At the start of January, I set a simple, specific goal: grow my email list by 10 new subscribers by March 31.
Not by running ads. Not by launching a big campaign. Just by optimizing what was already on my site.
Every week, I tracked signups from five sources:
My homepage
A pop-up
The blog index page
A sticky footer banner
Individual high-traffic blog posts
I adjusted messaging, timing, and placement. I ran mini tests. Some weeks brought in subscribers. Some didn’t. And then March arrived.
Client work picked up. Strategy sessions filled. And like many business owners, I let my own marketing sit quietly in the corner.
Still, the results came in—and they were better than expected.
The Final Results
Even with a messy March, here’s where things landed:
Signups during the active experiment (Jan–Feb): 11
Signups in March (when I stopped tracking): 5
Total new subscribers: 16
A small number? Sure. But it hit my goal. And more importantly—it showed what actually works.
What Worked and Why
“You don’t need a viral moment to grow your list—you need a system that keeps building subscribers, even when you’re working on something else.”
1. The Sticky Signup Footer
This was the unexpected MVP. It quietly brought in subscribers week after week—no tweaking, no testing, no extra effort. It was a set-it-and-forget-it win.
2. Consistent Messaging Across Forms
Once I made the pop-up match the blog form in tone and offer, conversions improved. This reinforced something I tell clients all the time: consistency builds trust.
3. A System That Runs in the Background
Because I’d set everything up with clear forms and automations, the system kept running even when I didn’t. The Zap wasn’t perfect (more on that soon), but the structure helped.
Intrigued by what you’re reading? Get more marketing tips like this delivered to your inbox! Sign me up!
What Didn't Work
1. High-Traffic Blog Post Forms
These got views. Lots of them. But no clicks. Which tells me the offer or placement—or both—needs rethinking. It’s a reminder that eyeballs don’t equal conversions.
2. Pop-Up Fatigue
Initially, the pop-up performed well. But by late February, it was flat. The offer didn’t change, and neither did the timing. Next time, I’ll test rotating offers or switching when it appears.
3. Losing Momentum
This wasn’t a tool issue. It was a human one. When I stopped showing up for the experiment, results slowed down. That’s not a failure—it’s a pattern. One I can plan around next time.
What I'd Do Differently
Simplify the tracking:
Weekly was too frequent for the season I was in. Biweekly would’ve been more sustainable. Or tracking less each week.
Prioritize one or two forms:
Rather than tweaking everything, I’ll focus on the top performers.
Schedule marketing time like client work:
I know, easier said than done—but this is how sustainable systems get built.
Lessons for Busy Business Owners
If you’ve been ignoring your email list—or only thinking about it when things are slow—here’s the takeaway:
You don’t need a huge overhaul to make progress.
You need a system that runs in the background.
You need consistent messaging.
And you need to actually check in on what’s working.
Even a small experiment can lead to steady growth.
Want to Build a System Like This?
If you’d like help building a lead generation system that keeps working (even when you’re busy serving clients), we can do that together in a program like the Spotlight Strategy program.
If your email campaigns feel unpredictable, it’s probably not a tech issue. It’s a list issue. This post breaks down why cold emailing quietly damages deliverability, what spam filters actually look for, and how to rebuild your email program on permission, trust, and long-term visibility.
Email marketing has gotten more sophisticated. So even platforms like Mailchimp that may have seemed simple when you first signed up, require a little know how in order to get your money’s worth out of it. This blog post breaks down why working with a Mailchimp Pro Partner can help you get the results that you want so you can use email marketing to gain and retain clients.
I set a simple goal: get 10 new email subscribers by March 31. No ads. No big campaigns. Just smarter placement, clearer messaging, and a system that could run while I focused on client work. Here’s what worked, what didn’t—and what I’ll try next time.
This week’s Email Signup Experiment took an unexpected turn—zero conversions despite steady traffic. What went wrong? We break down the data, analyze possible causes, and outline next steps to get signups back on track.
This week’s Email Signup Experiment revealed a surprising boost in signups, with the pop-up and sticky footer leading the way. But high-traffic blog pages still aren’t converting. See what’s working, what’s not, and the next steps to optimize our strategy.
Tracking the right data makes all the difference. This week, we uncovered signups from unexpected sources, proving that expanding what we measure is just as important as optimizing how we capture leads.
The Email Signup Experiment just hit a turning point—our latest numbers are at zero signups for the week. If you neglect your own marketing, your results will suffer. In this update, we analyze why conversions have stalled and what needs to change immediately to turn things around.
This week’s Email Signup Experiment proved that doing nothing leads to… well, not much. With no changes made, our pop-up maintained its underwhelming conversion rate, and high-traffic blog pages still didn’t deliver signups. Next week, we’re adjusting timing, refining our CTA, and rethinking form placement to finally break through.
The Email Signup Experiment continues, and this week’s data reveals some unexpected shifts. While the home page saw its first signup, the pop-up’s conversion rate dropped significantly. Are visitors tuning it out? We’re making key adjustments to timing, messaging, and placement to improve performance. Read on to see what worked, what didn’t, and what we’re testing next.
The Email Signup Experiment is in full swing, and this week’s results revealed both progress and challenges. While adding the form to high-traffic blog posts didn’t generate signups, the pop-up saw a 5.9% conversion rate—better than nothing, but still below the industry average. With a combined conversion rate of 2.3%, it’s clear we need to refine our approach. The focus now? Improving visibility, tweaking messaging, and driving more traffic to high-converting pages. Can these adjustments push us closer to our goal of 10 new subscribers by March 31? We’re about to find out.
Join Annie Figenshu and her AI assistant, Betty Bot-ley, as they dive into this week's Email Signup Experiment results. Discover insights from Newsletter Form 5 2, including a solid 7.7% conversion rate but low traffic challenges. Learn actionable strategies to boost visibility and engagement while working toward the goal of 10 new subscribers by March 31. Ready to optimize your own signup forms? Let's explore together!
You like how StoryBrand makes your customer the hero, but applying that same thinking to blog posts, videos, and emails is a little murkier. This post shows how to use the StoryBrand framework as a jumping off point for your content marketing efforts. The result is customer-focused content that’s easier to create and more effective at building relationships.
You want to send emails out regularly, but life gets in the way. If you don’t find a sustainable way to manage your email marketing, you risk losing potential revenue. Plus, you might find yourself stuck on the content hamster wheel, always scrambling to keep up. Evergreen content is your new best friend. Create an email automation around that content and you will be able to relax and focus on other areas of your business. Here’s how to do it.
Struggling with inconsistent messaging and low engagement in your email marketing? Discover how a BrandScript can transform your Mailchimp campaigns. Learn how clear, compelling messaging can boost open rates, click-through rates, and strengthen your brand identity. In this blog post, I'll share practical steps to implement a BrandScript and real-life success stories that prove its impact. Ready to elevate your email marketing strategy? Read on to find out how!
Building customer relationships. Growing audience. Growing customer relationships. Building audience. That’s the marketing mantra for many companies. If you’re not building relationships with your current customers, you are always on the lookout for new ones. And if you’re always on the lookout for new customers, you are missing out on opportunities to keep your customers coming back to you.
Let’s break down the final stage of the 3-Stage Marketing Strategy. Here we’ll discuss ongoing content and sales so that you know what to focus on in your marketing in order to build relationships and grow audiences. Or, is it the other way around?
Your B2B marketing shouldn’t take all your time. These 3 steps help you clarify your message, streamline your content, and grow your audience faster.
When you’re running your own marketing, it’s hard to know where to focus first. Making a haphazard choice can set you back months - and thousands of dollars. In this blog post, you’ll learn the three key stages every successful marketing strategy needs - from foundational elements to automated systems to ongoing content. With these in place you will reach new audiences and foster engagement with old ones. All without having to worry if you’re putting your efforts in the wrong place.
Nine answers to nine questions about the work I do, who I work with, what I create, and why my favorite animated character rules. You'll find out how my improv backgrounds informs my approach to my work, and why I believe automations are so vital right now. Thanks to Geoffrey Klein from Nine Dots Media for having me on LinkedInsights.
If you’ve signed up for an affiliate program, you want to make it work for your business. In this post, you’ll learn how to can create a few marketing assets to put on autopilot so that you can perpetually drive revenue.
Are you time-strapped, looking for help with your email marketing campaigns? Look no further – Downstage Media has gained another certification with Mailchimp - Automation. Learn about Annie Schiffmann's Mailchimp certifications and see how they can help you free up valuable time and make email marketing easier!
AI is revolutionizing how we tackle our daily tasks, like creating posts for social media and emails. This blog post will teach you to leverage the power of Artificial Intelligence so that you can spend less time worrying about hitting publish - freeing up more space in your day to focus doing work that energizes and inspires you!
You're kind of annoyed because now that you have your messaging in place people aren't showing up in droves. I've got good news for you - nothing is wrong. This is actually when the marketing work begins. You built your house with your messaging. Now you've got to invite people in with your marketing. Here are the fundamentals that all marketers know that will bring in and nurture new audience members.
You wouldn’t try to make a Thanksgiving meal with all new recipes and kitchen tools - you’d be frazzled and scrambling before you even put the turkey into the oven. You shouldn’t make marketing materials with all new platforms and software, either. Here’s a list of the tried and true tools, that I’m grateful for this season. Plus, a few new ones, since it’s always fun to have something new to keep things fresh at the table.
When you don’t have a big marketing team, the idea of coming up with, writing, and sending out weekly - or even monthly - emails is reason enough to lie down. You’re doing so many other things to keep your brand afloat and now you gotta do that too?! Turn out the lights because there’s a migraine coming on. In this blog post, you’ll learn about three different email automations to set up once and put on autopilot. You’ll be able to nurture your audience while you’re working on other aspects of building your brand. (Or, you know, just lying down.)
No one wants to take the time to create a lead generator and then automate it with their email platform, if it’s not going to build relationships with your audience. But a lame lead generator can do just that. Dive in to the seven elements your lead generator needs to establish your brand, project, or company as one that’s worth knowing!
It can be hard to make the most of your email marketing. You don’t have the time to learn how to send out more than a quick blast but you don’t have the time to learn anything more. Annie Schiffmann is Mailchimp Certified and takes you through how that special training can help you reach your goals for your company.
It can be easy to feel envious of people enjoying the long days of summer when you're trying to get your projects off the ground. A new offering from Downstage Media is designed to put your marketing on autopilot because after the past two years you deserve a great summer.
Before investing in your marketing, it’s normal to have questions. Here are some of the concerns that come up the most often for our clients before they hire Downstage Media to take care of their messaging, strategy, or email marketing.
No one wants to spend time crafting an email that will be ignored. Learn these best practices gleaned from Mailchimp’s Content Optimizer to get your audience to actually read the emails you send out.
Your message needs to work even when you’re not in the room. Learn why it’s important to use words someone else can understand, repeat, and share.
You want to read more business books, but running a business keeps pushing them down the list. The On Book Business Book Club gives you a reason to read, smart business owners to discuss the ideas with, and new ideas you can put to work in your business.
A packed workday doesn’t necessarily mean you’re growing your consulting business. Here are three activities to make time for more often than not so you can create revenue, stay in front of prospective clients, and develop relationships that lead to new opportunities.
Content is easier to create than ever, and audiences are skeptical of its authenticity. If brands don’t adjust, their content will continue to be ignored. This post shares insights from The Marketing Algonquin, a private roundtable of New Jersey-based marketers, on the shift from creation to curation so your content earns what’s hardest to win: audience trust.
AI adoption is accelerating, but without clear positioning and documented messaging, it simply scales confusion. Drawing on new books by Allison Shapira, David Newman, and Erika Heald, this post explains why AI strategy for leaders starts with judgment, differentiation, and strong content foundations.
Being everywhere with your marketing sounds ambitious, but it often leaves teams stretched too thin and messages unclear. A focused marketing strategy helps people understand what you’re known for and gives your team room to do better work.
Discover the art of crafting effective lead capture forms in this real-time experiment. Follow along as I implement proven strategies, track progress, and share actionable insights to help you build your email list and turn visitors into loyal subscribers.