effective strategy if you’re looking to increase your open rates.

Email marketing services provide several features that can help you boost your open rates.

For example, many services offer segmentation tools that allow you to send targeted emails to specific groups of people.

This ensures that your messages are relevant and interesting to the people who receive them, which can encourage more people to open your emails.

Additionally, most email marketing services provide reporting tools that let you track your open rates and see how your campaigns are performing.

This information can be extremely valuable as you work to improve your open rates over time.

Email marketing software also typically includes a number of templates that you can use to create your messages.

This can be a great way to save time and ensure that your emails are well-designed and look professional.

Important blog: 7+ Free Tools to Help You Increase Website Traffic Exponentially

9. Be A Bit Friendly In Your Tone

If you want more people to open your emails, you need to be a bit friendly in your tone.

You’re not going to get very far with a formal, businesslike approach.

Instead, try to sound like a human being writing to another human being.

Be warm, be friendly, and be helpful.

In other words, make it sound like you’re trying to be helpful instead of just trying to sell something.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that people are often skeptical of emails, so it’s important to build trust from the beginning.

One way to do this is by using a personal story to illustrate your point.

When people see that you’re just like them, they’re more likely to listen to what you have to say.

Finally, always include a call to action.

Tell people what you want them to do, and make it easy for them to do it.

If you follow these simple tips, you’ll be well on your way to increasing your email open rates.

10. Test, Test, Test

Finally, it’s important to remember that the only way to know what works best for your audience is to experiment and test different strategies.

Try out different subject lines, send times, and email content to see what gets the best results.

Then, once you’ve found a strategy that works well, be sure to continue testing and tweaking it over time to ensure that your open rates don’t start to decline.

Further, email campaign results can vary depending on the time of year, so it’s important to keep an eye on your open rates and make adjustments as necessary.

Email marketing providers like MailChimp make it easy to track your open rates and see how your campaigns are performing and number of email subscribers increases.

Wrapping Up

By following these tips, you can encourage more people to open your emails and improve your email open rates and overall email marketing results.

So, don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works best for you.

With a little effort, you can significantly increase your email open rates.

Email-Related Content:

• What Is A Email Drip Campaign? What They Are And How The Work
• How to Build an Email List That Will Boost Your Business
• Free Email Marketing: Our Favorite Apps and Tools

New technologies, new strategies, new platforms, new forms of engagement.

But there’s one thing that doesn’t change: the importance of building an email list.

The Money Is In The List

It’s probably the oldest proverb of Internet marketing. But it’s just as true now as it was in 1999.

Why is a subscriber list so important?

Two reasons (there are more, but these 2 are enough):

Reason #1 – Pre-Qualified Leads

People who subscribe to your email list are pre-qualified as highly interested in what you have to offer.

They’ve already done 2 things that are key steps in your conversion funnel:

• They visited your site
• They clicked on your subscribe button

The statistics confirm this:

• According to the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing on average produces a 4300% return on investment (ROI).
• According to McKinsey & Company email is nearly 40 times more effective than Facebook and Twitter combined in the acquisition of customers.

Reason #2 – Your Own Marketing Channel

Let’s say you’ve built your business on organic search or social media.

Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest could decide tomorrow they don’t like your content.

Entire businesses have gone down the drain because of a change in the Google algorithm.

But once you have your own email list, you’re safe. It’s your own private marketing channel, and no one can take it away from you.

What is a Lead Magnet?

But how do you get people to join your list?

By using a lead magnet (also known as an ‘opt-in bribe’). Simply put, a lead magnet is something you offer to your visitors in exchange for their email address.

When it’s done right, a lead magnet is an offer so powerful your target simply has to know what it says.

In this article, I’m going to show you how to create a highly effective lead magnet. I’ll show you:

• The 7 key ingredients of a lead magnet that converts
• The 9 most popular types of lead magnet.

The Key Ingredients of a Successful Lead Magnet

The folks at OptinMonster have listed 7 key characteristics of lead magnets that convert well.

These guys know what they’re talking about because their whole business is built around lead magnets:

1. Solves a Real Problem – your lead magnet must address a real problem that your visitor faces (e.g. traffic, list building, copywriting etc)
2. Promises a Quick Win – your lead magnet must hold out the promise of delivering one thing quickly
3. Is Highly Specific – the more specific the better. Instead of ‘How To Improve Your Social Media Presence’ go for ‘How To Get 15K New Followers on Twitter in 14 Days’
4. Easy to Consume – avoid lengthy reports, anything where the potential subscriber can see there’s a big upfront time investment. Instead go for Checklists, Swipe Files, and Cheat Sheets.
5. High Value – your Lead Magnet must be of high value but also needs to be perceived as high value.
6. Offers Immediate Gratification – in this day and age we want everything NOW! – your Lead Magnet must be something they can get immediate access to.
7. Demonstrates Your Expertise – when the subscriber uses your Lead Magnet, it should leave them feeling that you are an authority on that topic. (This last point is less important than the other six since we are focusing on a potential subscriber who hasn’t yet signed up and hasn’t yet downloaded your lead magnet).

The 7 Most Popular Lead Magnets

You’re probably wondering by now, what are these lead magnets that convert so well?

There are 7 of them and here they are:

• Checklists
• Cheat Sheets
• Templates
• Swipe Files
• Toolkits
• Worksheets
• PDF Versions

1. Checklists

Checklists, as the name implies, are simply a list of items with a check box against each item. It’s a list of tasks, often ordered in a certain way. They can be used in any industry and any niche. Here are some examples:

• List of things to pack when going on vacation
• List of things to do to promote a blog post
• List of things to do to optimize a blog post for SEO

Checklists work well as lead magnets because they give the reader the main points on a single page.

2. Cheat Sheets

Cheat sheets are like checklists, but instead of a list of tasks, they give you a list of tips or guidelines for achieving a particular result.

Cheat Sheets are appealing because they condense a topic into a few main points.

3. Templates

A template is a file that serves as a starting point for a new document. But in this context, it’s any standardized content containing blanks that the user fills in to customize the content. Examples are:

• Influencer Outreach email templates
• Facebook Ad templates

Templates are very popular because they give the user a head start and give them a proven foundation for doing something (emailing prospects, creating ads for Facebook).

4. Swipe Files

A swipe file is a file where you collect examples of things you like. For example, I keep swipe files of:

• Lead Magnets that I think are very effective
• Author Bios that are fresh and original
• About Pages that grab my attention

A swipe file might contain the 50 best headlines you’ve ever seen in an email campaign.

Swipe files work well as lead magnets because they’re real-life examples of things that have been tried and tested and work. And the user can implement them straight away.

5. Toolkits

These are also called ‘Resource Lists’. Toolkits are simply a list of all the tools and resources that you use to run your online business.

Toolkits work well as a lead magnet because potential subscribers are genuinely curious about the tools you use. They want to know how to save time or how to get better results – but there are so many competing products out there, they want to know what tools the experts are using.

6. Worksheets

A Worksheet is usually geared towards a particular task. Typically, it asks questions and provides a space where the user can give a response. In other words, a Worksheet walks the reader through a process. Examples are:

• How to set up an Adwords campaign
• How to choose a niche for your blog

Worksheets work well where people feel they need to be ‘walked through’ a process.

7. PDF Versions

These are simply a PDF version of your blog post. Of all lead magnets, they’re the easiest to create. Just add some nice formatting to your Word file, and hit ‘Save as PDF’.

PDF Versions work as lead magnets because if your article is full of useful tips, your readers want a hard copy they can refer to later. Also, when you offer a PDF version as a content upgrade, you can offer 2 or 3 extra tips that are not included in the original blog post.

How To Create Your Own Lead Magnet

The two most common mistakes in creating lead magnets are:

1. Going too broad – e.g. ‘The Complete Guide To Successful Blogging’. This is better: ‘17 Ways To Promote Your Blog Post After You Press Publish’
2. Going too big – e.g. offering a 147 page eBook. To your prospective lead that sounds like a lot of hard work and a big time investment. A 1-Page Cheat Sheet will get you many more optins.

Remember – the most effective lead magnets are easy to consume, 1 or 2 pages at most. That means you shouldn’t spend more than a couple of hours creating your lead magnet.

If you find yourself trying to create the perfect lead magnet, keep this in mind – any lead magnet is better than none!

If you’re not convinced that less is better, John Corcoran’s lead magnet is a 72-word email template:

When creating your lead magnet think about your audience’s pain points:

• What do they have the most difficulty with?
• What do they struggle with?

Use this formula to create your lead magnet:

I want [goal], but [obstacle]

For example:

• I want to write blog posts in half the time but I don’t know how
• I want to write a blog post every week but I’ve run out of ideas
• I want to slash my household budget by 30% but I don’t know how

Delivering Your Lead Magnet

At this point, you need some software to get your lead magnet in front of your visitor.

Many of the major email service providers (AWeber, Constant Contact, GetResponse, MailerLite) now include pop-up optin forms. So that’s certainly an option if you have budget constraints.

However, these optin forms are fairly basic and you won’t get a whole library of different templates. You also won’t have analytics, or A/B testing to see how your optin performs.

Dedicated optin software is preferable if you want to maximize your optin rate.

I use Thrive Leads because I found it the easiest to set up.

But there are plenty of other options:

Lead Pages

• Recurring fees – $25 p/month
• WordPress plugin
• Mobile responsive
• A/B Testing
• Optin templates
• Integrates with all major email service providers

Optinmonster (Sue uses this one)

• Recurring fees – $9 p/month
• WordPress plugin
• Exit-Intent® Technology
• Page Level Targeting
• Optin templates
• A/B Testing
• Integrates with all major email service providers
• Mobile responsive

WP Subscribe Pro

• One Time fee of $29
• WordPress plugin
• Optin templates
• Includes Exit Intent
• Integrates with all major email service providers
• Mobile responsive

Thrive Leads

• One Time fee of $67
• WordPress plugin
• Exit Intent technology
• A/B Testing
• Optin templates
• Advanced targeting
• Smart Analytics
• Mobile responsive
• Integrates with all major email service providers

Convert Plug

• One Time Fee of $21
• WordPress plugin
• Exit Intent pop-ups
• Optin templates
• Real Time Analytics
• Page Level Targeting
• Mobile Specific Popups
• Integrates with all major email service providers

WP Subscribe

• Free
• Integrates with MailChimp, AWeber, FeedBurner
• Customizable text
• Mobile responsive
• No Exit Intent (Pro Version only)

Boxzilla

• Free
• No pop-ups
• Boxes (optin forms) slide or fade in, triggered by scroll percentage, reaching a certain page element, or X amount of time on the page
• Customize boxes
• Page Level Targeting
• Exit Intent (premium only)
• Time On Site (premium only)

The Three Golden Rules of Optin Forms

When you design your optin form, keep in mind these three Golden Rules of lead magnet optin forms:

Rule #1 – Words That Turn People Off

Don’t use ‘subscribe’ or ‘sign-up’ on your button.

Instead, use positive phrases such as ‘Get Instant Access’ or ‘Send Me My Cheat Sheet’.

Rule #2 – Less Information Is Better

The more information you ask for, the fewer optins you get – don’t ask for names, just an email address.

Rule #3 – Instant Gratification

Make your lead magnet accessible as soon as the button has been clicked.

Some people send a link to the lead magnet in an email once the person has confirmed their email address.

I have my optin forms configured so that the lead magnet loads in the next screen as soon as the visitor has pressed the button. I’m taking a gamble that the email address is valid, but I believe this approach is more in keeping with what people want and expect.

If you use this approach, you have the advantage of being able to say “Instant Access” on your optin form.

Where To Place Your Optin Offer

The more places you put your optin form, the quicker you’ll build your list.

Here are some of the most effective locations for your optin form:

• Sidebar
• Feature Box
• Exit Intent pop-up
• Slide-In
• Landing Page
• ‘About Me’ section of your social media pages (Facebook, Linked In, Twitter etc)

If you write guest posts, your guest post bio is another great place to put your optin form (or at least a link to it). For example:

“Rob Powell is on a mission to show beginning bloggers how to create content that builds traffic, backlinks, and authority. Download his formula for getting 147 Social Media Shares in just 24 Hours”.

Your Optin Headline

Your optin headline will be a key part of the success of your lead magnet.

Here are 5 popular formulas for creating optin headlines:

1. Toolkit / Checklist for [desired result/audience]

• Toolkit for Dominating the Search Results
• Checklist for Planning the Perfect Wedding
• Toolkit for Writing Like a Pro

2. X Easy Ways to [desired result]

• 27 Easy Ways to Boost Your Traffic
• 17 Easy Ways to Save Money In The Kitchen
• 21 Easy Ways to Get More Likes on Facebook

3. The [blank] Cheat Sheet

• The Home Brewer’s Cheat Sheet
• The Ultimate Wedding Planner’s Cheat Sheet
• The Essential Body Builder’s Cheat Sheet

4. The Essential X: Top [things] that Every [audience] Needs

• The Essential 7: Top Reports that Every Photographer Needs
• The Essential 13: Items Every Pet Lover Needs
• The Essential 21: Tips Every Dieter Needs to Know

5. X-Point Checklist for [blank]

• 73-Point Checklist for Creating the Ultimate Kindle Book
• 17-Point Checklist for Parents With Teenagers
• 31-Point Checklist for Hiking In The Himalayas

Most of the plugins mentioned above allow you to do A/B split testing. This is a great way to test different headlines.

Just set up 2 competing headlines and after they’ve each had 100 impressions, you take the winner.

Then create another headline to compete with the winner. And so on. In no time at all, you’ll have an optin headline that converts like crazy!

Over To You

So now it’s over to you. I hope you use this information to build amazing lead magnets and high-converting optin forms.

When you start to see a daily trickle of email sign-ups, you’ll know you’re on the road to success.

Because an email list is the backbone of successful online business!

Had your own experiences with lead magnets and optin forms? If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below:

Drip campaigns are one way that marketers can keep up their contact with customers over time.

Being able to segment your customers and reach them at the right time with the right message can lead to fantastic results in your marketing campaigns.

The aim is to build a relationship with your customers and keep them engaged with your brand without feeling too intrusive.

Let’s look at exactly what an email drip campaign is, how they work, and how to use them for maximum success in your future marketing campaigns.

What is an Email Drip Campaign?

An email drip campaign refers to a series of emails sent out over a period.

The purpose of an email campaign is usually either to get people interested in a product or service or to encourage them to take some action.

The idea of drip marketing is that you send out several emails over time so that they don’t overwhelm your customer.

Drip Campaign Flowchart

An email drip campaign flowchart can help you decide what emails to send and give a general overview of your marketing automation processes.

The layout reminds you what your automated email communications should look like across time.

You can use the infographic to plan out your drip campaigns chronologically and refer back to it whenever you need a refresher on email drip-campaign best practices.

The visual form is accessible for your team members to follow and see exactly where your prospects are on each journey toward their purchase.

What is the Difference Between a Drip Campaign and Mass Email?

A mass email campaign is a marketing automation strategy that sends one message to a large group of recipients regardless of their individual preferences.

They have limited room for customization.

On the other hand, a drip campaign is more personalized and interactive.

Types of Drip Campaigns

Depending on your marketing goals, there are various types of drip campaigns that you can set up.

Here are five types of drip campaigns to consider:

• Welcome campaign – Onboarding emails introduce new subscribers and welcome them into your community.
• Retargeting campaign – Re-engagement campaigns work well for keeping customers interested in your brand.
• Post-purchase campaign – Send tailored messaging after someone has purchased from you to encourage future engagement.
• Abandoned cart campaign – If someone has added items to their cart but left without making a purchase, send them an email with some special offers or discounts if they return and complete their order.
• Unsubscribe Campaign – Send one last email when people unsubscribe from your email list to try and recover the lead.

How Does an Email Drip Campaign Work?

An email drip campaign consists of emails sent in succession, all promoting the same product or service.

The concept builds around time-based emailing, where you send out one email per day or week for a certain period.

You can also do it based on an event, such as if a lead fills out a form on your website.

As your subscribers open and read each email, they are reminded about your brand and encouraged to make a purchase.

What Should Be Included in an Email Drip Campaign?

An email drip campaign should include valuable content to keep customers engaged and interested in your products.

Begin with a clear subject line relevant to your audience, followed by a brief but informative email to entice them to click through.

Connect with your leads through short and straightforward messaging and get personal by including non-business information tailored to each individual.

Include images, videos, or links as needed for maximum response rates.

Finally, create urgency at every stage of your email drip campaign to prompt customers to take action and buy from you.

How Many Emails Should Be in a Drip Campaign?

There is no fixed rule here.

The frequency of your drip campaign emails will depend on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Having three to ten emails in a drip campaign is ideal for most businesses, though some might need more and others might need less.

Essentially, you do not want to overwhelm your subscriber, but you also don’t want them to forget about you.

A good rule of thumb is that every email in a drip campaign should have a purpose and be relevant to each stage of your sales funnel.

What Makes A Drip Campaign Successful?

A successful drip campaign has a specific purpose, and it’s not just a product announcement or sales pitch.

It communicates value to your audience by providing helpful information, enticing incentives, and increasing brand loyalty.  

Conducting multiple drip campaigns for each segment of your audience and hitting the mark on timing will enhance your odds of success.

How Much Do Email Drip Campaigns Cost?

The cost of an email drip campaign can vary greatly depending on your specific needs and which platform you use.

Advanced marketing automation platforms cost anywhere from $15 to $1000 per month for small businesses, while enterprise-level solutions are more expensive ranging from $2,000 to over $10,000 per month.

Are Drip Campaigns Effective?

There are ways to create more effective drip campaigns based on what you want people to do and who you’re targeting.

To build a compelling campaign, you need first to identify your target audience and what type of information or updates will be most valuable to them.

This journal, for example, believes personalized email marketing achieves a 25% higher click-through rate than non-personalized email campaigns.

Why Use Email Drip Campaigns?

The use of email marketing automation is one of many strategies that can help your business stand out from its competitors.

With a successful campaign, you can nurture leads and turn them into customers who are more likely to purchase your products or services.

Incorporating an email drip campaign as part of your overall strategy also boosts sales and improves brand loyalty.

How to Measure Drip Marketing Results

You can use email marketing key performance indicators (KPIs) to gauge whether or not an email drip campaign is effective.

These KPIs differ depending on your business goals and industry, but some of them include:

How Is Email Drip Marketing Success Measured?

By tracking the metrics mentioned above over time, you’ll be able to tell if your marketing automation is performing well enough to justify continuing with the drip campaign.

You might need to change what you’re doing to improve on effectiveness.

How to Set Up an Email Drip Campaign

Email drip campaigns are a great way to nurture prospects or customers into buying from you.

You can set up yours by following these steps.

Choose a Drip Campaign Software

The first step in setting up your drip campaign is choosing software that allows you to create and send out emails.

Your choice of software will depend on how many contacts you have, how frequently you want to email them, and what type of information you want to send them.

Select a platform based on what features you need to accomplish your goals.

An essential sales and marketing company should include email design and templates, reporting & analytics, campaign scheduling, and customer relationship management (CRM) integration.

Pick out a service provider that offers these features or some combination of them.

Ensure you clearly understand the pricing packages before signing up.

Some services offer free trials so take advantage of those to test their functionality before committing to a plan.

Identify Your Target Audience

Identifying your target audience is one of your most essential tasks.

It will help you create a sales funnel that makes it easy for your potential customers to buy from you.

Analyze your customer base and learn about their interests, concerns, and pain points.

Defining your buyer personas will also make it easier to determine what type of content you should create for your drip campaign.

A buyer persona refers to a character drawn based on accurate data about your ideal customers.

You can build out a buyer persona based on demographic and psychographic information.

These factors include:

• Age
• Gender
• Income level
• Marital status
• Location
• Occupation (industry)
• Hobbies/interests

The more detailed your buyer personas are, the better they will be able to serve as a guide when creating content for your email drip campaigns.

Craft Your Message

After you’ve decided on your target audience, develop compelling content that will resonate with them.

The more engaging your emails are, the more likely people will open them.

Your email drip campaign should focus on one main topic at a time.

Break down your case into smaller pieces and make sure each piece of content is compelling enough to stand alone.

Include actionable tips in your email automation so subscribers can take advantage of what they learn right away.

Plan Out Your Campaign

A well-thought-out campaign will help you stay on track and give you room to experiment with different strategies.

A vital step is planning out what content and offers are going into your drip campaign.

Brainstorm ideas for each email in your drip campaign.

Create a spreadsheet where you can list all of these ideas in order.

Outlining will help keep everything organized and make sure that you prioritize the most important ones.  

Determine the required resources needed to execute each idea.

It’s essential to know how much time it will take to create any assets or collateral for your campaign.

Create a budget based on the campaign’s financial needs.

Make sure to include other areas such as design, development, and copywriting.

You can hire freelancers if you don’t have internal resources who can complete specific tasks for your campaign.

If you decide to hire freelancers, make sure they are familiar with your industry and understand your target audience.

They should produce high-quality work that aligns with your brand identity.

Initiate Your Campaign

Once you’ve got your drip campaign set up, it’s time to get things started.

The best way to do that is by sending a welcome email.

Warming up will help you build rapport with new subscribers and entice them into reading more of your content.

Your onboarding emails should include a brief overview of what they can expect from your emails.

Build up the suspense by giving them a preview of upcoming content or offering some incentive for signing up.

Evaluate Results and Adjust

Assess the performance of your email drip campaign and pay attention to how many people engage with each message, what actions they take, and what links they click on.

You can even send out a survey during or after your campaign to get direct feedback from your audience.

Keep track of what works and what doesn’t to improve results continually.

Tweak subject lines, modify content, and experiment with and days of the week to see which elements positively impact engagement rates.

Ultimately, your email drip campaign results should have a positive return on investment (ROI) for your business.

Drip Campaign Tips

Here are five tips to help you run a successful drip email campaign that people will look forward to receiving each month.

Prioritize the Right Metrics

Focus on specific KPIs and set goals accordingly for your drip email campaign.

This will help you understand which metrics truly matter, so you can spend your time focusing on strategies that drive results.

Personalize Your Email Messages

Don’t just blast an email out to all of your customers.

Make it personal.

Offer customized messages for different groups of customers on your email list, segmented by date or product category.

You’ll be able to create drip email campaign content that resonates with them emotionally, ultimately leading to higher engagement rates.

Different Campaigns For Different Objectives

Each product or service you offer will likely have a unique audience, even if it’s an offshoot of your primary business.

Create a separate drip email campaign for each product type and tailor each one to its specific audience.

Create a Clear Call to Action

When writing a drip campaign, it’s essential to include a call-to-action (CTA) at every stage of your message.

A good CTA encourages engagement while giving readers options based on their preferences.

Use the Right Platform

Select a platform that’s best suited to your business.

Ensure the cost of setting up, running, and managing it is worth it in terms of marketing ROI.

Are Email Drip Campaigns Worth it?

We evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of drip campaigns to help you decide if they’re suitable for your business.

Pros

• A drip email campaign allows you to increase customer engagement
• It helps you promote relevant content about your products
• Lets you nurture prospects into a sustainable marketing funnel
• You can use a drip email campaign to re-engage your lead base

Cons

• It needs significant time and dedication to execute correctly
• Campaigns are subject to trial and error, especially when starting out

If you can create a drip campaign that people are excited about and open every email you send them, it will positively impact your business overall.

Wrapping Up

Businesses can use email drip campaigns to increase customer engagement and ultimately drive more sales.

Your business can create an effective drip campaign to keep customers coming back for more by following a few simple steps.

1. Catch the 1st post here: “Why List Building Needs To Be Your #1 Priority”
2. And read the 2nd post here: “Content Upgrades: Want To Triple Your List?

More Ways To Use Freebie Opt-In Lead Magnets

When you engage in list building applying content, content upgrades, and lead magnets, you’re designing a funnel. Even if you never thought as a funnel, it is.

Let’s go through the stages, starting with website content, adding the lead magnet, and then leading your audience through an email marketing series.

This is so you can make an offer that will monetize all your power plays.

Create the Content

After you’ve conducted your due diligence and considered …

• who you desire to attract to your website   
• what they need to know,
• what problems they possess and how you can solve them

Then you can create the initial content for your blog, guest post, or another platform.

Assemble it so it’s super targeted toward your audience, gives them the information they want to know about, and that it is valuable to them.

Develop a Complementary Lead Magnet
Either design or re-purpose other content you possess that furthers the audience’s interest in the content’s topic you’ve produced.

Examine at how you can expand on the content in the original article and how you can substantiate something further.

Determine how you might offer them something of consequence to go with the original content.

Make that into a lead magnet.

?Make it simple though.

A checklist, an explanatory video, a cheat sheet, or something else that you can put together in less than a day is usually best.

It will be easy for your readers to put it into use quickly.

Push Traffic to Your Content
Once you have published the content, and the lead magnet is attached to the content and ready to download, it’s time to attract traffic to the content.

There are numerous channels to do this.

Publish a blurb and a link on social media platforms and/or paid advertising, allow affiliates to apply the content as a promotion method and more.

The important thing is to get targeted traffic to consume the content.

Educate & Nurture Your List Members

Once they sign up for your list because of downloading the lead magnet,  now it’s time to educate and nurture the list members.

Ensure that you create at least 1 to 3+ emails in a series blueprinted to teach them from day one what to expect from you.

Plus  also about their problems and the solutions you offer.

As you produce the series, think about the article they read to find the lead magnet, and the lead magnet.

Expand on it, poke it, explore it, and make them think about it.

Pitch Your Offers

Within the emails you broadcast, you should be producing offers.

If you’re nervous about making offers, remember that you’d be doing your audience a massive disservice not to introduce them to solutions for their problems.

Since they signed up because of your content, you already realize they want and need your solutions.

Try to pitch an offer at least every three or four emails.

Make the Sale

Once you make the sale, your affiliation is not over.

It’s increasing.

Now you must establish an email series for the buyer blueprinted to lead them through another funnel.

Use a good autoresponder system and landing page option like Leadpages or Instapage for landing pages and Drip for email.

Remember, all of this must flow seamlessly.

Not only does the topic need to be closely related to the best conversion but it should be easy for your audience to take advantage of and use.

When you’re making your funnels, simply  think about the procedure as, “what’s the next step my readers require to take and what tool or product do they need to do it?”

When you put yourself in their shoes, you’ll be much more successful.

Making Connections: Mention Your Opt-In Offer In Existing Content

Every time you scribble a new blog post, it’s an opportunity to employ one of the lead magnets you’ve already created.

You don’t want to position the opt-in offers on only one page or one blog post or article.

You can insert each opt-in within any content you prepare that matches and helps expand on the information.

Blog Posts

If you’re writing about something that reminds you of another blog post you wrote, or about a lead magnet you produced, it’s a great time to link to either one.

Call it out so it’s noticeable.

Announce something like, “Get more information from this cheat sheet I created for you.”  

Social Media

You can also reference your content upgrades on social media.

What if someone poses a question that your blog post that has the content upgrade in it will help answer?

If it’s allowed by the rules of your group, introduce a blurb to the blog post and a link to it so they can read your information and grab the opt-in offer too.

Analyze Your Content

Start with the content that catches the most views, as long as that content is laser targeted toward your ideal audience.

See if you can match it with content upgrades you’ve already prepared or produce something original to help expand on the content and promote more understanding for your audience.

By having multiple points of entry onto your lists via the content you already have, you’ll build your list even faster.

Slow & Steady Wins the Race

You’ve probably heard the childhood story of the Tortoise and The Hare.

While the rabbit bounces all over the place and advances fast, the turtle recreates steady progress without distraction and beats the rabbit.

Consider of yourself to be like the turtle.

Don’t feel as if you need to do everything at once.

Focus on your most read content and developing entry points with opt-in offers to your audience that helps them so they can get on your list.

Develop a Habit

When you create novel content for your blog, guest blog posts, articles – anything that other people will read – if you have a space to do it, or you can link within the content, always add a content upgrade of some form to…

1. Help your audience
2. Add value to the content
3. And move them to your email list, where you can educate and nurture them.

Over time, you’ll prepare a lot of connections with your content that will establish targeted opportunities and entry points to grow your list.

Don’t feel pressured to generate 5 opt-ins today, but make it your goal to assemble as many as you can that make sense for your audience.

How To Turn A Blog Post Series Into A Content Upgrade Offer

A really good  way to utilise  a content upgrade is to develop an outline for a blog series.

If you already have a blog series or two on your site, you’re in luck because you already have a great content upgrade you can offer.

This idea works with new or existing content and is a casual way to create more opt-in offers.

Start Fresh

Write the whole series in one document like you might an eBook or eReport.

Make the document attractive by adding more images, more graphics, charts, call outs for stats and so forth.

Turn it into a PDF for adding as a content upgrade to each individual blog post in the series.

Create a landing page or sign-up form using software like LeadPages, integrating it with your email autoresponders software, so people get added to your list when they download it. 

Once you finish that, use the Word version and cut and paste each blog post into your scheduling framework.

Then attach the content upgrade by linking to the URL of the landing page.

Be sure to practice a method to call it out or attract attention to it so that the readers will notice it.

Start with Old Content

If you already have blog series or posts that can work as a series, combine them together to create a PDF.

Don’t forget to create a landing page for it.

A landing page makes it easier to ensure that all the technology you apply works.

You want to ensure that the lead magnet it’s connected to your autoresponder system.

Then add the URL to any relevant content as an upgrade, again ensuring that you highlight it so it’s noticeable to your prospects and customers.

This is an excellent way of reusing any content you’ve compiled already.

(It functions best if you can select the most popular content or series you’ve created.)

Make it Easy

The great characteristic about creating content upgrades to help build your list is that it works.

It’s easy and you don’t have to design anything new if you don’t want to.

Don’t make creating content upgrades harder than it is.

It only needs to be serviceable to your audience, relevant to what they’re consuming and quick to read, utilize, or implement.

Text Links vs. Pain Text Opt-Ins vs. Graphic Opt-In Forms

There are several ways you can present in-content opt-ins to your audience.

You can use text links, plain text opt-ins, and graphic opt-in forms.

It’s up to you how to do it, and probably use all three types to find out what works best for your audience, but the best way to start is by creating a landing page for each opt-in that you create.

Text Links

When you use a text link, this means you create anchor text for the link that makes sense.

You often see this on menu options, when linking to a blog post, or other internal content.

This is also a good way to deliver opt-in options.

To use a text link, first create a landing page for your opt-in offer that is attached to your email list and signs up people for your list when they provide their email addresses to you.

An example of this is mentioning the opt-in within the post. For example, you might say something like, “…for more information you might want to check out this freebie about this topic”.

Then link the URL of the landing page to the words about the topic.

Plain Text Opt-ins

These types of links just look like hyper-links and don’t use anchor text.

Sometimes do this on social media, in text-based email options, in the video, or even right in a blog post because it can be more transparent or seem that way to some of your audience.

A great way to do a plain text link is to use software such as tinyurl.com or bit.ly or any another way to make the link look pretty that also goes to the freebie landing page.

Then just share the link to the content you create and tell them to go to this link for the information they need.

Graphic Opt-in Forms

You can create beautiful opt-in forms applying either landing page software or your autoresponder software to accomplish it.

You can even attach forms to links so that when they hover over anchor text, the form pops up.

The possibilities are endless.

Applying a graphic form that pops up, pops under, slides over, or is within the content white space of your article, blog post, or other content.

This will stand out a lot. It should provide the information that’s on the landing page but work as a landing page too.

OptinMonster does this really well.

That way they don’t have to exit the page and can fill out the form, which once done, will take them to the download page.

Using Pop-Up Forms As Part Of Your In-Content List Building

Using pop-up forms as part of your in-content list building is a great way to get more sign-ups.

Many people claim to dislike pop-ups but the facts (when looking at the data) suggest that pop-ups convert WAY more than other types of forms. 

A pop-up form is a code you can create by using landing page software or sometimes your autoresponder software.

Some good software to look at is LeadPages for landing page software which integrates with many types of email marketing autoresponder services.

Pop-up forms can be placed  sitewide or even be page specific. I recommend that you use both types of options.

Keeping a sitewide opt-in offer is a important way to capture people who arrive to your site’s homepage directly, and a specific freebie should be offered based on each page’s content.

There are some best practices to use when incorporating pop up forms as part of your in-content list building.

Be Bold & Clear

Don’t make your pop up boring. Instead, make them beautiful with color, good graphic design principles, and with a clear offer.

Think of it as an advertisement for your opt-in offer and not just as a pop-up form.

Make the message and the intent of the pop up clear by keeping it simple but hard to ignore.

Make it Mobile Friendly 

Responsive design today should be automatic but there is still some technology out there (and templates) that aren’t responsive and will not look right on mobile.

Double check how the pop-up form looks on various devices and make sure it works. 

Keep it Branded

Be very consistent with your branding on all your forms. Branding can consist of fonts, colors, and other aspects of your website.

Make each pop up look like it belongs to your site and isn’t an afterthought.

Use the Right Tools

There are great tools out there that will make your pop up forms look better and even work better to deliver the opt-ins seamlessly to your audience.

The right software, plugin, and systems will make it all easier for you and more effective too.

Make it Easy to Say No

Don’t hide the exit button from your audience. When you use pop-ups, while you want them to be bold and clear, you also want them to make it easy for your audience to say no so that they don’t become irritated by the pop-up and then leave your site.

Remember to always test everything.

Conducting A/B testing is a great way to try different headlines, colors, calls to action to discover out what works best for your audience.

Plus, make sure that the information you show on the pop-up is honest, direct, and easy to understand surrounding the benefits of downloading the opt-in.

I hope you enjoyed this list building series. Take two or three actions this week toward creating in-content opt-ins and I know your email list will grow faster than ever!

When you engage in list building applying content, content upgrades, and lead magnets, you’re designing a funnel. Even if you never thought as a funnel, it is.

Let’s go through the stages, starting with website content, adding the lead magnet, and then leading your audience through an email marketing series.

This is so you can make an offer that will monetize all your power plays.

Create the Content

After you’ve conducted your due diligence and considered …

• who you desire to attract to your website   
• what they need to know,
• what problems they possess and how you can solve them

Then you can create the initial content for your blog, guest post, or another platform.

Assemble it so it’s super targeted toward your audience, gives them the information they want to know about, and that it is valuable to them.

Develop a Complementary Lead Magnet
Either design or re-purpose other content you possess that furthers the audience’s interest in the content’s topic you’ve produced.

Examine at how you can expand on the content in the original article and how you can substantiate something further.

Determine how you might offer them something of consequence to go with the original content.

Make that into a lead magnet.

Make it simple though.

A checklist, an explanatory video, a cheat sheet, or something else that you can put together in less than a day is usually best.

It will be easy for your readers to put it into use quickly.

Push Traffic to Your Content

Once you have published the content, and the lead magnet is attached to the content and ready to download, it’s time to attract traffic to the content.

There are numerous channels to do this.

Publish a blurb and a link on social media platforms and/or paid advertising, allow affiliates to apply the content as a promotion method and more.

The important thing is to get targeted traffic to consume the content.

Educate & Nurture Your List Members

Once they sign up for your list because of downloading the lead magnet,  now it’s time to educate and nurture the list members.

Ensure that you create at least 1 to 3+ emails in a series blueprinted to teach them from day one what to expect from you.

Plus  also about their problems and the solutions you offer.

As you produce the series, think about the article they read to find the lead magnet, and the lead magnet.

Expand on it, poke it, explore it, and make them think about it.

Pitch Your Offers

Within the emails you broadcast, you should be producing offers.

If you’re nervous about making offers, remember that you’d be doing your audience a massive disservice not to introduce them to solutions for their problems.

Since they signed up because of your content, you already realize they want and need your solutions.

Try to pitch an offer at least every three or four emails.

Make the Sale

Once you make the sale, your affiliation is not over.

It’s increasing.

Now you must establish an email series for the buyer blueprinted to lead them through another funnel.

Use a good autoresponder system and landing page option like Leadpages or Instapage for landing pages and Drip for email.

Remember, all of this must flow seamlessly.

Not only does the topic need to be closely related to the best conversion but it should be easy for your audience to take advantage of and use.

When you’re making your funnels, simply  think about the procedure as, “what’s the next step my readers require to take and what tool or product do they need to do it?”

When you put yourself in their shoes, you’ll be much more successful.

Making Connections: Mention Your Opt-In Offer In Existing Content

Every time you scribble a new blog post, it’s an opportunity to employ one of the lead magnets you’ve already created.

You don’t want to position the opt-in offers on only one page or one blog post or article.

You can insert each opt-in within any content you prepare that matches and helps expand on the information.

Blog Posts

If you’re writing about something that reminds you of another blog post you wrote, or about a lead magnet you produced, it’s a great time to link to either one.

Call it out so it’s noticeable.

Announce something like, “Get more information from this cheat sheet I created for you.”  

Social Media

You can also reference your content upgrades on social media.

What if someone poses a question that your blog post that has the content upgrade in it will help answer?

If it’s allowed by the rules of your group, introduce a blurb to the blog post and a link to it so they can read your information and grab the opt-in offer too.

Analyze Your Content

Start with the content that catches the most views, as long as that content is laser targeted toward your ideal audience.

See if you can match it with content upgrades you’ve already prepared or produce something original to help expand on the content and promote more understanding for your audience.

By having multiple points of entry onto your lists via the content you already have, you’ll build your list even faster.

Slow & Steady Wins the Race

You’ve probably heard the childhood story of the Tortoise and The Hare.

While the rabbit bounces all over the place and advances fast, the turtle recreates steady progress without distraction and beats the rabbit.

Consider of yourself to be like the turtle.

Don’t feel as if you need to do everything at once.

Focus on your most read content and develop entry points with opt-in offers to your audience that helps them so they can get on your list.

Develop a Habit

When you create novel content for your blog, guest blog posts, articles – anything that other people will read – if you have a space to do it, or you can link within the content, always add a content upgrade of some form to…

1. Help your audience
2. Add value to the content
3. And move them to your email list, where you can educate and nurture them.

Over time, you’ll prepare a lot of connections with your content that will establish targeted opportunities and entry points to grow your list.

Don’t feel pressured to generate 5 opt-ins today, but make it your goal to assemble as many as you can that make sense for your audience.

How To Turn A Blog Post Series Into A Content Upgrade Offer

A really good  way to utilise  a content upgrade is to develop an outline for a blog series.

If you already have a blog series or two on your site, you’re in luck because you already have a great content upgrade you can offer.

This idea works with new or existing content and is a casual way to create more opt-in offers.

Start Fresh

Write the whole series in one document like you might an eBook or eReport.

Make the document attractive by adding more images, more graphics, charts, call outs for stats and so forth.

Turn it into a PDF for adding as a content upgrade to each individual blog post in the series.

Create a landing page or sign-up form using software like LeadPages, integrating it with your email autoresponders software, so people get added to your list when they download it. 

Once you finish that, use the Word version and cut and paste each blog post into your scheduling framework.

Then attach the content upgrade by linking to the URL of the landing page.

Be sure to practice a method to call it out or attract attention to it so that the readers will notice it.

Start with Old Content

If you already have blog series or posts that can work as a series, combine them together to create a PDF.

Don’t forget to create a landing page for it.

A landing page makes it easier to ensure that all the technology you apply works.

You want to ensure that the lead magnet it’s connected to your autoresponder system.

Then add the URL to any relevant content as an upgrade, again ensuring that you highlight it so it’s noticeable to your prospects and customers.

This is an excellent way of reusing any content you’ve compiled already.

(It functions best if you can select the most popular content or series you’ve created.)

Make it Easy

The great characteristic about creating content upgrades to help build your list is that it works.

It’s easy and you don’t have to design anything new if you don’t want to.

Don’t make creating content upgrades harder than it is.

It only needs to be serviceable to your audience, relevant to what they’re consuming and quick to read, utilize, or implement.

Text Links vs. Pain Text Opt-Ins vs. Graphic Opt-In Forms

There are several ways you can present in-content opt-ins to your audience.

You can use text links, plain text opt-ins, and graphic opt-in forms.

It’s up to you how to do it, and probably use all three types to find out what works best for your audience, but the best way to start is by creating a landing page for each opt-in that you create.

Text Links

When you use a text link, this means you create anchor text for the link that makes sense.

You often see this on menu options, when linking to a blog post, or other internal content.

This is also a good way to deliver opt-in options.

To use a text link, first create a landing page for your opt-in offer that is attached to your email list and signs up people for your list when they provide their email addresses to you.

An example of this is mentioning the opt-in within the post.

For example, you might say something like, “…for more information you might want to check out this freebie about this topic”.

Then link the URL of the landing page to the words about the topic.

Plain Text Opt-ins

These types of links just look like hyper-links and don’t use anchor text.

Sometimes do this on social media, in text-based email options, in the video, or even right in a blog post because it can be more transparent or seem that way to some of your audience.

A great way to do a plain text link is to use software such as tinyurl.com or bit.ly or any another way to make the link look pretty that also goes to the freebie landing page.

Then just share the link to the content you create and tell them to go to this link for the information they need.

Graphic Opt-in Forms

You can create beautiful opt-in forms applying either landing page software or your autoresponder software to accomplish it.

You can even attach forms to links so that when they hover over anchor text, the form pops up. The possibilities are endless.

Applying a graphic form that pops up, pops under, slides over, or is within the content white space of your article, blog post, or other content.

This will stand out a lot. It should provide the information that’s on the landing page but work as a landing page too.

OptinMonster does this really well.

That way they don’t have to exit the page and can fill out the form, which once done, will take them to the download page.

Using Pop-Up Forms As Part Of Your In-Content List Building

Using pop-up forms as part of your in-content list building is a great way to get more sign-ups.

Many people claim to dislike pop-ups but the facts (when looking at the data) suggest that pop-ups convert WAY more than other types of forms. 

A pop-up form is a code you can create by using landing page software or sometimes your autoresponder software.

Some good software to look at is LeadPages for landing page software which integrates with many types of email marketing autoresponder services.
Pop-up forms can be placed  sitewide or even be page specific.

I recommend that you use both types of options.

Keeping a sitewide opt-in offer is a important way to capture people who arrive to your site’s homepage directly, and a specific freebie should be offered based on each page’s content.

There are some best practices to use when incorporating pop up forms as part of your in-content list building.

Be Bold & Clear

Don’t make your pop up boring. Instead, make them beautiful with color, good graphic design principles, and with a clear offer.

Think of it as an advertisement for your opt-in offer and not just as a pop-up form.

Make the message and the intent of the pop up clear by keeping it simple but hard to ignore.

Make it Mobile Friendly 

Responsive design today should be automatic but there is still some technology out there (and templates) that aren’t responsive and will not look right on mobile.

Double check how the pop-up form looks on various devices and make sure it works. 

Keep it Branded

Be very consistent with your branding on all your forms.

Branding can consist of fonts, colors, and other aspects of your website. Make each pop up look like it belongs to your site and isn’t an afterthought.

Use the Right Tools

There are great tools out there that will make your pop up forms look better and even work better to deliver the opt-ins seamlessly to your audience.

The right software, plugin, and systems will make it all easier for you and more effective too.

Make it Easy to Say No

Don’t hide the exit button from your audience. When you use pop-ups, while you want them to be bold and clear, you also want them to make it easy for your audience to say no so that they don’t become irritated by the pop-up and then leave your site.

Remember to always test everything.

Conducting A/B testing is a great way to try different headlines, colors, calls to action to discover out what works best for your audience.

Plus, make sure that the information you show on the pop-up is honest, direct, and easy to understand surrounding the benefits of downloading the opt-in.

I hope you enjoyed this list building series.

Take two or three actions this week toward creating in-content opt-ins and I know your email list will grow faster than ever!

Why a Lead Magnet Freebie?

You can get more traffic due to marketing the lead magnet, build your list from the readers that sign up for and download it, and build trust because you solved one of their problems.

And your lead magnet helps to build that trust because it shows proof that you are an expert in your area.

When your lead magnet is useful, solves a problem, and is easy to implement, then your email subscribers are going to be so happy that they’ll be more likely to want to buy from you and to trust your recommendations.

So, just how do you create your site-wide Lead Magnet?

First, Gain Their Trust With Helpful Advice

Lead Magnets that get opened and read AND that get results for your new subscriber…

1. Are Useful – You must know who your audience is in order to create a lead magnet or any type of product for them. If you don’t take the time to study them you’re making a big mistake. Even if you’re part of your own audience you still need to do the research so you know what your audience really needs from you.
2. Solve a Problem – The best lead magnets solve one problem in a very simple way. Your audience who downloads it should be able to digest the info in it quickly and implement the actions easily so they see some results fast.
3. Are Easy to Access—Remember that you can always get more information later as your audience starts trusting you more. Start by asking for just the email address (and if you really want it, their first name).
4. Provide Actionable Steps – The best lead magnets also have actionable steps that are easy to understand and follow. It helps to include a closing “what to do now” section to help your readers implement the plan.
5. Prove Your Expertise – When you solve a problem for your audience they will begin to see you as an expert in that area. They’re going to start trusting you even more for any type of information you have to provide within that niche.

When you make your lead magnet useful, help them overcome one of their pain points, giving them step by step instructions to doing it you’re going to accomplish other goals too.

You’re going to build trust with your audience which is going to make them that much more likely to open your emails and purchases the offers you send their way.

How To Plan Your Irresistible Freebie In Just 5 Easy Steps

Your lead magnet is created purely to get your reader as a subscriber and to get the opportunity to build trust with them.

1. Start with The End Goal in Mind

For example, if you have a continuity group membership program which is your flagship product or course that you ultimately want everyone to join, you should create a lead magnet with that product in mind.

You can do the same thing with any product or service that you have.

2. One Problem and One Solution

Focus on solving one problem for your target audience that helps lead them to purchase your flagship product or program.

For example, if you have a specialized diet membership program where you offer support and menu planning along with the option of one-on-one coaching you might want to offer a lead magnet such as a sample 7 day menu plan or a “steps to success” report than promote the membership to anyone who signs up.

3. Shorter is Better

When it comes to lead magnets, you don’t want to make a super long and overly complicated solution.

Instead, focus down because shorter, in this case, is better.

You do want to show quality and value, but you don’t want to overwhelm them.

You DO want them to be able to use and implement your solutions within a short time.

4. Teach What’s Next

If you have in mind what’s next, that is going to help even more.

For example, if you have a Paleo diet website, you might start with easy things like how to substitute food off the list for food on the list.

Then, you might decide to start teaching them actual cooking techniques such as how to braise food, grill food, cut meat so that it’s tender, etc.

5. Share an Easier Way

Another way to approach this is to show them an even simpler way such as “done for you” services for something you taught them in the lead magnet.

So, for example, let’s say that you created a lead magnet that teaches your audience how to create great content.

Then after a couple of days, giving them time to digest the information you’ve taught them, you can promote a done for you service for writing their blog posts or creating a short report for them.

Are You Thinking of Creating An eBook or Short Report?

Enough already with the endless ebooks and reports!

We’ve all got a million of them cluttering up the hard drives that we haven’t read…

So do your audience a favor – create something more fun for your freebie, that they’re more likely to actually read and apply!

Here are some ideas to get you started…

1. Checklist – Make a process easier by putting the important pieces into a checklist format.
2. Video – Create a quick “biggest mistakes” or “top three tips” type video to share.
3. Audit/Review – Is there a process you use that you can share with clients to audit or review something so they can identify areas to improve easily?
4. Blueprint – What’s the blueprint you follow for success? Create an image or mapped representation of it.
5. Email Course – Divide that ebook or info into 5-7 pieces and share it as a 5-7 day course so it’s easy for your subscribers to follow one piece at a time.
6. Assessment – Design a short list of questions that help your subscribers evaluate something specific related to a challenge or result they want. For example, “Is Your Website Working for You?” or “Are You Ready to Host Your Own Live Event?”
7. Mindmap – Got a process you follow for a specific process? Put it into a mindmap format to share with a tool like bubbl.us.
8. Cheat sheet – Give the shortcuts and step-by-steps to get to a goal quicker.
9. Printable – Do you have a form, template, checklist, images, labels, cards or something else that would be great for your audience to print off and keep handy?
10. Quick Guide – What’s the shortest way you can explain how to get from point A to point B? Instead of a 273-page comprehensive guide, consider something super short and easy to follow.
11. Templates – Create a useful template. What do you teach or share that could be turned into a fill-in-the-blank process?
12. Case Study – Share a case study of someone brand new (could be you or a client) and how they achieved a result or made a change. Explain each step they took, why it was important, and how they progressed to reach the goal.
13. “Swipe This” – Give something they can “swipe” to use for themselves – from email templates or series to webinar slides, lots of options here. What’s something that’s hard to do? Make it easier by giving them a starting point.
14. Tool or App – Share a tool or app designed to make your audiences life easier in some way.
15. Resource List – What resources would be helpful to share with your audience? “Top 10 tools for…”, “Best books for… “, “5 Websites to… ” (bonus tip: add affiliate links!)

You’re finished – now, go enjoy your lunch!

So, which of these ideas will you use to create your next list building Lead Magnet?

And what format will you use out of the above 15?

First impression matters a great deal.

That applies to new subscribers on your email list, too.

When someone new joins your email list, you have a unique chance to build trust with them, show the value of staying in your community, and lead them towards a valuable (for you and for them) action.

You can achieve all of that with having the best welcome emails in a  sequence (also known as a drip campaign — I’ll use those two terms interchangeably).

When you get your welcome email series right, you turn a cold lead into a loyal fan, and, sometimes, even a customer — within a matter of two weeks.

And in today’s post, I’m going to show you what makes a welcome email sequence GREAT at achieving those goals … and how you can do it easily for your email list.

Let’s begin.

Oh, and I also included a sweet bonus at the end of the post with an email-by-email structure for three different email drip campaigns EVERY blogger must have, including a welcome email template.

Download, plug and ship.

The Goal Of  The Best Welcome Emails

The moment someone subscribes to your list is the best time to build a relationship with them because that’s when they are in the “high intent” mode: they voluntarily decided to join your list because they saw some benefit in it.

Use this timing to your advantage and build up momentum in your relationship with the subscriber.

How?

Make them feel even better about joining your list by showing that they are in the right place, giving them super valuable content for free, and asking questions to get a conversation going.

Effective welcome emails are strategic, and they must attempt to accomplish 3 key things:

• Create a connection
• Build trust
• Tease

I’ll show you exactly how to do each of these in a minute, but before we get to that, let’s take a look at the very first email you send to new subscribers.

It’s vital that you do 4 things right.

Do These 4 Things Right In Your First Welcome Email

The first onboarding welcome email you send to your subscribers will have the highest open rate among all of your emails, so it’s a prime opportunity to do the following things:

Introduce your sender persona

Tell them who you are and why you’ll be emailing them.

Why should they listen to you?

Why should they care?

Make sure the first email uses the same “from name” and “from email address” as all later ones (otherwise, what’s the point of welcoming them in and then confusing by introducing other sender names).

Set expectations for when and how often you’ll be in touch

In your first welcome email, give your subscribers an idea of how often you’ll email them, so they know what to expect.

People like to be warned and prepared; it creates a feeling of trust and familiarity.

Ask subscribers to add you as a safe sender.

This is an important step that will make a HUGE difference in improving your deliverability down the road.

One of the most desirable things for marketers is to get in the “Primary” tab in Gmail, and the most effective strategy for that is asking subscribers to put you there.

Show your subscribers how they can drag and drop your message to the “Primary” tab in Gmail, and remind them to confirm that they want all emails from you to land there.

Another strategy to help with the deliverability of your emails is to ask your subscribers to reply to your email.

Once they reply, their email client adds your email address to the “important” list in their inbox.

And who doesn’t want to be important? 🙂

Of course, for both of these strategies, you’ll want to give your subscribers good enough reasons to take these actions.

Show them you’re worth it by going above & beyond in providing value and useful resources, and building a personal connection.

Ask to help you with segmentation

If you want to segment your list based on subscriber interests or demographics, the first welcome email is the perfect place to ask them to show their preferences.

Ask your reader what they’d be most interested in hearing about, and provide a few links that trigger a field label change in your database.

For example, if your list is for art-lovers, ask them to select their preferences, so you know what content and offers to send them. It would look something like this:

“Please select the arts you love most, so I only send you the most relevant info:

• performance arts
• fine arts
• alternative arts ”

Or, if you’d like to keep it simple, do what Jeremy Cowart did in his welcome email:

Make sure you explain that you need this info to serve them better.

Make it about them, not you (this applies to everything you do, by the way).

Only ONE call to action per email

I’m giving you many ideas for optimizing your first welcome email, but keep in mind that you should only ask your subscribers to do ONE thing per email.

The more choices we have, the more confused, or at least unmotivated, we become to actually do anything at all. It’s called decision fatigue.

If you want to keep your email click-through rate high, limit the number of calls to action in each email to just one.

Don’t ask for too much.

Your Welcome Drip Campaign

Now that we’ve got the first email out-of-the-way, let’s focus on the rest of the sequence.

An ideal welcome drip campaign is usually between 3 and 5 emails, spaced 1-3 days apart.

Depending on your business and your offering, you can take that drip campaign in many directions, but no matter what you’re selling, you’ll want to accomplish the following goals.

#1. Create a connection

One of the most important goals of an email sequence is to create a connection between you and the subscriber.

You can do that by making them feel special:

• Take an interest in what they do and what they’re looking to get out of your community (ask them!)
• Provide valuable insights and behind-the-scenes information others withhold.
• Show that you’re like them by highlighting what you have in common.

People like people who are like them. In your second or third email, share a personal story that would resonate with your target subscriber.

By finding the commonalities, your subscribers will want to read more of what you writ, so they can find even more things in common.

We all feel safer when we know there are other people who are just like us and share our goals, fears, passions, interests, and struggles.

#2. Build trust

Another important thing you want to get your subscribers to do is to trust you and associate you with THE source of information when it comes to your topic.

How do you do that?

• Send them content that’s 10X more valuable than anything else shared online.
• Don’t be afraid to get on camera and record a video – you’re evoking so many more emotions and become much more memorable by adding visual and auditory senses to text.
• Provide social proof in the form of customer testimonials, results you’ve driven for your clients, the number of people you helped in this industry, and other accomplishments that are relevant to your topic.

#3. Tease

Finally, as you near the end of your welcome sequence, start teasing subscribers with the offer you prepared for them.

This could be your main product or service, or a smaller paid product that’s a qualifier for your “signature” offering.

Announce you’ll be offering something in the near future, and be clear about timing – urgency and expectation are powerful forces in marketing.

Use subject lines that evoke curiosity, and make it easy for yourself to transition into the sales sequence.

Welcome Email Drip Campaign — Sample Structure

To help you put everything you just learned into practice, here’s a sample template for a “welcome” email drip campaign.

Use this structure and make it yours by offering your unique benefits and adding your voice to the dry “principles” and “tactics”.

Email #1: Thanks for subscribing!

Thanks for subscribing, here’s what to expect from this list (focus on the benefits you will provide for them, not just what you’ll write about); links to the best content.

Email #2: Your best content

Describe ways in which they can use free content and tools on your website for their business OR send one piece of your best content in the email format.

Email #3: Nurture & engage

More nurturing content OR an invitation to a webinar OR ask them a question so you can understand your audience and segment it better.

Want to have this email structure handy so you can refer to it as you write your email drip campaigns?

You can also structure your welcome drip campaign to be a mini-course that teaches a topic that is highly relevant to what you sell.

You can deliver all content directly in your emails, or drive subscribers to your landing pages.

Mastering Your Welcome Email Sequence

Congratulations! You are well on your way to becoming a master of the welcome email sequence.

You’ve learned that the most important thing is to build a personal connection with your readers and get them to trust you.

I’ve shared multiples strategies that help with that, including sharing personal stories, highlighting things in common, and showcasing social proof, among others.

You’ve also learned important technical things you’ll want to do to keep your deliverability and click rates high.

Finally, you’ve also got a sample structure to follow to write your first welcome sequence — or improve an existing one.

Now, go implement what you’ve learned!

There won’t be a better time to use all of this momentum.

And if you’re anything like me, you won’t want to stop at just the welcome sequence.

There are other must-have drip campaigns for any blogger, which I summarized and templated for you in the next section.

Download 3 Email Drip Campaign Templates

I have prepared a special bonus for you.

You know a welcome sequence is a must if you want to maximize the value of your email list, but there is so much more that you can do!

There are 3 drip campaigns any blogger must have:

• Welcome sequence
• Nurturing Sequence
• Sales sequence  

I summarized and prepared a template for each of those sequences and packaged all of them into a compact PDF, which you can download – completely free – below.