Be in the Know
- Tesla is launching version three of its solar roof tile this week.
- Truebill raises $15M to build a comprehensive platform for personal finance.
- Congress isn’t buying Mark Zuckerberg’s pitch for Libra.
- Google just launched a handful of clever apps to help you spend less time on your phone.
Build an Email List from Scratch
Rome wasn’t built in a day nor was the Daily Carnage email list. It all started with those first few emails. Today, we’re over 30k strong. 🙌🏼
These things take time folks. If you’re just getting into the email game, here are 7 strategies to try out.
- Create a free download with a landing page and Pin it: Worksheets, PDFs, infographics, etc. are all great ways to build your list. Use a tool like Unbounce to create a simple landing page. Once your landing page is set up, head over to Pinterest and create a simple graphic. Come up with a good description using your keywords and pin it for the world to see.
- Add Calls to Action to your social media pages: Let’s talk about your Facebook business page real quick. You know that button below your cover image? Ya, you do. Customize it to read ‘Sign Up.’ Link the button to the landing page you just created.
- Create specific content upgrade pop-ups: “Content upgrades work wonders to convert readers into subscribers far better than a generic subscribe pop-up.” To see what content is resonating, head over to your Google Analytics account and click Behavior > Site Content > All Pages.
- Survey your customers with Qualaroo or Hotjar: All you have to do here is create an opt-in lead form for anyone who answers your survey using one of the tools suggested. It’s a low-hanging fruit to drive subs.
- Make a better confirmation page: Don’t be lame and send your new subscriber(s) a generic success notification. If you want to retain your subs, craft a well thought out confirmation page including what they signed up for, who you are, what they can expect, and instructions to follow you on social media.
- Give your visitors two options: Rather than giving your visitors an option to ‘X’ out of your popup, consider adding a link below your CTA button. Something like, “No thanks, I’m not interested.” Use a tool like Sumo for that.
- Use a referral system: When our email list started to gain steam, we wanted to utilize our top subscribers. What’d we do? Created an email referral system to turn our top subs into brand advocates. If you scroll to the bottom of this email, you’ll see our referral system in action.
Need a custom email
referral system?
Todoist
Any Todoist users in the house?
We’ve used this nifty productivity tool in the past and were big fans.
They recently made some changes.
“Stay organized with new features like Sections and Task View; Save time with improved Quick Add and Completed Tasks, And enjoy a snappier UX thanks to under-the-hood updates.”
There is a free version available.

A Spirit Taste Test?
‘Tis the season.
Burger King brings in the big guns to help folks channel their inner spirits to taste test the Ghost Whopper.
Watch things get weird below. 👇
What Else We’re Reading
- 10 great examples of welcome emails to inspire your own strategy.
- 14 Welcome Email Examples That Build Trust With Subscribers.
Facebook Question of the Day
How would you all handle discovering your replacement has been hired? Pretend not to know and wait to be officially let go? Confront your boss? Burn the place down? (Kidding on that last one, obvi)
“The importance of gratitude is never forgotten.”
Deborah Lee