May 21, 2025 Joe Ballard

EVENT RECAP: Email List Growth + Facebook Ads with Jenny Parulski of Ads Uncorked

Past Event: Email List Growth + Facebook Ads

On May 21, 2025, SMBMad hosted an event focused on how to use paid Facebook and Instagram ads to rapidly grow your email list—and convert those leads into loyal customers. Jenny Parulski, CEO of Ads Uncorked, shared how she perfected the art of running high-converting campaigns that not only attract the right audience but also nurture them into buyers. In this session, she unpacked everything from the biggest mistakes businesses make with ads to specific strategies that help small brands, coaches, service providers, and nonprofits grow faster and smarter.

Couldn’t attend? We’ve captured the key takeaways, insights, and strategies below! Sincere thanks to volunteer, Joe for writing the recap of this event. You can also watch the event recap on our Social Media Breakfast Madison YouTube channel. Looking for the presentation deck with auditor notes? Check out the What’s Next section at the bottom of this page.

Key Highlights

Jenny kicked off the session by debunking the myth that boosting a post is the same as running ads. It’s not. Boosts aim for exposure; real ads in Ads Manager target results—like email signups and sales—with precision.

With Ads Manager, you can:
– Target people likely to take the action you want
– A/B test creative, copy, and audiences
– Measure your return on ad spend with clarity

The Two-Step Ad Strategy That Actually Works

Jenny’s proven 2-step approach helps brands use ads to spark action—and then convert that attention into revenue:

1. Run Lead Generation Ads to grow your email list (typically $0.35–$2.50 per lead)
2. Retarget and nurture via email marketing to convert leads into customers

She shared a real example from a DIY Shopify brand that gained 5.5K new subscribers in 30 days—with a 3.33x return on ad spend!

Is Your Business Ready for List-Building Ads?

Before launching your campaign, Jenny recommends making sure your business has:
– A compelling opt-in connected to a product or service
– A welcome email sequence (bonus points if you sell well through email!)
– A full-page form and a consistent email strategy (2+ sends/month)

“Paying to get people on your list is just the beginning. You need to nurture them if you want to see results,” Jenny emphasized.

Creative Ideas to Attract Email Signups

Some high-performing lead magnet ideas include:
– Discounts ($5 or 15% off)
– Quizzes (“What’s your home decor style?”)
– Free consultations, webinars, or masterclasses

For nonprofits: try eBooks, checklists, or cause-based resources (like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library) to drive meaningful signups.

The $11K Mistake to Avoid

Jenny shared a painful (and common) mistake: spending thousands on ads without aligning the strategy to the actual goal.

One client spent $8.5K on “traffic” ads and only made 3 sales—because she never told Meta she wanted email signups or purchases. After switching to the right campaign objective, the same business made more sales in two days than in months.

“Your strategy tells Meta what outcome you want. If you ask for traffic, that’s what you’ll get. If you ask for email signups, that’s what you’ll get.”

️Ads Manager Tips & Best Practices

Jenny walked through how to create a lead generation campaign in Meta’s Ads Manager with pro tips like:
– Use Advantage+ targeting (Meta’s AI knows your buyers)
– Let Meta decide placements across Facebook, Instagram, Reels, etc.
– Use Lazy Ads — ads built from top-performing organic content
– Always A/B test image, video, carousel, and testimonial formats

Audience Q&A Highlights

Q: Can Lazy Ads be used for hiring campaigns?
A: Absolutely! Just change the goal to recruiting and build your funnel accordingly.

Q: What if Meta rejects your ad?
A: Appeal it. Make sure your Page and User are verified and disclaimers are in place—especially for political or government orgs.

Q: How much should I spend?
A: Start small ($15–$25/day) and scale based on your cost-per-lead and business goals.

Final Takeaway

Jenny’s message was clear: with the right strategy, Facebook ads can be your most powerful list-building tool. Focus on value, target the right action, and let Meta do the heavy lifting.

“Creative is your targeting. If your content speaks to the right person, Meta will find them.”

What’s Next?

Stay tuned for our next Social Media Breakfast Madison event packed with more insights and opportunities to grow your social media & digital marketing skills! We’ll see you next month!

 

EVENT SPONSORS:

 

May 2025 NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: Journey Mental Health Center

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Journey wants to let the community know that we are here to help you on your mental health journey, whether you have commercial insurance, have a larger barrier to entry, or don’t know where to start. It’s ok to not be ok, and they are here to help!

Journey Mental Health Center is focused on helping people live in recovery from mental health and substance use disorders. They work with people receiving services on their unique path from hope to recovery, helping them build healthier, more productive and meaningful lives. They serve over 60,000 Dane County area folks per year, over 90% are underinsured or have no insurance.

Connect with them at: