Your email list is the one audience you own. Social platforms change what they show; ad prices go up; your list stays yours. But flows and campaigns can only be as good as the list they send to — and growing it isn't about capturing every visitor. It's about inviting the right ones at the right moment.
Ask at the right moment
- A pop-up that appears the instant someone lands interrupts them before they've seen anything. Wait until they've shown interest: scrolled down the page, spent some time on it, or started to leave.
- On phones, prefer a small banner or a slide-in to a full-screen pop-up. Google has long discouraged pop-ups that cover the content on mobile.
- If someone closes the pop-up, don't show it again on their next page. Give them a few days.
Give a real reason to sign up
- A first-order discount works, but it isn't the only option: early access to launches, a restock alert, a useful guide, or help choosing the right product.
- Say what people will get and how often — "one email a week with new arrivals and the occasional offer" is far more inviting than "subscribe to our newsletter".
- Match the offer to your margins. A discount you can't really afford trains people to wait for the next one.
Ask for as little as possible
- Ask for an email address only. You can learn birthdays, preferences and phone numbers later, in the welcome series, once people trust you.
- If you collect phone numbers for SMS, ask for them separately, with their own consent (the SMS vs email guide explains why).
Put sign-ups where people already are
- A sign-up form in the footer of every page
- At checkout: a marketing opt-in checkbox — left unticked, see below
- After purchase: invite buyers who didn't opt in at checkout
- On sold-out products: "email me when it's back in stock"
- On your social profiles, and in person if you have a shop or a stall
Get consent right from the start
The rules depend on where your customers live. In Canada, CASL generally requires people to agree before you send them marketing email: a pre-ticked box doesn't count, and every message has to say who it's from and include a working unsubscribe link. Many other countries have similar rules. Keep a record of when and how each person signed up. (This isn't legal advice; check the rules for your market.)
Double opt-in: when it's worth it
With double opt-in, new subscribers confirm by clicking a link in a first email before they join. It keeps out typos and fake sign-ups and gives you a clear consent record — at the cost of some people never confirming. It's worth switching on if you're seeing lots of bounces or junk sign-ups.
Then welcome them properly
A new subscriber is at their most interested the moment they join. Send them straight into a welcome series — it's the first of the five flows every store needs.
Want sign-up forms that grow your list without annoying anyone? Book a strategy call and we'll look at yours together.
