Whenever I talk to people who are interested in starting an online coaching, mentoring or course creator business, the same limitation normally comes up within a few minutes ‘but I don’t have a big social media following.’

But here’s the truth. You don’t need one.

Relying solely on social media for reaching your audience is a risky strategy. Social media algorithms are constantly changing, which can drastically reduce your visibility overnight. Your followers on social media are not truly yours; they belong to the platform, and you could lose access to them if your account is suspended or the platform changes its policies.

What’s the plan then? Email. Before you switch off and think I’ve lost touch with 2024, take a look at these stats.

- More people see emails (20-40% open rates) compared to social media posts (2-10% reach).
- Of those that see the content, more people read emails (30% vs 15%).
- More people click on links in emails (3.57% vs 0.07%).
- As a result, for every £1 spent on email marketing, you’d need to spend £44 on social media marketing to achieve the same results.

Now social media has its place. But by growing your email list, you build a loyal, engaged audience that you can reach anytime, ensuring your message always gets through.

So, How do you Grow an Email list?

One of the most effective strategies to grow your email list is to create an irresistible freebie. This free resource, offered in exchange for their email address, helps you build your email list and establish trust with your audience. In this edition, we’ll explore how to create a compelling freebie that attracts and converts your ideal clients.

Why a Freebie Helps

A freebie, or lead magnet, is a valuable resource that provides immediate value to your audience. It helps turn casual observers into subscribers and potential clients. Offering a freebie demonstrates your expertise and gives your audience a taste of what you can offer.

When done correctly, a freebie not only increases your email list but also nurtures a relationship with your audience, making them more likely to become paying clients. Plus, even if they don’t, you’ve helped them along their journey. And that’s a big reason you’re doing this, right?

Steps to Create a Compelling Freebie

Identify Your Audience’s Needs

The first step in creating an effective freebie is understanding your target audience. What are their biggest challenges? What goals are they trying to achieve?

Your freebie should address a specific problem your audience faces. This ensures that the resource is valuable and relevant to them, increasing the likelihood that they will want to download it.

>>Ask Your Current Social Media Audience: Ask questions on social media about your subject: “I’m thinking off offering some coaching on this subject. What’s your biggest struggle with it?”
 

>>Engage on Social Media: Pay attention to the questions and comments your audience makes on social media especially in Facebook groups on the subject that you’re going to be coaching in. This can provide a wealth of information about what they’re struggling with.

Choose a Format

Once you understand your audience's needs, decide on the format that will best deliver value. The format should align with the type of content your audience prefers and what’s feasible for you to create.

>>PDF Guides: These are easy to create and can cover a range of topics in depth. They are great for how-to guides, detailed strategies, or comprehensive overviews. Don’t make them too long - max 20 pages.

>>Checklists: These are straightforward and actionable, making them highly valuable. Checklists are perfect for step-by-step processes or essential items to remember.

>>Assessments/Quizzes: Interactive and engaging, assessments can help your audience identify specific needs or gaps in their knowledge.

Craft an Irresistible Offer

The key to an irresistible freebie is in its promise. It should offer a quick win for your audience, something they can implement right away to see results.

>>Enticing Title: The title should clearly state the benefit of the freebie. For example, “7-Day Meal Plan for Busy Professionals” immediately tells the reader what they will get and how it will help them.

>>Quick Win: Ensure that the freebie delivers a tangible benefit quickly. The faster your audience sees results, the more they will trust your expertise.

Design Your Freebie

A visually appealing design is crucial for making your freebie look professional and trustworthy. Tools like Canva make it easy to create polished, professional-looking designs even if you don’t have design experience.

>>Brand Consistency: Make sure your freebie aligns with your brand’s colours, fonts, and overall style. This consistency helps build brand recognition and trust. Don’t have a brand? [Logo.com](http://logo.com) is a free resource that’ll give you the bare bones of logo, fonts and colours for free. It’s not perfect but it’ll save you thousands in getting a professional brand design!

>>Professional Appearance: Use high-quality images and clear, readable fonts. The design should be clean and not overly cluttered.

Set Up a Landing Page

A landing page is a simple web page that has one job - to give people a way to sign up for something. A well-designed landing page is essential for converting visitors into subscribers.

(By the way If you don't already have a website or a way to collect people's emails then I recommend Kajabi as an all-in-one platform. Find out more at therawleader.com/kajabi)

The landing page should be simple, distraction-free, and focused on the offer.

>>Clear Call-to-Action: The primary action you want visitors to take should be clear. Use a prominent call-to-action button that stands out.

>>Benefit-Focused Copy: Highlight the benefits of the freebie and how it will solve a specific problem for your audience. Use bullet points to make the information easy to digest.

>>Form Placement: Place the email signup form above the fold (the first section of the website that people can see when they visit before scrolling down) so visitors don’t have to scroll to find it.

Real-World Examples of Effective Freebies

>>Fitness Coach: A 7-day exercise plan for busy professionals that you can do in the office. This provides immediate value by helping them plan their exercise, making it easier to stick to a plan when they’re not able to make the gym.

>>Career Coach: A resume checklist for job seekers. This helps job seekers ensure their resumes are polished and ready to submit, addressing a common pain point.

>>Parenting Coach: A mini video training series of 3 videos to help infants sleep through the night. This offers practical solutions to a pressing issue for new parents, making it highly valuable.

Promote Your Freebie

Once you've created all this (and it's nice to know you only have to do it once), promote your freebie everywhere! Social media, Facebook groups and when you're chatting to people about what you do. You've created something to help people so tell them about it!

Conclusion

Creating an irresistible freebie is a powerful way to grow your email list and build relationships with your audience. By providing valuable content that addresses their specific needs, you establish trust and position yourself as an expert in your niche. This trust is the foundation of a successful coaching business, as it leads to higher engagement and conversion rates.

How I Can Help

If you’re ready to learn more about creating a successful online course, coaching or mentoring program, here are some ways we can work together to bring your vision to life:

1. Subscribe to The Raw News

If you're not already receiving it, get weekly tips, tactics, and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox to help you build your online coaching program. Sign up here.

2. Join My FREE Facebook Group

Become part of a community of aspiring coaches, mentors and course creators in the Online Course & Coach Accelerator group. Here we share resources, answer questions, and provide feedback to help you grow. Join us here.

3. Sign Up for my Impact & Income Accelerator Program

If you’re ready to take the leap, my Impact & Income Accelerator Program is a 3-6 month course that guides people to turn their knowledge into their first scalable online coaching program so that they can create lasting impact and generate increasingly passive income. More information here.