If you’re in marketing, you've heard these terms before.

Opt-in. Lead.

Most people use them interchangeably.

But…they’re not the same.

And if you’re treating them as the same, you’re leaking money.

Lots of it.

So let’s break it down.

What is an Opt-In?

An opt-in is just an email.

That’s ist

You don’t know what’s behind it.

It might be spam.

It might be someone who signs up for everything and checks nothing.

Or it might be something real.

You don’t know.

Opting in is simply someone saying, “Sure, send me stuff.”

That’s all.

What is a Lead?

A lead is someone.

Not an email. A person.

A lead is a human being behind the email that is actually interested.

They have a problem, and they’re looking for a solution.

They’re raising their hand and say….

“Hey…tell me more?”

A lead is someone you can help, and they know it.

Now…

Why does this matter?

Because if you treat every opt-in like a lead, you’re wasting time.

Imagine this.

You collect 1,000 emails from a giveaway.

Are they leads?

No.

They’re opt-ins.

Some might be leads.

Most aren’t.

Your job?

Find the SOMEONES in the crowd.

-

Here’s where marketers go wrong.

They blast their list.

Same email to everyone.

Discounts. Promotions. Sales.

It’s like throwing spaghetti at a wall.

They’re treating every opt-in like a hot lead.

This burns out lists fast.

Here’s what to do instead.

You do something that separates the emails (opt-ins) from the real people (leads).

But how?

How to turn opt-ins into leads

So how do you turn that email address into a lead who will actually buy?

It’s actually simpler than you think.

You stop ‘selling to buyers’ and start talking to humans.

Think about it.

If you were trying to persuade a friend to try a new restaurant…

You wouldn’t scream “EAT HERE NOW – 20% OFF!”

You’d tell them a story.

Something like:

“Listen, I’ve got to tell you about this place. My buddy Joe was skeptical too. He thought it was just another overpriced bistro. But after one meal Joe wouldn’t shut up about it. Now he takes his wife there every Friday night. They love it. I think you’d really like it too. Want me to send you the info?”

That’s how you talk to humans.

And guess what?

Humans buy.

See the difference?

The first copy ‘EAT HERE NOW - 20% OFF!’ is just a bland, boring, promotional copy.

The second copy recognizes that you are talking to a human via text.

HUGE difference.

So don’t ignore this.

To recap:

An opt-in isn’t a person. It’s an email address. A line in your CRM. A ghost in the system. You don’t know who they are, what they want, or if they even care. That opt-in could belong to someone who signs up for freebies and never reads a word you send. It could belong to a bot. It could belong to your competitor.

A lead is someone. A living, breathing human who has raised their hand more than once. They’ve made it clear – they’re interested. Not curious. Not window shopping. They have a problem, and they’re starting to think you might have the solution.

Know the difference.

Treat them differently.

Your marketing will shift.

And so will your results.

Talk soon,

Nick