Ep 82: More Sales, Less Hustle: Use Instagram + Email
If you’re a small business owner showing up on Instagram consistently — posting, engaging, building real connections with your audience — first of all, you’re already doing a lot. But what if everything you’re doing could work even harder for you?
What if there was a simple way to take that content you’re already creating and turn it into more connection, deeper trust, and (yes) more sales — without adding more to your to-do list?
Let’s talk about the power couple of online marketing: Instagram + Email.
Why They Work Better Together
Instagram is where your audience finds you. It’s fast, fun, and perfect for building instant connection. They see your face, hear your voice, and start to trust you.
But Instagram is also noisy. You’re competing with memes, trends, dinner hacks, and toddler tantrums. Your content might disappear from their feed in 24 hours.
Email, on the other hand, is where the relationship deepens. It’s slower — in the best way. It lets you:
Tell stories
Walk your audience through the value of your offer
Answer objections
Show up in a space they invited you into
Instagram gets their attention. Email helps them take action. Together, they move your audience from follower to client.
Getting People From Instagram to Your Email List
This is the piece most people overthink. You don’t need to be pushy. You just need to offer something genuinely helpful and make it easy to say yes.
Here’s what that looks like:
Create a lead magnet that solves a real problem, gives a quick win, and naturally leads to your offer
Talk about it like a human — "I made this to help, want it?"
Make it easy to find — put it in your bio, captions, Stories, Highlights
Tell them what they’ll miss if they don’t sign up
What Makes a Great Lead Magnet?
A strong lead magnet should:
Solve a specific pain point your audience is already struggling with
Offer a quick, tangible result (not just more to read)
Naturally set up your paid offer as the next step
Example: If you’re a nutritionist selling a 12-week meal planning program, don’t just offer "5 Healthy Eating Tips."
Instead, create something like "3 Family-Friendly Dinners You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less."
It’s quick. It solves a real problem. And it makes your audience think, "If this is what they give for free, imagine what the full program includes."
Where to Promote Your Freebie on Instagram
Once you’ve got your lead magnet, make sure it’s not just sitting in your Linktree gathering digital dust. Promote it regularly in ways that feel natural:
Link in bio with a benefit-driven hook (not just "freebie")
Pinned post that introduces the freebie and who it’s for
Reels that highlight the problem it solves
Captions with casual P.S. style CTAs
Story Highlights that walk through what’s inside
DMs when someone engages with related content
What Happens After They Download?
This is where email takes over — and where so many people drop the ball.
If you’re not sure what to send, or how to move someone from freebie to paid offer, you need a simple system that actually works.
Enter: EmailToolTester’s Free Email Marketing Guide (sponsored but genuinely amazing).
This free guide walks you through:
Why email is so effective — and how to use it with Instagram
The most common mistakes to avoid
Tool recommendations (so you don’t have to research 17 platforms)
Deliverability best practices so your emails actually get opened
Whether you’re just starting or trying to revive a stale list, this guide will help you turn your email strategy into a conversion machine.
TL;DR: Instagram + Email = The Strategy You Need
Instagram builds the connection. Your freebie builds momentum. Email builds the relationship that leads to sales.
You don’t need to hustle harder.
You just need to connect the dots between visibility and conversion.
Go grab that guide.
Start making the content you’re already creating work smarter for you.
More sales. Less hustle. We love to see it.
