If you want to grow your business, you have to grow your audience. 

Pretty straightforward, right? Simple in theory but, in practice, it’s easy to get stuck. How exactly do you grow your audience and encourage people to buy your products?

Easy: first, you need to give something FREE.

If you want to grow your business, you have to grow your audience. 

Pretty straightforward, right? Simple in theory but, in practice, it’s easy to get stuck. How exactly do you grow your audience and encourage people to buy your products?

Easy: first, you need to give something FREE. 

What opt-ins can do for your online shop

That may sound weird at first: giving something away for FREE to encourage sales? How does that work? 

Think of an opt-in as the sampler platter at Costco. It gives just a taste of the good stuff to show potential customers your skills. If they like it, they’re more likely to hear what you have to say, and you can even win a customer for LIFE!

Opt-ins are an exchange between you and your audience; visitors submit their contact info (usually an email), and in response, they receive a free product or service (like an industry-specific checklist, e-books, etc). 

It comes back to that common marketing advice: everyone loves a freebie. People are WAY more likely to indulge their curiosity when there’s little to no cost to them. Opt-ins provide value to potential leads, which is why they willingly submit their email address. 

Of course, the type of opt-in matters. No one likes a throwaway freebie; they want something of value. You want an opt-in that is simple in nature, but leaves a lasting impression. Otherwise, your opt-in email may just get lost in that person’s inbox! I mean, let’s get realistic: when you think about how many emails you receive in a day, it could be pretty easy for your opt-in to get lost in the void.

How to make your opt-in matter

So how do you get your opt-in to stand out above the noise? After all, we want those new leads to get to know, like, and trust you. This is what ultimately leads to a sale (sometimes even a lifelong customer!) This is the entire reason behind creating something free for your digital shop.

So let’s break down the 3 things to remember when you are creating an opt-in for your digital shop:

Tailor your opt-on to your target audience

Even though your opt-in product is free, you still want it to appeal specifically to your audience. That means you need to go through all the same steps to create a great digital product! The same concept behind creating digital products applies: you want to listen to what your audience needs, and THEN create an opt-in offer that helps solve their problem, answer their questions, or make their lives easier. 

That means get SPECIFIC. You don’t want a product that entices everybody; you want something that appeals to YOUR club in particular! 

Maximize your opt-in’s value

You don’t want to get stingy with the information you give in your digital product. Remember, you want your opt-in visitors to feel like they got a steal! If they feel like they’re getting a good deal, they’re more likely to take you up on your offer. 

That means you want to fill your product to the brim with value. Make sure your products address your audience’s specific challenges and offer a solution for NO cost! 

Not everyone wants to submit their email address; their inbox is full enough already. If you specifically address their pain points and offer “the good stuff” for free, however, they’re more likely to engage. 

Engage, engage, engage!

Many people advertise their opt-in on their landing page, but if you’re looking to grow your audience, this may not be enough! Don’t wait for your visitors to find your opt-in on their own; bring your offer to them. That means sharing it on all the social media platforms where your target audience hangs out. 

And of course, don’t forget the follow-up! Stay engaged with opt-in subscribers and give them opportunities to engage with you directly. If you open the door for them to ask you questions and respond back to any emails, comments, or DMs, you may even find a few collaborators to work with in the future. 

Jump in to opt-ins!

While it’s important to create something free for your digital product shop to generate new leads/more traffic, it’s equally as important to make sure you have your digital product created and ready to sell when that traffic does come to your shop. 

If you’re ready to get started, check out my guide on how to create passive income with your digital products! Your digital product journey has so much in store; I can feel it!