The 3-Step Plan to Grow Your Email List 20% Faster

Can a 3-step plan grow your email list 20% faster?

Many publishers see their newsletter as just a content digest, missing its true potential as a direct sales engine. We outline a proven 3-step framework that will help you nurture readers and turn your newsletter into your number one tool for converting more paid subscribers.

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You have a newsletter, you have great content, but you’re struggling to turn casual readers into loyal, paying subscribers. You may be getting some sign-ups from a pop-up or a slide-in, but it’s not moving the needle on revenue. 

This is a common frustration, and it points to a bigger missed opportunity: the large group of readers who are interested in your work but aren’t ready to pay just yet. 

How do you nurture this incredibly valuable audience without giving everything away for free?

Your newsletter is more than just a weekly update. It’s your main tool for getting more paid subscribers.

By implementing a simple but powerful framework, you can transform your newsletter into a flywheel that grows your email list, drives consistent traffic, and converts more free readers into paid subscribers.

This proven strategy involves three major steps. It’s not overly complicated, but it requires a strategic shift in how you view your newsletter and its role in your business.

Step 1: Get More Emails with Free Registration

The first critical step is to replace your standard “join our newsletter” pop-ups with a free registration wall. Instead of simply asking for an email, you create a value exchange that is far more effective.

Funciona así:

• Offer a Taste: Give new visitors one article for free, with no interruptions. Let them experience the quality of your content without any friction.
  
• Ask for an Email Address: After clicking on the second article, a free registration wall will appear, prompting them to sign up with an email and password to continue reading. The message should be simple and powerful: “This story is free for you. Create a free account to continue reading and get our top stories sent to your inbox”.
  
• Find Your Best Readers: This does more than just capture an email. It identifies a reader who is engaged enough to create a password and log in. This builds a list of highly motivated potential customers, and we’ve seen it grow email lists 20% faster on average. You now have a segmented list of free registered users who are primed for the next step.

Step 2: Create Two Newsletters (Free and Paid)

With a free registration system in place, you now have two audience segments: your free registered users and your paid subscribers. They should receive different newsletters because they have different needs.

• The Free Newsletter: Your Conversion Tool
  The primary purpose of the free newsletter is to motivate readers to upgrade. Its job is to drive traffic back to your website where readers see your paywall and upgrade messages.
  
  To make this work, you need to add a “subscribe now” message near the top of the email and another one at the very bottom. People who read to the end of your newsletter are very interested, so that’s a great place to ask them to pay.
  
• The Paid Newsletter: Your Retention Tool
  Your paid subscribers deserve a premium experience. This newsletter should contain zero upgrade messaging. Instead, focus on adding value to reinforce their decision to pay. Simple, automated perks work wonders:
  
  • Early Delivery: Send paying subscribers a morning or afternoon edition before anyone else sees it.
    
  • Full Articles in the Email: Offer a version of the newsletter with full articles included, so they can read everything directly in their inbox without having to log in.

Step 3: Send Your Newsletter More Often

If you’re worried about annoying your audience by emailing too often, you’re not alone, but it’s a mistake that could be costing you subscribers. The truth is, people who signed up want to read your content. 

In a world of crowded inboxes, everyone is a scanner, quickly glancing over headlines. Sending more frequently gives you a better chance to stand out. Every time they click, they see your offer to upgrade, and because it can take seeing that message 10 or 20 times to make a decision, each send is a critical step towards conversion.

Here are some general guidelines:

• For News Publishers: You should send a newsletter at least once a day. Twice a day is even better.
  
• For Magazines: If you write longer articles, you should try to send a newsletter about twice a week.

Your Newsletter Is Your Product

You need to start treating your newsletter like it is your main product. By implementing a free registration wall, creating separate newsletters for free and paid users, and sending emails more often, you can build a system that turns interested readers into happy, paying subscribers.

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