How to Grow Your Email List: 4 Ways to Win Back Window Shoppers

Why email list growth matters

Picture 100 people landing on your website this week. Two or three will buy (a good conversion rate sits near 3%, so that’s about average). The other 97 have a look around, get distracted, and close the tab. Most never come back, even though you paid to get every one of them there.

That’s the gap worth closing. Those 97 weren’t ready to buy, so we stop asking for a sale and ask for something smaller: an email address. Now they’re not lost, they’re an audience we can keep talking to long after the tab closes. That’s why knowing how to grow your email list matters more than squeezing a few extra sales out of each visit.

There are four ways to grow your email list. One of them does the heavy lifting.

1. Email pop-ups: where we spend most of our time

People rarely buy on a first visit, so the pop-up asks for something smaller. We start with a quick date instead of asking for marriage, then earn the sale by email once they trust us.

A pop-up is never finished. Even a 10%+ opt-in rate is worth testing toward 20%+.

Start with the pop-up offer

It’s the most important part of the form. The gut check: if someone handed you this, would you swap your email for it? Test:

• % off: best when your average order is under $100
• $ off: best when your average order is over $100
• Free shipping
• Free gift with order
• Mystery discount that reveals one of the above

Not discount-led? Try a giveaway entry, a free guide or early access.

Pick a pop-up form type

The Quiz and The Micro Commit are the best places to start. The Classic and The Spin to Win are worth a go too. Pick one and test from there.

Tips for a pop-up that converts

• Keep the copy under 10 words
• Make the offer the biggest thing on the form
• One input per step: email first, SMS on its own step
• Set the delay to 4 to 12 seconds
• Cover at least 75% of the screen and load it instantly
• Optional: swap the x for a “Close Form” button under the submit button

What to test next on your pop-up

Offer first, then form type, close button, time delay (judge it on total sign-ups, not conversion rate), photos, copy and colours. Fewer colours usually wins.

We build ours in Klaviyo. There are other platforms that cost extra, so measure what you get back against what you pay.

2. Checkout opt-ins: the quickest win

These people already know, like and trust you enough to buy. A simple checkbox at purchase keeps the conversation going.

• Leave the box unticked so customers actively choose to opt in
• Use plain wording that says what they’re signing up for
• Match the tone of your welcome emails

3. Email sign-up pages: a home for every link

Give every link somewhere to send people. A dedicated page works hard in your website footer and social bios.

• Fewer fields, clearer promise
• Say what people get, in one line
• One job only: no other links competing for the click

4. Sign-up embeds: passive list growth

Embeds sit inside pages people already visit, usually your footer or homepage, quietly collecting sign-ups while you get on with your day.

• Short heading, specific subheading about what subscribers receive
• Show the form on the homepage as well as the footer
• Match your brand so it feels like part of the page

Where to start with email list growth

If you’re working out how to grow your email list from scratch, do these in order:

1. Switch on the checkout opt-in today
2. Add a sign-up page link to your bio
3. Add an embed to your footer
4. Build a pop-up around a strong offer, then keep testing it

Your list is the one audience you own. It’s worth growing on purpose.