Check out these simple email list building tips before you embark on your next marketing campaign.
Email marketing is a difficult task without a sizable email list. Unfortunately, building your email list one is not as simple as buying email addresses in bulk or leaving a sign-up sheet on the front door. Email lists also need nurturing. While numbers are obviously important, you’ll also need to focus on quality to make your email list effective.
If you are new to building email lists then you must try these simple tips!
Opt-ins, everywhere!
To begin, start by forming an acquisition strategy that will grow your email list quickly. The good news is that there are several places to get email leads. Diversify your acquisition methods: the more opt-in opportunities you provide, the faster your email list will grow.
- Your website offers prime real estate on which to build your email list. Any visitors to your website are already interested in what you offer and are might want to hear more.
2. Try to sign up customers at the point of sale. Their purchase history offers brilliant insights into the sort of content you should share with them.
3. Make sure you have up-to-date social media accounts – these are easily shared between subscribers and their social networks, which will increase your visibility.
4. Try hosting real-life events – like competitions or stalls at expos – to promote your product and get people signed up.
In summary, you need to convert all of these locations into opt-in opportunities. You should build opt-ins into every customer interaction, including enquiry and support services.
Permission-based Email Lists
Sending emails without permission can lead to a lack of engagement, an increased spam rating and a damaged reputation. On the other hand, asking for permission builds trust and keeps your email list focused to those who are interested in you. It’s worth taking a look at Campaign Monitor’s useful examples of what counts as permission before proceeding with a campaign.
Most importantly, don’t purchase email lists. For starters, you won’t have permission from anyone who you want to send emails to. Furthermore, many service providers (like MailChimp) won’t allow you to use them. Even if your emails get through, they’re more than likely to be dumped in the spam bin.
Secure Your Email List
Try a double-opt in process. Once a subscriber has filled in a sign-up form, send them an email to confirm their address and that they wish to receive emails from you. This is also a perfect opportunity to ask a few questions about your subscribers.
The next step is to follow up with a welcome email. Welcome emails have a higher open rate and a higher click through rate than other marketing emails, so use them to show people why they should remain active subscribers. Try offering a discount or gift, or include irresistible video content. Check out these examples of welcome emails and these ones too to get a clearer idea of how to create the perfect welcome email.
Content Converts Visitors to Subscribers
Give people a reason to subscribe by offering creative content. Regularly updated blogs are a fantastic way to encourage return visits to your website. It is worth establishing your content outlets before you begin building your email lists so that visitors can see the value in subscribing.
Nothing is more alluring to visitors than the promise of exclusive subscriber content, so make sure you save some of your best content. Consider offering free e-books and or white papers. You’ll also want to send different content to different segments in your email lists.
Email List Hygiene
Now for some bad news: email lists degrade by an average of 22% a year. That means you will need to commit to regular hygiene practices to keep an email list profitable. For starters, you can clean up your email list by removing addresses that bounce and people who never respond to you.
Healthy email lists require regular re-engagement. Consider implementing a “wake the dead” campaign before you cut a non-responder: reach out with an offer, or some original content that tugs on the heartstrings, and you might create newly inspired subscribers! You can even use re-engagement to find out more about your customers.
If you follow these simple steps to building an email list, before you know it you’ll have plenty of subscribers ready and willing to hear about your latest deals. If all that wasn’t enough, check out Forbes’ huge list of proven techniques to continue growing your email list!
Happy list building!
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