Module 11

List and audience growth

5 lessons, 17 stepsOne instruction at a time, each with the result to expect. Tick steps as you go; Helix remembers.

Outcome: a growing audience you own (email, SMS and followers) that makes every launch and sale cheaper.

Related SOPs: 14 List growth and campaigns

In plain words

Stage: Attract (get seen by people who want what you sell). Every lesson below is tagged with its stage; see Attract, Convert, Grow.

What it is: Ways to collect more emails and followers you can reach for free.

Why it matters: A bigger list makes every launch and sale cheaper. You do not have to pay to reach those people.

Do this:

  1. Add a pop-up with a clear reason to sign up.
  2. Run ads that collect emails when ad costs are low.
  3. Welcome every new subscriber with a short series.

Words to know:

  • Pop-up: A box on your site that asks visitors for their email, often with a small reward.
  • Custom audience: A list Meta builds from your own data, like site visitors or customers.
  • LTV: How much a customer spends with you over time, not just on the first order.

All words are explained in the glossary.

Lesson 11.1: Why build the listAttract

In short

Your email and SMS list is an audience you own and can reach for free, any time.

Do this now

Step 1: Check your list size and the share engaged in the last 90 days in your email app.

Why this matters

Your email and SMS list is an audience you own and can reach for free, any time. Each engaged subscriber earns a little every month. Collect emails when ads are cheap, and sell when ads are costly. It is one of the most reliable ways to grow.

Step 1 of 30 of 3 done

Check your list size and the share engaged in the last 90 days in your email app.

Expected result

You know your owned audience size today.

Lesson 11.2: Competition typesAttract

In short

A competition (giveaway) can add thousands of subscribers quickly.

Do this now

Step 1: Read the four competition types in the table below and pick one.

Why this matters

A competition (giveaway) can add thousands of subscribers quickly. The type and the prize decide whether you get future buyers or prize hunters.

Step 1 of 20 of 2 done

Read the four competition types in the table below and pick one.

Expected result

You have chosen a type.

Good to know

Type How it works Good Not so good
Sweepstakes One big prize, drawn at the end Cheap per entry, reaches lots of people Many entrants are not keen buyers; purchases come later
Instant win Many small prizes; people find out right away if they won Can run for months; people buy sooner Needs more prizes, so each email costs more
Collaboration giveaway Several brands with similar customers share one prize pool Each brand reaches the others' audiences Takes coordination; audiences can be mixed
Social competition Follow and comment to enter Big boost in followers and reach Adds little to your email list

Lesson 11.3: Running a competitionAttract

In short

Running a competition well is a seven-part job, from rules to measuring who buys.

Do this now

Step 1: Pick the type and prize, and check your local promotion rules (some places need a permit).

Why this matters

Running a competition well is a seven-part job, from rules to measuring who buys. Skipping the follow-up flow wastes most of the value.

Step 1 of 70 of 7 done

Pick the type and prize, and check your local promotion rules (some places need a permit).

Expected result

You know the competition is legal where you run it.

Watch out

In Australia, a game of chance may need a permit in NSW, SA, the ACT or the NT. It depends on the prize value (see business.gov.au: marketing). In the US, New York and Florida need registration and a bond when prizes total over $5,000 (see New York law).

Tips

Lesson 11.4: Grow your list before big sale datesAttract

In short

List growth pays off most just before big sales, when ads get expensive.

Do this now

Step 1: Mark the date 6 to 10 weeks before your next big sale and start a list-growth push then.

Why this matters

List growth pays off most just before big sales, when ads get expensive. Starting 6 to 10 weeks early fills the funnel while attention is still cheap.

Step 1 of 20 of 2 done

Mark the date 6 to 10 weeks before your next big sale and start a list-growth push then.

Expected result

The push start date is in your calendar.

Tips

Lesson 11.5: Social growth tacticsAttract

In short

Social growth tactics add followers and customers alongside your list.

Do this now

Step 1: Put a small budget (for example $5 to $10 a day) behind your best free Reels.

Why this matters

Social growth tactics add followers and customers alongside your list. Four simple moves cover most of it.

Step 1 of 30 of 3 done

Put a small budget (for example $5 to $10 a day) behind your best free Reels.

Expected result

Your best organic content reaches new people.

Tips

Organic
Unpaid: posts, search results and word of mouth that you do not pay to show.

Self-check

  1. Why choose a prize only your customers want?
  2. When should you start building your list before a big sale?
Answers
  1. To attract future buyers, not prize hunters.
  2. About 6 to 10 weeks before.

Words to know in this module

Pop-up
A box on your site that asks visitors for their email, often with a small reward.
Custom audience
A list Meta builds from your own data, like site visitors or customers.
LTV
How much a customer spends with you over time, not just on the first order.
Flow
An email or text series that sends by itself when something happens, like a new sign-up.
Creative
The ad itself: the picture or video plus the words.
Campaign
The top level in an ad account. It holds the goal, like getting sales.
Funnel
The steps from seeing an ad to buying: visit, add to cart, checkout, order.
Organic
Unpaid: posts, search results and word of mouth that you do not pay to show.
All words to know