5 free ideas to grow your creative business newsletter list
I’ve talked about how important having a newsletter list is, but as a reminder - it’s one of the most important parts of having an online business. So, go ahead and start that newsletter list today (or tomorrow if you’re reading my blog posts today)!.
An excellent way - possibly one of the best - to get new people onto your list is through a freebie. This is something that you create to give a subscriber for (you guessed it) free, in exchange for their email address.
It’s estimated that people get about 100+ emails in their inbox(es) every day. Maybe more on special sale holidays, maybe less.
You want to be the special one who they trust with their email address.
A freebie is something simple that you can make, and is exactly what it sounds like. Something you give them for free.
Here’s a whole heap of ideas for what you can create and offer. Some might work for you, others might spark an idea. Don’t feel like you have to make and share them all at once.
Start slowly. Maybe one this week, then another one next month. Having a few is helpful as people will like different things of what you share.
A freebie should be fairly short, and a lovely addition to their life, work, and creative day. Something that is achievable in a short amount of time, adds value to them, and directly connects to your business and offers.
Here’s 5 newsletter opt-in, freebie or lead magnet ideas for creative business
A downloadable ebook
How to care for your flowers for a wedding florist, or (online) seed seller.
here’s a few I love - Floret, Settler Hives (who have a ‘learn what to plant and when’ freebie),
Tips on using your new X. What do you sell?
Styling or perhaps washing your new table linens,
What to look for when buying a new dress; eg - how our fabric or fit is exactly what you need :)
My favourite recipe for what’s currently in season. You can change this each season, which gives you 4 new opt-ins to share in your library of freebie.
My favourite tools for sewing, crafting, painting, etc
This could have links to products you sell, or things that you might be an affiliate for. For simply for the things you just love using and want to share.
How to create a daily routine, or start a writing, health, craft practice
Perfect if you’re a yoga teacher, health practitioner, a writing coach, teach online courses for journalling.
How to style your home for photo shoots
If you share content creation ideas, this is a great way to help people see how they can easily do what you do.
I have ebook downloads such as a Slow Stitching guide, which has written instructions and illustrations, as well as photographs for inspiration.
My downloadable ebook of ‘How to get your first (or next) 100 subscribers’ was my first freebie I offered for this site.
An email sequence
5 days of Slow Living
7 days of creating content for social media
1 week to a tidier house
A season in your garden
In terms of email sequences, I suggest they don’t go too long. You don’t want to overwhelm people. Be clear before they sign up what they’ll be receiving. 5 -7 days at most, unless it’s something you’ll send them once a week for a series of months.
You’ll set this up in your email system (FloDesk* and SquareSpace have automation options, and most other platforms do on their paid plans), so that it goes out to that segment of subscribers on the day you select. You pre-write all these emails, and they receive them one by one each day, when they subscribed.
With all these free opt-ins it’s set up so that when someone signs up they receive the freebie automatically into their inbox. You don’t have to follow up with it or send them anything. Your newsletter platform does all that hard work; once you’ve set it up!
A downloadable worksheet
Daily habit tracker.
Social media planner.
Blog post schedule.
Planner for upcoming seasonal events (florist events, markets and fairs, seasonal holidays).
Brain storm some ideas that relate to your business - share in the comments, if you want.
Templates for something they need that you offer
Canva files for:
Pinterest graphics
Social media posts
Creating an ebook (oh, hey - here’s my template here)
Creating a free opt-in (checkout mine here!)
A free mini ecourse
How to make the perfect cup of matcha
Sewing a needle case (oh, I have one here on my Petalplum site)
A Canva tutorial walk through
How to style your home or yourself with X product, that you sell (could be a video course, email sequence, ebook)
My video courses for Petalplum are a slow stitching course and how to make string from fabric. I host these in the same way as my paid offerings. It gives people a chance to see how I teach, and also get them into my student portal. And encourages them to pick up needle and thread, which is what my Creative Textile work is about.
I film these on my iPhone and edit in iMovie. Super simple, no fuss. Then upload to either my Teachable or SquareSpace site. I currently do use Teachable, but am in the process of moving all my courses over to SquareSpace. (I have a few blog posts planned on why I’m doing this).
If you’d like to get my creative business blog post tips sent directly to your inbox, you can add you email address here. I’ll send a weekly round-up of what I’ve shared.
*please note that some links may be affiliate links, which means that I earn a small amount if you sign up to the paid account, at no extra cost to you. With FloDesk you receive 50% off your first year by using my link. I only share affiliate links for businesses that I love and use myself.
