You know those download pages that go:
👉 “Want this free thing? Cool. Just hand over your email first.”

And boom—you're magically added to a newsletter you never asked for.
Cue the immediate unsubscribe. Or worse... the cold, soulless spam folder.

Yeah. I don’t do that.

Not because I don’t want more subscribers.
But because I want the right subscribers.

When I offer a freebie—like a guide, template, or swipe file—I let people download it without forcing them onto my email list.

At the download step, there’s a little optional checkbox that says:

Totally up to them. No hidden traps. No sneaky fine print.

Because if someone checks that box?
It means they’re not just curious—they’re actually interested.
And if they don’t? That’s okay too.

If someone just wants to grab the freebie and dip?
Go for it. No guilt. No awkward follow-ups.

But if someone finds value in what I shared—and decides to join the list later?
That’s a whole different vibe. That’s someone who’s:
✅ Curious
✅ Engaged
✅ Genuinely wants to hear from me

Short-term? Yeah, maybe.

I don’t get as many subscribers.
But I also don’t get:

Instead, I get:
🔥 People who stick around
🔥 People who open, click, and sometimes even hit reply
🔥 People who aren’t just "here for the free stuff"

I’d rather have 500 people who chose to be here than 5,000 who didn’t even realize they were subscribed.

Because when someone wants to be on your list, you’re not fighting for attention—they’re already listening.

And in email marketing?
Attention is the currency. Not just list size.

Down the line, I can always:

So really, it's not a loss—it's a longer play. With better vibes.

Want more email marketing real talk like this? AND you aren’t subscribed yet?
💌 Join the list (voluntarily 😏): https://www.koalalab.rocks/