They Said ‘The Money’s in the List’… But Where’s Yours?

You don’t have a lead problem.

You have a conversion problem.

You’ve attracted the attention.

You’ve collected the info.

But now you’re staring at a list that isn’t buying.

So let’s dig in and unlock the potential in your business.

Because this week, we’re not just talking about closing a sale. Anyone can do that.

We’re talking about client acquisition. The process of moving a customer from lurker to buyer.

It's the difference between revenue and regret.

Between interest and income.

Before we get into the nitty gritty, let me tell you about a client who had 1500 leads sitting in her data-base.

Opt-ins. Confirmed emails.

And not a single client had closed from her list

Why?

Because she thought acquisition was about waiting for leads to raise their hand.

After all, the money's in the list right?

Well, sort of...

Acquiring clients is not about sitting back and hoping.

It’s about knowing who’s ready, presenting the opportunity, and guiding the conversation.

And when we fixed that?

She closed 7 clients in 11 days—with the leads she already had.

So let’s break down the play.

The Core Principles To Keep In Mind

1. Sales Is a Service

When done right, it doesn’t feel like pressure. It feels like leadership.

Acquiring clients isn't about twisting someones arm. It's not hard pressure closing tactics. It's about uncovering the gap, highlighting it, and then asking if they'd like your help crossing that chasm.

It's about serving the other person. Helping them achieve their desired outcome. And linking your solution to their goal.

2. Simplicity Scales, Complexity Fails.

The clearer the path, the faster the outcome.

One of the most common mistakes I see is over complicating your customers journey. Outline the path. Simplify it as much as possible. Present it to your audience, and let them buy.

3. Relevance Is Key

When you know who to talk to, what they want, and how soon they need it, the sale becomes obvious.

Most people fail to put systems in place to help identify these areas. And when you can't differentiate who on your list is at what stage, from a customer journey perspective, it's nearly impossible to maintain relevance with your audience.

4. Follow-Up Isn’t Annoying. Silence Is.

Most leads don’t ghost you. You ghosted them first.

Answer this next question honestly... Do you have a series of nurture sequences in place to move your customer along the buying journey?

No. Well, I rest my case.

If you're not continuously providing value to your audience, how do you expect them to buy from you.

The Strategic Approach To List Activation

When you think about your business, has it ever felt like you're building the plane while you're flying it? It's a common feeling for most of us, but here's the thing...

If you have to take the time to figure out the optimal strategy to reach your goal. Because without strategy, you're just chasing tactics.

That's what happens with most people's email list.

They're told to build one, so they do. Some work their ass off on social media. Some buy a list. Some pay for ads. Few connect a strategy the links the process of acquiring information to acquiring a customer.

So let's talk about how we do that.

Identify The Stage of Awareness of Your List

I'm a big fan of Eugene Schwartz. He's arguably one of the best copywriters of all time.

In his book Breakthrough Advertising, he share that there are 5 Levels of Customer Awareness.

I've provided a quick breakdown of those levels and how that applies to your email list.

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1. Unaware

   • They don’t know they have a problem.

   • No pain. No desire. No interest.

   • You have to start with a story or attention-grabbing headline that creates awareness of the problem.

🧠 Your job: Make them feel the problem they didn’t know they had.

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2. Problem-Aware

   • They know they have a problem, but don’t know a solution exists.

   • They’re feeling the pain but haven’t explored fixing it yet.

🧠 Your job: Agitate the pain and introduce the idea that there is a solution.

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3. Solution-Aware

   • They know solutions exist but don’t know about yours.

   • They’ve started researching options, but haven’t found the right one yet.

🧠 Your job: Show how your solution is different or better than others.

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4. Product-Aware

   • They know your product, but haven’t decided if it’s right for them.

   • They’re on the fence, comparing your offer to competitors.

🧠 Your job: Remove doubts, showcase value, and make your offer irresistible.

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5. Most Aware

   • They know you, your product, and just need the right reason to buy.

   • Warm audience. They’re ready.

🧠 Your job: Give a compelling CTA—bonus, discount, deadline, or unique advantage.

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Now, the majority of your cold audience is going to be somewhere between stages 2 and 3. Problem aware to solution aware.

But, when I review most people's social, funnel, and email copy, they're addressing leads at the product aware and most aware stage.

If you're going to move your audience from problem aware to most aware than you've gotta build that into your follow ups.

Here's an example of what that could look like:

Absolutely. Since your leads are entering at the Problem-Aware stage, the goal of your email follow-up strategy is to move them sequentially through the 5 levels of awareness—ultimately driving them to conversion once they hit “Most Aware.”

Here’s a high-level email follow-up strategy, broken into phases with strategic intent:

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🔥 OVERVIEW: PROBLEM-AWARE TO MOST AWARE EMAIL STRATEGY

💡Stage 1: Problem-Aware ➝ Solution-Aware

Goal: Agitate the pain. Shift belief from “I have a problem” to “There is a solution.”

Emails 1–3: Poke the Pain + Paint Possibility

• Email 1: Empathy-driven story — “You’re not alone.”

• Email 2: Amplify the pain — show the hidden cost of not solving it.

• Email 3: Introduce the idea of a solution (without pitching your product yet).

📌 CTA: “Reply with your #1 challenge” or “Want the breakdown of how others solved this?”

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💡Stage 2: Solution-Aware ➝ Product-Aware

Goal: Educate them on different solutions and position yours as the BEST.

Emails 4–6: Bridge the Gap + Tease the Product

• Email 4: Compare 3 common solutions — pros and cons.

• Email 5: “Why most solutions don’t work” and what to look for instead.

• Email 6: Introduce your framework, method, or system that solves the problem.

📌 CTA: “See how [your method] works” or “Watch this free training/webinar.”

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💡Stage 3: Product-Aware ➝ Most Aware

Goal: Eliminate doubt. Build trust. Drive urgency.

Emails 7–9: Proof + Authority + Urgency

• Email 7: Case studies or testimonials showing results with your product.

• Email 8: Objection crusher (cost, time, “will it work for me?”)

• Email 9: Urgency offer — limited time, bonus, or fast-action incentive.

📌 CTA: “Get started now” or “Apply today” or “Book your call.”

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💡Stage 4: Most Aware ➝ Buyer

Goal: Give them a reason to say YES now.

Emails 10–12: Final Nudge

• Email 10: The stakes — what happens if they don’t act.

• Email 11: FAQ + Myth-busting.

• Email 12: Last call with emotional pull + logic-based recap.

📌 CTA: “Let’s solve this together” or “This is your last chance.”

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THE TWO REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE THIS WORK

Here's the thing. Most of you will have read what I've written about and thought, "huh, that makes a lot of sense".

In reality it's simple. But simples doesn't always mean easy.

It requires FOCUS and DISCIPLINE to make this work.

It means you have to create a clear journey for your customers to follow. You have to identify the exact pain points you help your customers with, and figure out the language at each stage.

It then requires the discipline to build these into your approach. It means taking a strategic view of your audience.

It means designing a way to segment your list. It means designing sequences like the one about to strategically move your audience through the process.

It takes a bit of time, but once it's implemented, your list will not only be active, they'll be buying and continuously moving through their journey.

You don’t need more leads.

You need to start treating the ones you have like they matter.

You need a real Client Acquisition System.

That’s why I’m inviting you to my free training:

👉 The Four A’s of Business™ Masterclass:

How to Stop Chasing Tactics and Start Building Systems. Break the Code to Attract, Acquire, and Ascend Your Ideal Clients So You Can Automate The Process.

Inside, I’ll show you:

• How Chasing Tactics Is Destroying Your Business

• A Simple System To Develop A Strategic Approach To Your Market

• How To Unlock The Potential In Your Business So You Can Grow And Scale.

Want in?

Reply “Masterclass”.

Next week, we move into the third A of business: Ascend

Because your best buyer isn’t a stranger.

It’s the person who already said yes.

Talk soon,

—Nate