Last week, we talked about how to build your email list and get your first 1,000 subscribers. This week, we’re talking about some specific opt-in ideas that you can use to do just that! I want to grow your email list with actual buyers and not just followers so it’s important to be strategic about what you use as an opt-in. When you’re strategic, you’ll have subscribers that are actually primed and interested in what you have to offer as a digital product so you can start earning that passive income. 

I used to think that in order to grow my email list, I needed to create the most comprehensive in depth opt in out there. I would create opt-ins that were 50 pages long and included literally everything I knew. Unfortunately, opt-ins like that don’t really work. Instead, you need something short and sweet that will give your customer a quick win. You want people to associate you with success in whatever area you’re teaching about! Here’s 9 ideas you can use for opt-ins to grow your email list! 

#1: A Guide or Downloadable eBook

This guide or eBook should focus on one very specific problem and solution. For example, I have a student in my Revenue Ripple who is an expert in all things wellness and she serves postpartum moms focusing on stress, anxiety, and healing. That alone covers TONS of topics. What her guide or ebook could be about is a set of 5 exercises to help with strengthening your abs after childbirth. It’s a specific problem: Diastasis recti and a specific solution: 5 exercises. 

Being specific allows for better conversions for your lead magnet! 

#2: A Step-by-Step Guide about your process

This opt-in will take the consumer on a journey from start to finish with your digital product. The key with something like this is that you’re not giving away your secrets, you’re just showing what the steps will be. This guide will help with your product sales because people can clearly see how it will benefit them. 

PS. I have Canva templates – Digital Product Drop – and they help you quickly design these kinds of opt-ins for your own business! 

#3: A Checklist

People love checklists. If you have a step-by-step action plan that goes with your digital product, this is the perfect chance to pull it out of your product and create a checklist for people to download. This could also be an opt-in that’s a specific type of list – like a grocery list or something for photographers, like a gear checklist. It seems really simple, but people EAT them up! 

#4: A Workshop or Mini Course

Here’s the thing, nothing creates that connection (the like, know, trust factor) with your future audience like video. People love to see your face, hear your voice, and decide if they like you as an educator. Again, I want to remind you: opt-ins are not for sharing everything you know. So, creating a workshop or mini course for your opt-in should be some sort of short and sweet video, straight to the point about ONE specific problem. 

#5: A Challenge

Similar to the workshop, the fifth idea is that you can create a challenge or a video series. This is very similar to the recorded class workshop or mini course idea. But the difference here is that you break up your training into many bite sized and digestible pieces of content that you drip out over a period of time. This could be taking place via email for 3 or 5 days. A popular trend right now is a pop-up podcast, so again – just be mindful in these challenges that you aren’t giving everything away. 

#6: Sampling of Digital Products

The next idea is that you can create a sampling of your digital product to share. For example, if you’re wanting to create a stock photo membership, it’s really easy to create a sampling of the stock images that you can provide for this person. You might share 3 or 4 images so they can understand what the membership would be like on a larger scale. 

#7: Preview Template 

The seventh opt-in idea for you is to create a Preview Template. If you’re creating a template – a website, Canva, or something like Honeybook – create a preview template. This means a pared down, simplified version of whatever you plan to sell. This allows your future student to see how it works, how your template functions, and helps them feel confident enough to then buy a template from you. 

The whole goal here is to let your potential customers explore how your templates work, and if they are easy to use.

#8: Discount Codes 

Another really easy opt-in idea is to create a discount code for your products. Now this type of opt in is more geared towards somebody who is really interested in purchasing a digital product that you have, but they just need a little bit extra incentive to make that decision. So a discount code helps move them towards the purchasing decision. The goal here of a discount code is not necessarily to rapidly grow your email list. Instead, it’s about growing one with buyers who are definitely interested in what you offer. 

#9: A Quiz

This is probably my favorite opt-in idea! A quiz creates a super memorable experience for your new subscriber. This helps you get to know your audience better and for them to get to know you better, too. You can then share about a digital product or you can share different digital products based on results. And it’s all automated with your email service provider! 

Once you’ve created your opt-in, make sure you go back and learn more about how to use it to grow your email list HERE.