Every year coaches, consultants, and creators make the same New Year resolution: grow your audience, sell more courses, and connect more deeply with your community. The core of all of those goals is your email list. Your list is where your best future clients live. It is where you turn interest into sales. It is where you convert browsers into buyers.
In this post you will learn how to build your list in ways that feel natural, align with your brand, and make selling your course or coaching easier. You will also learn how to decide between using Kajabi’s built-in email tools versus third-party email marketing services like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and ActiveCampaign. You will get ideas for using your social media platforms to drive leads and convert them with email.
This is about starting the year with fresh list building ideas you can implement now.
Why Email List Building Matters for Your Online Course or Coaching
Your email list is your direct communication channel. Social media accounts come and go, but your list is yours. You own it. Email lets you message your audience with less noise and more focus.
Here are real results from clients I work with:
- Using targeted lead magnets increased lead engagement by 10 percent to 15 percent.
- Converting cold social followers into email subscribers increased overall course sales by measurable amounts.
- Leads captured through email converted to paid offers at rates 3 to 5 times higher than social clicks alone.
These stats show one thing: list building works when done right.
Lead Magnets That Actually Convert
The most common mistakes in list building come from weak offers. If your lead magnet does not match your audience’s immediate desires, people will not subscribe.
Here are two lead magnets that perform well and fit your audience:
Free PDF Guide
A short, actionable PDF like:
- “7 Steps to Validate Your Online Course Idea”
- “Daily Content Plan for Coaches”
People grab these fast because they are quick to consume and deliver value immediately.
Free Access to a Course Module
This lead magnet lets people experience your teaching style before they buy. For example:
- Free access to Module One of your paid course
- A training session from your coaching program
This works especially well because it feels like a real sample of your work. People trust what they can see and experience.
Both of these lead magnets have improved lead engagement by 10 percent to 15 percent for clients I have supported.
Comparing Email Marketing Tools to Kajabi’s Built-In Options
You have choices when you build your list. You can use third-party services or Kajabi’s built-in email and automation features. Each has pros and cons.
Third-Party Email Marketing Services
These are popular tools outside Kajabi. They focus only on email marketing.
Here are the main ones:
Mailchimp
- Easy to use
- Strong free plan
- Works well for simple newsletters
Weaknesses
- Automation is basic
- Limited tagging and segmentation compared to others
Best for: simple email newsletters
ConvertKit
- Built for creators
- Strong tagging and automation
- Good landing page templates
Weaknesses
- Editor is not as flexible as others
- Pricing jumps as your list grows
Best for: creators who want clean automation and segmentation
ActiveCampaign
- Strongest automation features
- Best for advanced funnels
- Deep segmentation
Weaknesses
- Steeper learning curve
- More expensive
Best for: advanced marketers with complex funnels
Third-party services excel at email marketing alone, with better automation and behavior tracking than basic systems. But they don’t connect natively to your course and coaching delivery platform the way Kajabi does.
Kajabi’s Built-In Email Marketing
Kajabi includes built-in email marketing you can use without a third-party tool. Here is how it compares:
Kajabi Email Pros
- Email and courses live in the same system
- Automations tied directly to product access
- Simple tagging and segmentation
- Forms and landing pages built right into Kajabi
- No need for external integrations
Kajabi Email Limitations
- Less advanced automation than ActiveCampaign
- Fewer trigger and condition options
- Reporting is simpler
Kajabi is ideal when you want everything in one place: list, course, landing pages, automations, and purchases. You avoid double entry and many integration steps.
How to Decide Between Third-Party Tools and Kajabi
Your choice depends on your goals and the complexity of your funnels.
Ask yourself:
- Do you want everything in one platform?
- Will you run advanced email sequences with deep segmentation?
- Do you want to avoid managing multiple tools?
- Will most of your traffic convert through Kajabi landing pages?
If your priority is ease, simplicity, and fewer tools to maintain, Kajabi email is a strong choice. If you need advanced automation or plan to run complex tagging and scoring across multiple offers, a third-party tool may fit better.
You can also use both. Some creators collect emails in Kajabi but sync to tools like ConvertKit or ActiveCampaign for deeper automation. Be careful with data syncing so you don’t send duplicate emails to your audience.
Using Your Social Media to Build Your List
Social media is where your audience hangs out. Use it as a traffic source to send people to your lead magnet. Here are specific ways to do that on each platform.
YouTube
YouTube is search-based. People find you when they search for answers.
How to use YouTube to build your list:
- Create video topics that solve common problems
- Mention your lead magnet in the video description
- Pin your lead magnet link above the fold in your description
- Use clear call to action: “Get the free PDF guide in the link below”
YouTube visibility drives steady long-term traffic. People who find you here tend to subscribe because the content solves a real need.
On Facebook you can build your list using:
- Posts linking to your lead magnet
- Facebook Groups where your audience hangs out
- Facebook Lives where you share tips and then direct people to your free offer
For example, post a short tip about a coaching topic with a link to your free PDF. Make sure you clearly tell people what they get and why it helps them.
LinkedIn works well for coaches and consultants. You can:
- Share text posts that include your lead magnet link
- Use LinkedIn articles to dive deeper and link the free offer
- Message new connections with a link to your lead magnet
- Post short videos or reels with a call to action
Write posts with value first. Then ask viewers to download the free guide or get access to your course module.
On Instagram use:
- Story links to your lead magnet
- Link in bio that points to your lead magnet landing page
- Carousel posts that educate and link to your free offer
Make sure every post directs people to your lead magnet somewhere.
Best Practices for Social to List Flow
Here are practical tips you can use starting today:
- Always include a call to action in every social post
- Use short, clear links that point to your landing page
- Track which platform sends the most leads so you can invest more there
- Use analytics to see which lead magnet performs better
If the free course module consistently converts better than the PDF, lean into it. If you find people from LinkedIn sign up more than Instagram, plan more LinkedIn content.
Your Email Funnel After the Lead Magnet
Getting the email is only the first step. Once someone subscribes, you need nurturing.
Your first five emails after someone opts in should:
- 1. Thank them for signing up
- 2. Deliver the lead magnet
- 3. Provide extra value (quick tip, short video)
- 4. Introduce who you are and why you help
- 5. Present your paid course or coaching offer
This warm-up sequence builds trust before you pitch. Clients who follow this sequence see better conversion because the audience feels understood and prepared.
New Year, Fresh Results
As you start this year you can build a list that supports your courses and coaching without stress. You do this by:
- Picking the right email tool for your needs
- Creating lead magnets that deliver value
- Promoting your lead magnets in social channels with intention
- Following up with a simple sequence that leads to paid offers
Your email list is one of your strongest business assets. Build it with clarity, focus, and fresh ideas this year.
If you want help setting up your Kajabi email automations or choosing a third-party service, I can walk you through it step by step.
