Email List-Building Made Easy

Finally ready to give social media the 🖕but getting stuck on the tech? Here’s what you need to get your email list up, running, and growing.

Your tech stack doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to help you:
👉 create a good-looking freebie
👉 create a landing page
👉 collect subscriber emails
👉 deliver the lead magnet
👉 drive traffic to your freebie

So what does that mean in terms of platforms, tools, and programs? Here’s what you need to put into place:

• authenticated email domain and host/server

• email marketing platform

• design tool

• lead magnet delivery system

• landing page builder

• traffic drivers

Authenticated Email Domain and Host/Server

Purpose: required by all email marketing platforms; improves deliverability and reputation of email sender

This is a non-negotiable and the first thing to secure in your email marketing journey. You cannot use a free email like Gmail or Yahoo for this. If you don't already own a domain for your business, then go get one. You'll then need to configure the DNS records for email functionality.

Options include: Namecheap, GoDaddy, for domain registration; G Suite/Google Workspace, Zoho for hosting

Email Marketing Platform

Purpose: collect emails, send broadcasts, automate sequences

This is also a non-negotiable. You need a system that collects email addresses and communicates with your subscribers in accordance to all relevant rules and regulations around email marketing—specifically privacy and spam.

Some of these platforms also offer landing page builders, so if you don't already have a website—no problem! If you DO have a website though, most offer integration options for a variety of email marketing platforms, so you can connect them and give your audience a seamless experience.

Platforms include: Mailchimp, MailerLite, Constant Contact, ActiveCampaign, Flodesk.

Design Tool

Purpose: create beautiful lead magnets, social media promos, and opt-in graphics

Google Docs or Slides are a great option for a first iteration, if you just want to get something out there that’s easily editable. But design options are limited.

Canva and Adobe Express are intuitive, affordable, offer drag ‘n drop design convenience, plus have tons of template options. Plus you can share your freebies directly from the platform, which makes updates extremely simple.

Lead Magnet Delivery System

Purpose: Automatically send your freebie to new subscribers after they opt in

Once you’ve got a freebie you’re happy with, you need to create a mechanism for getting it into people’s hands. This could be sending them to a Google Doc, a PDF on the cloud, a video on YouTube, or something else. So you need to decide where you’re going to host the thing that you’re offering up.

Then you’ll need to write an email that gets sent once someone opts in. In this email, you’ll include a link to download/access your freebie, plus set expectations for ongoing communication.

Landing Page Builder

Purpose: create a high-converting page to promote your lead magnet and collect emails

Most email marketing programs offer a landing page option, but they have different levels of customization and don’t live on your website/domain. If you don’t have a website then go ahead and use this option to get up and running. If you do already have a website and use a platform like Squarespace or Wix, you can build a new page to match others on your site and then integrate the opt-in form from your email marketing platform. If you have an all-in-one like Go High Level (or a white label version like Funnel Gorgeous, my personal favorite) then you can do it all in one place.

Traffic Drivers

Once you have all the pieces built and connected, you’ll need to drive traffic to your landing page (i.e. get eyeballs on it!). If you don’t want to spend all day every day on social media promoting it, then invest in a scheduler like Post Planner, Hootsuite, or Buffer. (All-in-ones now also often come with content scheduling.)

You can also add a link to your social media profile/bio, your email signature, print marketing materials, business card, etc.

So what does a sample tech stack look like?

• Google Workspace/G Suite or Zoho Mail to host and authenticate your business email domain

• MailChimp, MailerLite, or ConvertKit – for email marketing, landing pages, and automations.

• Canva or Adobe Express – to design your lead magnet + promo graphics.

• Post Planner, Hootsuite, or Buffer – to promote your lead magnet on Pinterest

• Google Drive, Dropbox, or YouTube – to host and deliver your freebie.
  

What does MY tech stack look like? 

• G Suite (which comes with Drive) to host and authenticate my business email domain and host my simplest freebies

• Funnel Gorgeous – my all-in-one for email marketing, landing pages, automations, blogging, courses + memberships, and my website.

• Canva to design my lead magnet + promo graphics and host my more complex freebies

So there you have it. The nuts and bolts of the tech stack you’ll need to get an email list up and running, so that you can quit relying on (or spending all your time on) social media for your business.

Head still spinning? Grab 20-minutes on my calendar and let’s talk it through. Or jump right into List Launchpad where I’ll walk you through all the steps and setup to get you feeling like an email marketing pro!