How to Grow Your Email List With Freebies
The number one way I've built my list, for free, is by creating freebies. So, that's why I decided to completely break down my process for you. I have over 50 freebies floating around the internet and they all work together to build my list every single day. For free.
Think of freebies as free samples at the grocery store. They’re little, delicious, bite-sized tastes of what the full course could be. They give a sneak peek at how you teach, and what you teach, and it opens the door to your little corner of the internet a bit more to someone who you could possibly help in a bigger way.
So, let’s talk about the process, the tools, and the systems you need to have on hand so you can get inspired to create your first or your next freebie.
#1 Create multiple freebies.
Have more than one opportunity for someone to say, “yes” to being on your list. This will help see what the audience really wants to learn plus it helps fine-tune your creation and education tools. However often you decide to create a new freebie, be sure to put it in your project management system so you never a miss a beat. I like to keep a rainy day folder of freebie ideas so I always have something to pick from.
#2 Choose a name for your freebie.
If I need inspiration for a good name I’ll head on over to Pinterest, answerthepublic.com, or Amazon book reviews for inspiration. Read this post, 4 Easy Ways to Find Content Ideas, to see how it’s done.
#3 Create the freebie.
I use Canva to create everything in my business. Once I'm inspired by a title, I'll hop over there and get into creation mode first by making the cover.
#4 Create the layout.
I then create bullet points for what I want to cover. A good rule of thumb for freebies (especially if you're concerned about how much you should give out for free) is to give the "what and why's" in the freebie itself and leave the "how" to your paid programs/services. And remember, you can never be too generous. That’s my theory anyway.
#5 Make the rest of the freebie.
The length and depth of your freebie are always going to vary. Sometimes my freebies are onepage and sometimes they're more. Basically, it's whatever it takes to make subscribers feel like they've signed up for something of value and then some.
#6 Save your finished work.
Download the freebie as a pdf (or whatever is appropriate) and save it in your Google Drive and change the share settings so you can grab the link. You can also attach it to your email as a download. It depends on your email service provider. I use Flodesk and they make it really easy to do.
#7 Set up your email automation.
Once someone signs up for your freebie, have your email service provider (again Flodesk is pretty nifty) deliver the PDF by setting up an automation or workflow. Unless you want to run to your computer every time someone signs up…
#8 Create the landing page.
The landing page’s function is to entice and collect email subscribers. They should be simple and to the point. Include the title of the freebie, a tagline, and bullet points of what they’re going to get. Speak their language when you write the copy and watch your analytics to make sure the conversion rates are good. I like to see 40% or more. You can create your landing pages anywhere you like. Most people gravitate towards their website or email service provider.
#9 Redirect to a static thank you page.
Create a thank you page that you can use for all of your freebies. If you don't have a thank you page created that gives your new subscribers more adventures to choose from after they sign up, please do so. Here’s an example of mine.
#10 Create Pinterest Pins.
One of my favorite steps...creating pins. I create at least 5 different images that I will then schedule to be posted to various boards and communities using Tailwind.
#11 Promote on social
I may resize a Pinterest pin that I just created or I’ll start from scratch and create 1 or 2 more images to put on my Instagram content calendar. I’ll then just recycle it inside my Facebook group and page.
Tools I’m currently using:
Canva - I use Canva to create the actual freebie and for all social media images.
Flodesk - I use Flodesk to create my landing pages and my thank you page is currently housed on my website and of course, it’s my email service provider as well.
Tailwind - I use Tailwind to schedule and post to Pinterest and Instagram.
Asana - I use this for everything in my business. If you don't have a project management system, I highly recommend you check them out. I use the free version.
Handy dandy freebie creation checklist:
☐ Set a recurring task in your project management system so you will always have new content circulating on a monthly basis
☐ Choose a name for your freebie
☐ Create your cover
☐ Write out your bullet points
☐ Make the freebie
☐ Save the freebie
☐ Set up automation in esp
☐ Create a landing page
☐ Hook landing page up to email list
☐ Create a thank you page and set up your landing page to direct to it once they input their information
☐ Create pins and schedule on Pinterest
☐ Create other social media images
☐ Schedule out posts to promote your new freebie on social media
☐ Schedule out an email to your list announcing the new freebie
☐ Complete your task and be proud of yourself!
There you have it! I hope you’re feeling inspired to go create something new, build your list, and get one step closer to your subscriber goals!