How to Grow Your Email List with Freebies
If you’re sick of the Instagram time-suck, it’s time to get strategic with growing your email list.
Growing your email list is one of the most powerful tools in today’s online economy. According to the Data & Marketing Association, the average return on investment for email marketing can be as high as $42 for every $1 spent. The most effective way to do this is through lead generators, or freebies.
In this post, we’ll cover what freebies are, the common types of freebies, how to develop your first freebie and freebie best practices. Be sure to read until the end of the blog for some freebie discounts and practical, actionable steps for starting your first freebie.
What are Freebie Lead Generators?
Lead generators, sometimes called “freebies,” are valuable resources offered for free, typically in exchange for a customer's email addresses.
The primary objective of a freebie is to build your email list. Having a hearty email list typically leads to an increase in sales, especially if you’re an online service provider and want to sell digital products.
However, they also serve another important purpose. Freebies can help build trust with your audience and prime them for when you’re ready to sell them a product or service.
That’s why you want to make sure your freebie is value-packed and displays the quality of your knowledge and experience.
What are the Common Types of Lead Generators?
Here are some common types of freebies. Think about what your audience will find the most valuable. You can also survey your audience to see what they would be most interested in.
Templates and Tools: Offer customizable templates, spreadsheets or planners. These don’t have to be super complicated. You can make them in a google doc or google sheet. These practical tools not only demonstrate your expertise but also provide immediate utility to your audience.
E-books and Guides: Create comprehensive e-books or guides that solve your customer’s common pain points. This could be a recipe ebook, running guide or whatever else you feel you have expertise in. These resources educate your audience while building trust with your audience.
Webinars and Workshops: Host a free webinar or workshop. This interactive approach not only engages your audience but also allows you to showcase your communication skills and industry knowledge. Don’t forget to record it so you can capture more leads with the replay.
Online Quizzes: I did this with my Find Your Brand Color Palette Quiz. I used the platform Interact to create an online quiz and then provided customized color palette inspiration and guides.
Private Podcast Series: Create a short podcast series where you can give your audience exclusive insights.
How Should You Choose a Topic for Your First Freebie?
Identify Your Audience’s Needs: You need to use your audience insights to create your freebie. For example, is there a common question that appears in your DMs or a common misconception you hear your audience repeating? Another way to do this is to poll your audience on Instagram, or send a survey to your current email list.
Tip: Don’t be surprised if you struggle to get any feedback with your survey! People are busy and most of them don’t want to complete your survey for free. You may want to try to incentivize your audience to complete your survey with a discount on your services or a chance to win a gift card.
Align with Your Expertise: How can you show off your expertise in your field? Get specific with a problem you can solve for your audience.
Best Practices for Creating Your Freebie
Once you’ve found an idea for a freebie, here are some best practices to keep in mind:
Choose clear over clever - When naming your freebie, don’t try to be too clever. Give it a simple and clear name so your audience knows what they’re getting and the problem you’re solving.
Ensure quality: Your freebie should reflect the quality of your paid services. A well-crafted freebie sets the expectation for the value you provide.
Promote your freebie: Use your website, social media, and email marketing to promote your freebie.
Gather Feedback and Iterate: Once your freebie is in the hands of your audience, gather feedback. Use this to refine your offering and make it even more valuable.
Freebie Tools and Resources:
Here are some of my favorite tools and resources related to freebies:
Flodesk Email Marketing Platform - Use this link and get 50% off your first year of Flodesk!
Flodesk makes it super simple to set up a landing page that captures customers' email addresses and automatically sends them the freebie. You can also easily create automated email flows and campaigns with Flodesk.
Nutritionists and health coaches! This Recipe E-Book Template is the perfect way to launch your first freebie quickly. Just customize it with your colors and content and save it as a PDF.
Interact Quiz Maker
This is the resource I used to make my Find Your Brand Color Palette Quiz. Your audience can answer a few questions and then get customized results. I got a lot of feedback that this quiz was really fun and interactive.
Remember: Freebie lead generators are not just giveaways; they are strategic tools that grow your email list. By offering immediate value and showcasing your expertise, you create a foundation for future engagements and client relationships. Growth and sales won’t happen overnight.
