Email marketing has consistently proven to offer a positive ROI - but so many people are unsure how to get started. You may be wondering how you can build an email list of potential customers while avoiding penalties from bills like the GDPR. We understand that it can feel threatening and daunting to build an email list from scratch and that it's tempting to simply buy an email list.
We're here to tell you that you don't need to resort to the risky and ineffective method of purchasing email lists. We'll guide you through the process of building your own email list that's effective, generates value for your company, and helps your business grow.
How to grow your email marketing list the right way
First thing's first - never buy an email list. Not only is it illegal, but the list itself doesn't have any real value. It's been tapped out by previous marketers or businesses, and won't get you any leads, especially if they've never heard of you. That's why it's for sale.
Growing your email marketing list the right way means one thing - and that's investing in email as a source for nurturing and growing your potential customer base and leads.
If you're new to digital or email marketing, you may want to know where you can start. The following section will give you a 5 ways you can build your own email marketing list to get started.
Face Value = Email List Value
Remember – solid trust is usually built through handshakes, not email shakedowns.
Host an event to meet current clients or potential clients and pass around a register with basic information, including their email addresses. If people are given a list of blanks to fill out, they'll fill it out more often than not - especially if they're in a room where others are doing it.
Through this tactic, you'll not only grow your mailing list with an influx of addresses, but you'll gain reliable subscribers. These people have met you in person and thus already have a foundation for a solid relationship.
Give your customers face value by showing your face, not hiding behind a keyboard, and people will then be likely to respond positively.
Use a lead magnet
Have a piece of amazing content that potential customers will find valuable? Be sure to put it behind a form on your website and promote it. If anyone wants the content, they have to fill out the form, agree to communications and leave their email address.
From here, you can add them to your list and send them the download. You can even use this initial email as a launch pad into another nurture stream of emails.
Use Competitions to Win your Electronic Mailing List
People love winning. They also love free stuff. Combine these two facts, and you have a recipe for email list building.
Create a competition where people need to subscribe to your newsletter to enter. If your competition is publicised enough, you'll be reeling in tonnes of addresses. Be sure to make the prize related to the product or services you offer to attract the most relevant subscribers to your mailing list.
Creating a competition also has the excellent side effect of getting your brand promoted and shared by consumers on their own accord - the best kind of exposure.
Get the Most Out of Your Website
While many e-marketers use their website as their primary focus when growing their mailing list, most do not take full advantage of this resource.
According to a study by Conversion Voodoo, a simple inline overlay can achieve as many as 36% more subscribers by simply asking visitors to enter their mailing address for future offers and promotions.
Another popular option is to include a coloured bar that hangs on the top of your website with the option to subscribe. This bar follows the customer as they scroll down the page allowing the reader to subscribe when they find something they like. This removes the effort involved in finding the subscribe page.
You can find software that offers this at HelloBar and ViperBar - try them out!
Great, Relevant, and Shareable Content
Some emails have valuable information put together in a simple and easy-to-understand way. This is the basis of good email content and encourages people to share the email with their associates, friends, and sometimes even family.
This is one of the slowest but most organic ways of growing your email list. Once your email is shared a couple of times, those who find your content compelling will subscribe to your newsletter for more, growing your base naturally.
Once you have a healthy email list, you have to take care of it while earning the most out of it. The following section will give you a crash course on the basic process of email marketing.
Grow your list, grow your business
By building and growing your email marketing list, you grow the potential to attract more customers. It's a key element to building a high conversion digital marketing campaign. However, having the list and using it are two different things. You may need a partner to help you make the most of your email marketing efforts.
Finding the right agency partner to help boost your conversion rate is the first step towards having an exemplary digital sales and email marketing programme. It saves you time, money, and frustration while letting you find success without the need for in-house skills and know-how. We understand how important an integrated sales and marketing campaign is today, and how limited budgets can hinder this. As a small company ourselves, we've gone through this process but found a way to succeed. That's why we've spent the last 12 years planning and implementing award-winning integrated campaigns for B2B clients worldwide.
Contact us for a quick 30-minute meeting, and we will present you with an integrated marketing campaign plan with the right messages, channels, audience, and content to use, to make success an assurance.