Participate in Giveaway Events

One simple way to grow your mailing list is to participate in giveaway events. If you’ve never been part of a giveaway, you might be wondering what happens during one. Here’s how they typically work: one business owner decides to create a giveaway. She asks other online business owners to contribute a product of their own.

After the giveaway goes live, people can sign up for it. They typically give their email address and name. In exchange, they receive instructions on how to claim their goodies from each of the business owners. Then they use a coupon code or special link to access the product you’re giving away.

The advantage of contributing a product is that it grows your list. Depending on the giveaway you’re joining, you may get hundreds or even thousands of sign ups. Plus, you get to form valuable relationships with other online business owners.

So, if you’re interested in participating in a giveaway, how do you get started? Begin by following some of these tips…

Look for Giveaways

Before you can participate, you need to find the giveaways. Go to your business groups on Facebook or LinkedIn. Make a post and ask for giveaway recommendations. You’ll probably have a few comments that can get you going in the right direction.

You may also want to try using a search engine. Go to Google and type in the names of marketers you know and the word giveaway. For example: Kelly McCausey + giveaway event. Another word that may be useful is “free summit”. For example: Angela Wills + free summit. (I have experience with both of these ladies - which is why I use them as examples. Check them out!).

Make a Product

Once you have a few giveaways that you’d like to participate in, you need to create a product. Don’t panic if you’ve never made a product. You can create one easily by using PLR content from Coach Glue or Piggy Makes Bank.

Simply buy a PLR product, add your own branding and upload it to your website. Just make sure your product is relevant to your business.

If you sell weight loss products, then creating a product on Google Analytics isn’t likely to attract your target customers. But if your product was about natural cleaning solutions, then your ideal audience would enjoy your product and happily download it.

Write 2-3 Emails

A requirement for many participants in a giveaway event is that they email their list. Even if you only have one subscriber, create a series of emails about the event.

Your first message could be about the giveaway and how excited you are to be part of it. In the second message, talk about the giveaway and highlight a few products that might appeal to your subscribers. 

Your third message should be sent to your subscribers on the final day of the event. Mention how much you’ve enjoyed the event then remind your list that it’s the last day to claim their freebies. Encourage them to sign up so they don’t miss out.

Don’t Be Bummed…

Some (but not all) giveaways have certain requirements. For example, one host only wants contributions from business owners who have a list of 5,000+ subscribers. Others may want you to have a product on a specific topic in order to participate.

If you see these giveaways, don’t get discouraged. Keep a list of them and when you’ve grown your list or have a product on that topic, you can join next time.

Participating in giveaways is fun and rewarding. But there is some initial set up work to make sure everything flows smoothly for your new subscribers.

List Building Basics

My friend Keri just started a website for her new keto lifestyle. She enjoys sharing her fitness journey. Although she’d originally meant for the site to be a hobby, she has decided to turn it into a business thanks to some encouragement from me!

When Keri reached out to me to say she was going to start her business, she wanted to know the first step she should take in her new venture.

And of course, the first thing I told her was to start growing her email list.


How do you build a list if you don't have one?  You can do this by offering a free gift. When visitors to your website sign up for the gift, it’s delivered to them automatically. Their email address is kept in a database so you can email these subscribers again and again.

Start by Choosing a Service

Before you can begin building a list, you’ll need to subscribe to a mailing list service. The mailing list provider will keep a copy of your subscribers’ personal information so you can email them again in the future.

I use AWeber. I have used them for several years and have found them to be very dependable and affordable. Another budget-friendly option for new entrepreneurs is MailChimp. If you have a larger budget or need custom help from a mailing list provider, then you’ll want to give ConvertKit or Drip a try.
 

Create a List

Once you have an account with a mailing list service, you’ll need to create your very first list. You can call this list whatever you like but in some cases, subscribers can see the title of the list. So, it’s usually best to go with something generic like “Newsletter Subscribers” or in my case  “Ninja Marketers”.

Make Your Welcome Email

When someone subscribes to your new list, they’ll be sent an email automatically. This is the welcome email and it’s one of the first emails that your subscribers will see from you.

In your welcome email, you’ll want to greet your subscriber. Thank them for signing up then provide a link to your free gift so they can download it. Remember, the opt-in freebie should be something that your visitors will find valuable.

Keri’s opt-in is a seven-day keto friendly menu. She did this so she could introduce newbies to the keto way of eating. In her welcome email, she includes a link to the PDF that contains the menu.

Email Often

Some online business owners make the mistake of building an email list that they never message. They rarely email their subscribers and on the rare occasion that they do, they see a high number of unsubscribes. That’s because they were quiet so long that subscribers forgot about their brand.

You don’t want that to happen to your list, so make it a priority to email yours regularly. When you’re first starting out, you want to send out a message 2-3 times a week.

Share Valuable Content

Of course, you shouldn’t email your subscribers just to say you did it. You need to send emails with valuable information inside. If your list doesn’t feel they’re getting anything helpful from you, they’ll stop reading your emails.

Think of quick tips that you could easily share with your audience. Keri often emails her list with sugar-free dessert recipes, ideas on how to make popular dishes keto-friendly, and thoughts about her own food log. Sending this information helps her subscribers connect with Keri and open her emails. 

I share marketing tips and frequently host challenges for subscribers to my list. My information is designed to help my readers build a thriving business through online marketing.

Starting your own list can be fun and exciting. But remember, that your goal is to help your people. By sharing useful information, you’re serving your community and they’ll appreciate that.