My Favorite Email List-Building Tool

When I first started my business, I remember spending so much time trying to post the right things on Instagram. I’d stress over captions, check my DMs constantly, and cross my fingers that the algorithm would show my posts to the right people.

As a one-gal business, I literally couldn’t afford to spend hours on a single post only to get three likes and precisely zero inquiries. I knew I needed a more efficient way to connect with my audience. I needed a marketing approach that was more reliable, more personal, and less dependent on the whims of a social platform.

That’s when I started learning about a little thing called lead generation.

What is Lead Generation and Why It Matters for Small Brands

Lead generation might sound like a fancy marketing term, but at its core, it’s all about attracting potential customers and building relationships before the sale. And for solopreneurs or small brands, that relationship-building often starts with one simple thing: an email list.

Your email list is one of the only platforms you own — it’s not subject to algorithm changes, disappearing reach, or the latest social media trends. It’s a direct line to your audience, and it’s where some of your most engaged customers will come from.

That’s why lead generation matters. Whether you’re launching a new service or simply trying to stay top of mind, having a growing list of people who have already said “yes” to hearing from you is gold. But here’s the thing: your lead magnet doesn’t have to be a boring PDF or a checklist ends up collecting dust in someone’s downloads folder.

It can actually be fun.

If you’ve ever taken my What’s Your Brand’s Color Personality? quiz, then you’ve already seen my favorite lead generation tool in action. It’s an online quiz-maker called Interact.

As a brand-builder and solopreneur, I’m constantly looking for ways to connect with new audiences without burning myself out. My goal is to create resources that feel personal and provide real value.

So, when I started researching how I could build my email list, an online quiz felt like a great option. I tried it on a whim, and as someone who had tested other lead gen methods before, I was shocked by the results.

In my first month, I doubled my email list. Since launching my quiz nearly two years ago, I’ve gained almost 5,000 new subscribers and I now average about 150 new email signups per month.

So, why do I recommend quizzes for solopreneurs and personal brands? Let’s take a look:

1. Quizzes are Personal

In a world of generic PDFs and boring standardized emails, a well-crafted quiz feels like a fun escape. It’s a low-pressure way for your audience to engage and learn about themselves. It feels personal because it is. You’re asking them questions about themselves and reflecting back something useful.

2. You Can Show Off Your Expertise

For small brands, building trust is everything. A quiz lets you guide your audience through a mini experience that demonstrates your perspective and gives them a taste of what it’s like to work with you. And, with custom quiz results, you can share helpful insights that invite people to go deeper.

3. You Can Gather Valuable Audience Insights

My favorite quiz hack? Add 1-2 questions purely for your own brand research. These could be questions like...

What are you struggling with right now when it comes to (your industry)?

What are you willing to spend to fix this problem?

What have you already tried to fix this problem?

These insights are incredibly helpful for shaping your offers, messaging, or even your content strategy.

4. Set It and Forget It

What I love most is that a quiz keeps working long after you’ve built it. For example, my quiz gets consistent traffic through Pinterest and a popup on my website. Because of these platforms, it now runs mostly on autopilot —a solopreneur’s dream!

Why I Chose Interact

One of the biggest reasons I chose Interact over other quiz platforms? It integrates seamlessly with Flodesk, my email marketing platform of choice.

As a solopreneur, I don’t have time to manually sort new subscribers or send custom follow-up emails. With Interact and Flodesk working together, that entire process is automated. Each quiz result is connected to its own Flodesk workflow, so subscribers instantly get tailored content based on how they answered.

I spent a few hours setting up my workflows once and now, my quiz acts like a full-time marketing assistant that runs in the background while I focus on client work.

And if the tech part sounds intimidating, don’t worry. Interact is genuinely one of the easiest platforms I’ve used. I built my entire quiz in just a few sessions, thanks to their AI features and simple interface.

They also offer a robust resource library filled with case studies, quiz examples, and step-by-step guidance for nearly every niche. So whether you’re creating your first lead magnet or just want something that feels fresh and fun, Interact gives you everything you need to get started with confidence.

If you’re a solopreneur or service provider looking for a smart, creative way to grow your email list, I can’t recommend Interact enough.

And if you haven’t already, try my free quiz What’s Your Brand’s Color Personality? so you can see Interact in-action!