If exported Contacts include many people who downloaded something, what should the email team review first?

Your email team should review exported contacts based on the specific freebie, guide, or offer they downloaded, as this action reveals their primary interest and intent.

When you export a list of contacts captured on Instagram, it’s tempting to add everyone to a single, generic newsletter list. However, the real power lies in understanding why each person joined your list in the first place. The specific download that prompted them to share their email is your single most valuable piece of data for contact review.

Use the Download as Your First Clue

Think of each download as a self-selected interest set. A follower who commented on a post to get your “10 Best Reels Hooks” guide is interested in video content. Another follower who replied to a Story to get your “Canva Brand Kit Checklist” is focused on design and branding. Sending them both the same welcome sequence is a missed opportunity for personalization.

By treating the download topic as a primary mention, you can immediately tailor your communication to what you know they care about. This builds trust and shows that you’re providing relevant value, not just generic updates.

Practical contact review Strategies

Once you've exported your contacts, your email team can use a few simple but effective strategies to organize them within your email marketing platform (like ConvertKit, Mailchimp, or Flodesk).

1. Review by Topic/Interest: This is the most crucial step. Use the requested lead magnet as context when reviewing exported contacts. For example:

   • Interest: Reels Growth
   • Interest: Branding & Design
   • Interest: Creator Monetization

2. Review by Funnel Stage: Consider the type of download. Someone who grabbed a simple checklist is likely in an earlier, information-gathering stage. Someone who signed up for a waitlist for your upcoming course is much further along. You can create broader lists like Top of Funnel (for freebies) and Middle of Funnel (for waitlists or webinar sign-ups).

3. Create a Workflow for New Leads: Build an automated process for handling new contacts. Here’s a simple workflow:

   • Step 1: Use a tool like StarLovin to automatically capture leads. The Lead Capture in Instagram DMs feature collects emails right in the chat before sending a freebie, ensuring every download generates a contact.

   • Step 2: Regularly export your new contacts from StarLovin. The export file will contain information that helps you see which offer each person received.

   • Step 3: Import the contacts into your email service provider and apply the correct mention (e.g., Downloaded_Reels_Guide) to each one.

   • Step 4: Trigger a tailored welcome sequence that speaks directly to their initial interest, nurturing them with more content on that specific topic before introducing other offers.