123: How to Grow an Engaged Email List Using Facebook Ads
Think Facebook ads are just a money pit? Heather’s proof they can actually build a six-figure email list and pay for themselves along the way.
In this episode, she shares how she grew 115,000+ subscribers with simple tweaks, smart testing, and a strategy that’s easy to repeat.
From her first scrappy ad to her top-performing seasonal campaigns, Heather explains what worked, what flopped, and what she’d do differently now.
You’ll hear why naming your freebie the right way matters, how to bounce back when something tanks, and the easy strategy that keeps her list growing year after year.
Hit play and see how one good freebie can turn into the list-building engine your business has been missing!
Key Takeaways:
- (04:15) How Facebook ads became Heather’s main growth driver
- (06:00) The early days; direct-to-sales ads and first lessons learned
- (09:50) The freebie that flopped and the pivot that changed everything
- (15:00) What her early ad graphics looked like and why “ugly” worked
- (18:10) Repurposing old freebies
- (23:00) Why testing matters more than perfection
Listen to Previous Episodes:
119: Behind the Scenes of a Successful Funnel with Laura Kebart (Part 1)
18: Learn the Power of Facebook Ads with Beth Anne Schwamberger
67: The Free & Simple Strategy to Grow Your Email List
17: How to Start Building Your Email List TODAY
16: Why You Need to Grow an Email List From the Start
56: What to Send to Your Email List
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Facebook Ads for Teachers: How to Grow Your List and Make Profitable Sales
Discover the strategies, pivots, and mindset shifts that transformed a small teacher business into a thriving online brand—without relying on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Email List Growth: Why It Matters
A thriving online business requires an email list.
Unlike social media followers, email subscribers give you direct access to their inbox—and their attention. But it’s not just about the numbers. Heather cleaned her list, dropping tens of thousands of inactive subscribers to maintain engagement and ensure deliverability.
If your subscribers aren’t opening your emails, no amount of volume will help; quality trumps quantity for a successful business.
From Classroom to Clicks: Getting Started with Facebook Ads
For many, the thought of paying for ads brings hesitation. But Heather flips the narrative: when done right, ads can be self-funding. By running profitable campaigns, she reinvests earnings to grow her community, all while boosting sales.
Early on, Heather ran ads straight to the product sales page—a method called “direct to sales.” While it brought in revenue, it did little to build her list. She quickly realized the power lay in pairing a freebie offer with a product upsell (known as a tripwire).
The Freebie-to-Tripwire Funnel: Building a High-Quality List
The winning formula? Offer a valuable freebie, then redirect new subscribers to a time-limited product offer.
Heather’s initial freebie—a kindergarten readiness checklist—flopped. Instead of giving up, she pivoted, transforming the checklist into a “Preschool at Home Starter Kit” with bonus tips, planning pages, activities, and wall posters. This generously beefed-up freebie converted well and fueled rapid list growth.
Her advice: Don’t get discouraged if your first attempt fails! Instead, try different offers, covers, and headlines, continually refining your approach.
For Heather, leveraging Facebook’s algorithm by optimizing for “sales” rather than “leads” attracted subscribers more likely to become future buyers.
Iteration and Adaptation: The Power of Testing
Ads and freebies aren’t “set it and forget it.”
Heather found that after running a campaign for a while, conversion rates dropped. Rather than abandon the strategy, she created new, seasonal freebies—like summer and fall activity packs—to keep her ads fresh and relevant.
Sometimes, a simple name change or new cover sparked improved results.
Her key insight: The name and cover of your freebie have massive impact. Test simple tweaks before overhauling your entire strategy.
Over the years, Heather’s growing list was fueled by this willingness to experiment and adapt, even when things didn’t work out at first.
Lessons in Facebook Ad Design
When it comes to ad creatives, don’t get stuck in a rut. Early on, Heather’s designs were basic—a colored square, the word “FREE” in a circle, and a mockup of the resource.
As her skills grew, so did the polish of her graphics. She also learned to experiment with the use of text: some audiences respond to minimalist designs, while others (like her guest Laura’s language arts teachers) actually prefer text-heavy ads.
The takeaway: Know your audience, test different styles, and don’t worry about making your ads perfect straight out of the gate.
Mindset: Embrace Testing, Don’t Fear Failure
Heather’s success didn’t come from flawless execution, but from persistent testing and learning. “Let’s stop being so quick to throw a strategy away when it doesn’t work exactly how we want,” she urges.
Try new things, monitor what works, and keep iterating.
Email list growth is the lifeblood of any online business. Paid ads, when paired with irresistible freebies and a thoughtful strategy, can turbocharge your results.
Whether you’re still in the classroom or ready to venture out, Heather’s experience shows it’s possible—and profitable—to build an online community.
Remember: test, adapt, improve, and always serve your audience with value.