A Simple Time Tested Method for Building A Mammoth Email List - Chanti Zak - Copywriter & Funnel Strategist

How does list building feel for you?

A. Hard, uncomfortable, like a constant struggle.

B. Total breeze, I <3 list building and everything I do works wonders.

C. Meh, I don’t really pay much attention to it.

D. Confusing, I think I’m doing the right thing and then it doesn’t really work as well as I’d like.

If you answered anything other than option B, you’re in the right place. Option B people, shush, you’re like .0003% of the online business community and we all secretly plot against you… JK, you can keep reading too because this technique can help even you.

If this is how list building makes you feel, you’re not alone.

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Another question for you friendly folks.

What comes to mind when you think of quizzes?

A. Buzzfeed

B. Silly magazines

C. Lead generation and a viable tool to build my business

D. A wonderful way to waste time and show the world that my spirit animal is a rainbow cougar.

Quizzes are more than just a fun way to pass the time. They’re incredibly valuable for attracting new leads.

In a world saturated with ads and obvious marketing tactics everywhere you look, quizzes somehow still slip under the radar. It’s easy to say YES to taking a short quiz that promises new insights, increased awareness, and maybe even a laugh. 

A quick brief on WHY list building is important if you run an online business

I recently stalked this Australian chef. Yeah, I stalk people online, who doesn’t?

He who shall not be named had no opt-in form on his website, but millions of fans on Facebook and Instagram.

This dude is famous. He’s got TV shows, books, courses, products, everything most of us can only dream of having. But he clearly doesn’t have one key thing: a viable way to market his stuff online. Kinda important if you ask me.

One look at the interaction his social media channels were generating and it was clear, his social media marketing efforts are only reaching about 1-5% of the 1.5 million people who follow him.

Imagine if he had that many email subscribers. Imagine being in 1.5 million inboxes with a message of health, deliciousness, and the occasional sales pitch. This man is sitting on a giant chest filled with treasure whose value he doesn’t understand.

Email marketing is the only way we can measure how effective our marketing efforts are. It’s the only way to make sure the people who want to see and read what we’re sharing, can.

If you don’t believe me, just take a looksy at these marketing statistics…

  • “42% of businesses say email is one of their most effective lead generation channels. And for B2B marketers, 88% say email is the most effective lead generation tactic” – Email is not dead
  • Email ranks as the third most influential information source for B2B audiences, behind colleague recommendations and industry-specific intermediaries.

I could go on but stats don’t tell the whole story. 

Why quizzes convert and how to make them work for your business

People love quizzes because human beings are obsessed with learning more about themselves. We’re endlessly searching for answers to our deepest questions (I guess how I was able to work for a spiritual development company that made millions per year selling self-awareness). Quizzes are a part of our evolution…or something like that. 

But seriously, there is data to suggest why people enjoy learning more about themselves and subsequently sharing their results with others. We all want to understand ourselves better and be understood—sounds easy, but real life proves it to be a never ending conquest.  

Steven Myers, Professor of Psychology at Roosevelt University explains our obsession with quizzes “People ask three questions when making sense of their lives: Who am I? Who do others think I am? And who do I want to be?”

Quizzes are a perfect vehicle to deepen our self-awareness and have a little fun at the same time.

How the data quizzes generate can help you refine your marketing message and reach new clients and customers

The world is ruled by questions. The quality of the questions you ask can decide the quality of your life. As marketers and business owners, questions become all the more critical.

But hey, it’s not always easy to get the answers you want. And it’s not always easy to ask the questions that need asking. You’ve got to extend beyond this surface level comfort zone and dive right into the vulnerable aspects of your humanity.

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It’s impossible to grow a business without asking questions. The answers are the fuel to your marketing fire. The juice for your thirsty content gulping toddlers (I have a 3-year-old so excuse my overuse of this analogy).

Quizzes make asking those questions easy. They make categorizing your audience in terms of their desires, simple. Knowing how to talk to your audience’s needs and desires is the difference between copy that converts and copy that falls flat on it’s pretty little face.

Stages of a quiz funnelQuiz funnel

  • Awareness

The main purpose of your quiz is to create awareness. You’re using your quiz as a vehicle to speak to your target audience in a way that shows them you can help. You can do that by speaking to their struggle, intriguing them and connecting to their innate sense of curiosity, but essentially you’re offering clarity— an unforgettable gift.

  • Interest

So many people skip this step, but a solid well-written welcome sequence is a genuine opportunity to create connection. It doesn’t have to be complicated or super long either. The foundation of this series of emails is to establish know, like, and trust—that’s how you generate interest.

Tell your story. Share your WHY. Highlight your best free resources. Share a video of yourself. Open up the conversation and try to generate some engagement. This is your golden opportunity to build rapport in a more intimate way.

  • Decision

Once someone’s moved through the interest phase you can present the opportunity for them to make a decision to solve their problem. At this point, you can move into the sales email sequence that describes in more detail exactly how your product or service can help them.

Where all the cool kids host and build their quizzes

I’m a big fan of Interact. I’ve dated all the different quiz building platforms out there and Interact is by far the most charming. Why? Customer service that makes you feel loved and appreciated. All the integrations you could ever need. Simple set-up and sleek design. What more could you want? Check ’em out. Proud affiliate mama right hurr.

How does list building make YOU feel?

Spill your heart out in the comments.

PS. Don’t forget to grab the free email course on how to create your very own quiz that converts!

Welcome to my corner of the internet where you’ll find no shortage of real talk and proven growth strategies for solopreneurs, professional creators, coaches, and service providers. Grow forth and make it rain in your business, I’ve got your back every step of the way.

Hey superstar! I’m Chanti. 

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