How I Reached My First 1000 Subscribers

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As you might know, I am launching my first online course in January, so email list building has been my first priority. Why? Because a targeted, engaged email list is your most reliable source of conversion. Well, I recently hit 1000 subscribers and today, I'm sharing how I did it!

1. Added Blog Post Opt-ins

The first thing I did was blog more frequently, so that I could give people new opportunities to find me.  My blogging aim is to provide value, build trust and establish myself in my niche.  And with each post, I added multiple calls-to-action inviting people to give me their email in exchange for further useful information, otherwise known as a "content upgrade," "opt-in" or "lead magnet." 

Here's a few opt-ins I developed: 

• Free 5 day course, Build Your Own Website: Essential First Steps

• Ultimate DIY Website Checklist

• 6 MUST-HAVE business tools I recommend

This is my favourite way of capturing email addresses because it's less pushy and more natural than other methods. Plus, once a blog post is live, it will continue to work for you on autopilot. 

Important: Make sure your opt-in provides value. Don't just add your opt-in to the end of your post, put it near the top as well. 

2. Focused on Pinterest

I do feel I'm a bit late to the party - oops! I had overlooked Pinterest in the past, but after hearing about how much traffic people were gaining from it, I knew I needed to make a change. I began following my friend Kyla's advice (of Dish It Out Social) and pinning over 30 times a day (I automated this with Tailwind cause ain't nobody got time for that!). Immediately, I saw a bump in traffic and this tool will be a huge focus for me as I work towards my goal of 5000 subscribers. 

Here's a few quick tips for Pinterest:

• sign up for a business page
  

• utilize rich pins
  

• join group boards
  

• pin a lot - I'm talking at least 30 pins/day
  

• use the 80/20 rule - share 80% other people's stuff, 20% of your own
  

• create branded, vertical pins that stand out

3. Hosted a Giveaway

This was actually super easy to set up! I used Viral Sweep to run the giveaway. People entered by submitting their email address but could also gain additional entries by sharing on Twitter or referring friends, which helped grow my list!

Important: Make sure your giveaway prize is relevant to your target audience. For example, mine is pretty specific. I expect that most people that will be entering are those that need help with their website. 

4. Developed a Quiz 

This was so much fun to make! And my best email list builder, too. I created it for free using Qzzr and because people were having so much fun with it (and getting such accurate results) it took off on Pinterest and Facebook.

What was my quiz about? It's a Brand Style Quiz and it helps you to figure out your overall brand style and aesthetic so that you have direction for your brand. 

5. Optimized my Website

• added Shareaholic buttons to the bottom of each blog post (see below where it says "sharing is caring!")

• added Click to Tweets to blog posts (I use Share Link Generator to do this)

• added opt-in links to both my header and footer

• added an opt-in to my sidebar
  

Opt-ins, Pinterest, a giveaway & more. Read how @solosidekick reached her first 1000 subscribers!

6. Added Welcome Mat

You may be resistant to add scroll boxes or pop-ups, but they work! I found a happy medium and added the Welcome Mat from SumoMe (which drops down from the top of your site) to drive signups to my quiz.  I was blown away by how many people signed up using this form.

7. Joined Facebook Groups in my Niche

I joined a few groups geared towards female entrepreneurs and made an effort to provide value! This is key. Don't be that girl or guy that just comes in, drops a promo link and expects it to work. It's a Facebook group - be genuinely helpful and build connections. When it comes to the allowed promo days, certainly leave a link! My two faves right now (because they are all super kind) is Allison Marshall's Creative Superheroes group and Heather Crabtree's Savvy Business Owners. 

Phew! There you have it. Next, it's on to 5000 subscribers! I'll be working on guest posting, Facebook ads and webinars this month.

Let me know in the comments - what's worked best for you in growing your list? Are you going to try some of the tactics above? 

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