How to Build Your Email List
with Effective Opt-ins

As a small business owner, you may be hearing a lot of marketing advice about “building your email list.” But maybe you have some questions: How do you start an email list? How do you get people to sign up? Is all of this worth your time?

I was hesitant to start an email list for a long time, but now it’s one of my favorite ways to communicate with my audience. It allows me to have a personal conversation and start a relationship deeper than a quick double-tap or thumbs up on social media. It’s a more direct form of communication, in a space where I’m not competing against the social media void to be heard.

My email list has helped me build a community of people who are interested in my aesthetic or my services—people who may one day choose to invest in my offerings.

But how did I get people to join my list in the first place?

I created “Email Opt-Ins.”

What are email opt-ins?*

*Also known as lead magnets or freebies!

Opt-ins are just what they sound like: an opportunity for people on the internet to opt into my email list—to choose to be part of my email network. By giving me their email address and signing up for my email list, they are giving me permission to email them. They opt into content that I create for them.

You’ve probably experienced this as a consumer yourself: think about the last time you were online shopping. While you were browsing, you might have seen something like this pop up: “Join our email list to receive 20% off your purchase!” That’s an opt-in!

But an email address is a valuable thing to give out. People are reluctant to share their contact information without receiving something in return (for example, receiving 20% off their purchase).

That’s why you need an opt-in with some incentive behind it. What would make people want to join your list? What would make people want to give up their email address?

Creating an incentivizing offer

It’s not just about discounts (although discounts are proven to be very effective for product-based businesses, especially to capture first-time shoppers). There are so many ways to provide value for your audience and build your email list with an opt-in.

One of the most popular formats is a PDF with some kind of helpful information, like a workbook or an e-book. This is a great way to deliver valuable content in with a quick, tangible win. Your new subscriber gets to download the workbook and immediately learn something valuable.

Here are a few high-value email opt-in ideas for downloadable PDFs:

– Favorite Supplies List (use affiliate links)
– Recommended Reading List (use affiliate links)
– Favorite Vendors List
– Guide / E-Book
– Workbook

Think outside the box: what would offer real value for your audience?

With all that being said… think outside the box, and choose a format that works best for you and your audience. Your opt-in might not come in the form of a PDF. You might find better engagement for other types of content, depending on your audience. For example, people might be incentivized to sign up for…

– 15 Minute Free Coaching Call
– Webinar or Live Training
– 5-Day Mini Course
– One Week Challenge
– Access to Resource Library
– Access to a YouTube Video
– Access to a Podcast Episode
– Design Templates
– Email Templates
– Phone / Desktop Wallpapers
– Discount Codes / Free Add-On with Purchase

– Interactive Quiz Results (People LOVE taking quizzes. You can personalize the questions and results to generate leads with a quiz. It’s one of the most effective ways to incentivize people to join your list! Get started here).

*Note: make sure your opt-in leads into your paid services! You want to attract subscribers who are potential customers and brand loyalists. By providing valuable content, you are establishing trust and credibility with your audience. Your opt-in should provide a free helpful resource, while leading your subscribers to the next step: working with you!

Build your email list: how it works on the backend

I use Flodesk for my email marketing, and I can’t recommend it highly enough! Flodesk is the first program to make email marketing beautiful and enjoyable for me.

You can set up a landing page through Flodesk—meaning Flodesk will generate a custom link for your opt-in form, without having to use your own website (my example here). Flodesk has a variety of beautifully designed landing page templates to help you get started!

• Flodesk Lead Magnets

You can also embed a Flodesk form into your Showit website. This allows you to host the form on your own domain, giving you even more customization capabilities (my example here).

• Flodesk + Showit

Next, you’ll set up a Flodesk workflow (don’t worry, it’s super easy—and you can follow along with Flodesk’s tutorial here). The first email in your automated workflow should contain a button with a link to your lead magnet, allowing your subscribers to download the freebie.

After that, your opt-in is ready and waiting for subscribers!

Marketing your opt-in:

Okay, so you’ve designed and published an opt-in… but how do you drive traffic so that people actually notice your offer and sign up for your freebie?

I’ve got a few ideas for you!

– On Your Website: Homepage Banner, Pop Up, Resources Page, Website Footer
– Pinterest Marketing: Pinterest drives about 90% of my new email list subscribers. Learn how here!
– Instagram: Share your opt-in via Posts, Stories, Reels, and Lives
– Podcast Guest: Mention your free resource and ask the host to include a link in the shownotes.
– Facebook Groups: Post or comment on relevant posts with a link to your free resource.
– Blog Posts / Guest Blog Posts: Share about your freebie on your own blog, or partner with others.
– Paid Advertising: paid ads can boost visibility on social media and drive traffic from new audiences

Final Thoughts

Opt-ins are an effective way to incentivize your audience to join your email list—a dedicated space where you can deliver high-quality content and start thoughtful conversations. Your email list offers a more personal way to contact your audience (rather than competing for their attention on social media). To grow your list, create email opt-ins that your audience will genuinely enjoy: offer them something valuable.

You can create as many email opt-ins as you want (I have about seven or eight)… but remember that this is an area where quality matters more than quantity. Start building your email list with ONE thoughtfully crafted opt-in, whether it’s a PDF resource guide or access to an online training video. Pour your heart and effort into a resource that will be genuinely valuable for the people who sign up to receive it.

Give your audience a resource that’s worth signing up for—a resource that encourages them to stay on your email list for years to come.