If Instagram disappeared tomorrow, would your business survive?
In this episode, I’m breaking down the real reason your email list is stuck at zero and the 3-phase strategy to build a list that actually makes you money.
I’ll show you exactly how to craft a lead magnet that stops the scroll, gets the opt-in, and turns subscribers into clients.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why your list isn’t growing (and the overlooked fix)
- The “painkiller vs vitamin” mistake killing your conversions
- The 3 lead magnet formats that work like magic
- How to use the FATE method to make your opt-in irresistible
- The zero-cost step that instantly books more sales calls
- The fastest way to build trust, momentum, and confidence with your dream clients
Why You Need an Email List
Social media followers are great, but email subscribers are yours.
You can show up directly in their inbox. You’re not competing with the algorithm. And you can build trust and make sales without shouting into the void.
Email marketing still has one of the highest ROIs in online business—because it works. But only if you set it up the right way.
There are three key phases to growing a list that actually lands clients:
- The Opt-In
- The Onboarding
- The Ongoing
Today, we’re going deep on the first one—The Opt-In.
How do you actually get people to sign up?
What makes a lead magnet irresistible?
And what’s the one simple trick that will help you land more dream clients—on autopilot?
Let’s break it down.
PHASE 1: THE OPT-IN – DESIGN YOUR LEAD MAGNET
Before we worry about what emails to send or what tech to use—we need to give people a reason to join your list.
That reason is your lead magnet.
What is a lead magnet?
A lead magnet is a free, high-value offer you give in exchange for someone’s name and email address.
The best ones are:
- Specific (solves a clear, relevant problem)
- Quick to consume (checklist > 30-page ebook)
- Directly connected to your paid offer
- Worth trading an email for (this part matters—think “I’d pay for this” value)
Think of it as a first date. You’re giving them a quick win, building trust, and setting the tone for what it’s like to work with you.
The FATE Framework: Make it Fast, Actionable, Transformative, and Easy
Let’s walk through this using a visual model we teach inside The Next Level Club—a quadrant-style diagram I often sketch on the iPad.
Think of four key elements arranged like compass points. Each one is designed to create a specific emotional response in your dream client when executed well.
Top Right — R: Rapid or Fast → excited
- Your lead magnet can be consumed in one sitting.
- When something feels fast and doable, people feel excited or invested to take action.
- Opposite: Long → creates resistance or apathy.
Bottom Right — A: Actionable → momentum
- They can do something with it straight away.
- Action creates movement—and momentum builds confidence.
- Opposite: Overwhelm → they freeze and abandon it.
Bottom Left — T: Transformative → confidence
- It solves a real problem they actually care about.
- Gives them a clear outcome and belief that change is possible.
- Opposite: Irrelevant → “Cool idea, but not for me.”
Top Left — E: Easy → progress
- It feels simple and achievable.
- When something is easy and they complete it, they feel progress—and trust.
- Opposite: Complex → creates friction and drop-off.
Use this quadrant to pressure test your lead magnet. If it hits all four? You’ve got gold. If not, tweak the title, the format, or the promise until it’s RATE approved.
R – Rapid: They can get through it in one sitting.
A – Actionable: Gives them a clear result, not just info.
T – Transformative: Solves a problem they actually care about.
E – Easy: No friction. No overwhelm. Just value.
3 Quick Strategies to Nail Your Lead Magnet:
- Sell what they want, not what they need
- Your lead magnet isn’t the whole system—it’s the first step. Give them the painkiller, not the vitamins. Show them a shortcut, not a syllabus.
- Obsess over the hook
- Your lead magnet is 90% title. You can change the name of your freebie and double your conversions—without changing a single word inside. It’s all about the promise.
- Make it sexy and easy
- No one wants to download a chore. Think “ice cream truck,” not “tax return.” Make it fun, desirable, and easy to consume.
Lead Magnet Examples that work:
- Checklist: Your Dream Client Discovery Checklist
- Swipe File: 10 DM Prompts That Get Replies
- Mini Guide: 3 Things Every $10k Offer Has
Your lead magnet should:
- Solve one real problem
- Align with the result you help clients achieve
- Make people eager to take the next step
Must-Haves for Your Freebie’s Mini Landing Page:
- A strong headline
- A subhead that explains the value
- A bullet list of benefits
- One single CTA: Get the freebie!
Quick tip: Remove all distractions. No menu bar and links out. Just the form. First name + email. Done.
Bonus Step: The Thank You Page
What happens next?
After they download your thing? You need to send them to what’s called a THANK YOU PAGE.
This is the juice my friend. THIS is where you make money.
Why this works?
15% of people who download your lead magnet are ready to buy right now. Use your thank you page to speak to them directly. The other 85%? They’ll go into nurture.
They land on your THANK YOU PAGE—
Once they opt in, they hit your thank you page—and this is where the magic happens.
Add a short video from you saying: “Hey, your freebie is on the way. But if you’re ready to solve this problem even faster—here’s the next step.”
That next step might be:
- Book a free call
- Watch a training
- Join your paid program
This is where you catch the 15% of people who are ready right now.
The rest? They’ll go into your welcome sequence!
Ready to attract leads, convert clients, and scale without burnout?
Watch my free training, The System, where I walk you through the 3 core steps every creative needs to scale their business to $30k, $50k, even $100k months.
It’s the exact framework we use with clients inside The Next Level Club—and it works!
You’ll walk away with clarity and a real plan you can use.
Next episode? We’re diving into how to write a welcome sequence that converts—plus what to actually send your list each week.
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