How to Gain Email Subscribers Without the Sleaze

"Nobody wants another ‘10% off’ popup."

They tell you to “build your list.” They make it sound so simple. Just offer a freebie, they say. A checklist. A guide. An “ethical bribe.”

And so you do. You spend a week creating a PDF that you’re actually proud of. You put it on your website. You wait.

And then… crickets. Or worse, you get a handful of subscribers who download your freebie and then vanish into the digital ether, never to be heard from again.

It feels… transactional. Like you’re starting a relationship with a handshake when you’re looking for a hug.

The Myth of the “Irresistible Offer

You’ve been told that the key to growing your email list is to have an irresistible offer. A lead magnet so good that people can’t help but give you their email address. So you go back to the drawing board. You create a 5-day email course. A video series. A 30-page ebook. You spend more time, more energy, more resources.

And the cycle repeats. A few more subscribers, a few more digital ghosts.

But what if the problem isn’t your freebie? What if the problem is the entire concept of the “ethical bribe?” As Allison Rapp points out, the term itself is a red flag. A bribe, by definition, is something you offer to persuade someone to do something they wouldn’t otherwise do. It’s a transaction, not a relationship.

And that’s the core of the problem. You’re starting the relationship with a transaction. You’re saying, “Give me your email address, and I’ll give you this thing.”

It’s a one-time exchange. There’s no incentive for them to stick around. They got what they came for. Why would they stay?

It’s Not a Transaction. It’s a Conversation.

Instead of thinking of it as a bribe, think of it as starting a conversation. You’re not trying to trick them into giving you their email address. You’re inviting them into your world.

And the best way to start a conversation is to offer something of value with no strings attached. To show them that you’re not just trying to sell them something, but that you genuinely want to help them. This is where the concept of a “value-first” approach comes in. Instead of a transactional lead magnet, you offer a piece of high-value content that is freely available. A blog post. A podcast episode. A video. Something that solves a real problem for them, right then and there.

And then, at the end of that content, you offer them the opportunity to continue the conversation. To go deeper. To get more. As the team at Wandering Aimfully puts it, you’re not just building an audience, you’re building a relationship.

Your email list isn’t a bucket to be filled.
It’s a party to be thrown.

So You Offer Value. And Then You Offer More Value.

Here’s how it works in practice:

1. Create a piece of high-value, problem-solving content. This could be a blog post like this one, a podcast episode, or a YouTube video. The key is that it’s freely available and genuinely helpful. For more on this, check out our post on The Marketing Clarity Crisis: Why Clear is Better Than Creative.
2. At the end of that content, offer a content upgrade. This is where your “freebie” comes in. But instead of a generic checklist, it’s a resource that is directly related to the content they just consumed. A worksheet. A template. A resource guide. Something that helps them implement what they just learned.
3. The call to action is not “get my freebie.” It’s “continue the conversation.” You’re not bribing them. You’re inviting them to take the next step. For more on this, check out our post on 5 AI Prompts to Steal When Your Brain Goes Blank.

This approach works because it’s not about a one-time transaction. It’s about building a relationship. You’re showing them that you’re a valuable resource and that you have more to offer.

And when you do that, you’re not just getting an email subscriber. You’re getting a fan. A follower. A future client.

So, What Now?

Stop thinking about what you can offer as a bribe. Start thinking about what you can offer as a gift.

What’s one piece of high-value content you can create this week that solves a real problem for your ideal client? Start there.

And then, at the end of that content, invite them to continue the conversation. You’ll be surprised at how many people say yes.