How often do you subscribe to brand emails? If you’re like me, you probably only sign up for an email list if you know you’re going to get VALUE from the emails. Because let’s face it, there are certain brands that I really admire, but I only sign up for their newsletters if I believe in what they’re promoting and the stories they’re telling in the emails Bonus, if their emails make me smile.
Email marketing is an extremely effective way to reach customers, build relationships and increase sales. In fact, email marketing has the highest ROI of all digital marketing strategies! So if you’re not actively building your email list, today is the day to start! Let’s talk about the top 10 proven strategies for building that email list, and while it may feel like a daunting task, it doesn’t have to be. Let’s jump in!
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The importance of building an email list
Before diving into the specific strategies for building an email list, it will be helpful to first discuss why it is so important for small businesses to do so.
Here are some key points to consider:
- Email marketing is a cost-effective way to reach customers and leads. Using email, you can communicate with large groups of people at once without spending a lot of money on advertising or other marketing efforts.
- Email marketing allows you to build relationships with your audience. By sending regular, personalized messages to your subscribers, you can develop trust and loyalty.
- Email marketing can drive traffic to your website and social media channels. By including links to your website and social media profiles in your email, you can encourage subscribers to engage with your brand in other ways.
- Email marketing can help you sell more products or services. By including promotions or special offers in your emails, you can entice subscribers to make purchases.
The challenges of building an email list
While building an email list can be incredibly beneficial for small businesses, it is not without its challenges. Here are some common obstacles to consider:
- Getting people to sign up for your email list can be difficult. With so many brands competing for attention in people’s inboxes, it can be difficult to convince someone to give out their email address.
- Sending emails that people actually want to open and read can also be a challenge. If your emails are perceived as spam or irrelevant to your subscribers, they may choose to unsubscribe or ignore your messages.
- Regular maintenance and list management can also be time consuming. As your list grows, you’ll need to ensure that your contacts are up-to-date, that you stay compliant with applicable laws and regulations, and that you segment your list so that your subscribers always receive the most valuable content that meets their needs.
Despite these challenges, building an email list is still a valuable endeavor for your business.
#1: A high-converting lead magnet to grow your email list
One of the most effective ways to build your email list is to create a lead magnet—an incentive you offer potential subscribers in exchange for their email addresses. While there are many different types of lead magnets to choose from, not all are created equal. Here are some tips for creating a lead magnet that really converts .
Tips for creating a converter lead magnet
- Make sure your lead magnet is highly relevant to your target audience. If your lead magnet doesn’t solve a specific problem or address a specific need your audience has, they may not be interested in signing up for your list. Your lead magnet should be so valuable that when someone receives it, their first thought is, oh my god if it’s free, what must it be like to work with paid Jenny?
- Choose a format that makes sense for your audience. For example, if your audience is highly visual, an infographic or video may be more effective than an eBook or case study.
- Make your lead magnet easy to access and use. If your lead magnet is difficult to download or use, your subscribers may become frustrated and unsubscribe.
- Use eye-catching design and copy to promote your lead magnet on your website and social media channels. The more compelling your messages are, the more likely people will subscribe.
- Make sure you have a valuable skincare routine in place! Your nurturing sequence should be a series of 7-10 emails that expand the value of your lead magnet. The idea is to provide them with more value, to give them time to warm up and get to know, love and trust you until conversion.
resource: How to identify your core lead magnet – Are you struggling to build your email list? The best way to get people to join is to offer them free and valuable content! By creating a fantastic lead magnet that aligns with your core offering, you’ll not only demonstrate the quality of your products and services, but Build a following that will help establish your future success!
#2: A high-converting opt-in and thank-you page to grow your email list
In addition to creating a strong lead magnet, it is important to have an opt-in form designed to convert visitors into subscribers. Here are some key elements that should be included:
- A catchy headline that clearly conveys the value of signing up for your list.
- A call to action button stands out from the rest of the design.
- Minimal fields (usually just name and email address – pro tip, just ask for the email address – less is more).
- Optional fields for additional information (such as location or interests) that can help you segment your email list.
- Social proof (such as the number of subscribers you already have) to help build trust.
- An amazing thank you page that tells them what to expect next! Pro Tip: This is the perfect place to offer a ride (a low-cost upgrade to get them up to paid capacity instantly!)
By optimizing your opt-in form, you can increase the chances of visitors signing up for your list.
No. 3: Offer a discount or coupon to grow your email list
If you offer a product, a discount or coupon code can be an amazing way to get people to join your list! This is a great incentive because most of the people who land on your site are probably already looking for a product like yours! Seal the deal by offering them a discount they can’t refuse, but it’s easy to redeem!
#4: Host a giveaway to grow your email list
I host lots of giveaways for many of my clients with the sole purpose of growing their email lists. I have one client in particular who has a list of over 55,000, most of which were added through joint ventures. Giveaways are a fun way to engage with your audience and attract new subscribers. These work really well if you partner with some other like-minded but non-competitive brands where you can exchange lists!
#5: Partnering with other businesses to grow your email list
Just like with giveaways, partnering with other businesses in your industry is a great way to expand your reach and attract new subscribers. I’ve had many clients co-host webinars or offer a joint discount code to grow their email list. It really works!
Social media is a powerful tool for reaching new customers and growing your email list. I have several clients for whom we run Instagram stories on a regular basis and invite new subscribers to join their email lists. But there are lots of ways you can move your social media subscribers to your email list to your Offer them special access to a video series or something you only offer to your social media followers.
#7: Use paid advertising to grow your email list
This is my favorite! Social media ads are the fuel that will grow your email list by leaps and bounds in a very short period of time! We use Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Google and LinkedIn ads to supercharge our client’s email funnels. We have clients getting hundreds of new list subscribers their email every week by showing ads in their funnels.
#8: Create a referral program to grow your email list
A referral program is a great way to incentivize your current email subscribers to refer their friends and family. Offer a reward for each referral, such as a discount or free trial. There are so many great apps you can integrate with your website that will encourage people to not only sign up for your email list but to refer their friends! People love free stuff and will refer, refer, refer if they get something of value in return.
#9: Host a webinar to grow your email list
I love webinars. Hosting one is a great way to provide value to your audience and grow that email list. Make sure your webinar provides actionable insights and is packed with value. If so, people will want to sign up for your webinar (and your email list). Some are even going to convert to paying customers!
#10: More little tips for growing your email list
In addition to the strategies we’ve already discussed, here are some additional tactics for building your email list:
- Participate in online forums or groups related to your industry. Include a link to your opt-in form in your signature or profile.
- Run a retargeting campaign for people who have visited your site but have not yet signed up for your list.
- Offer a special promotion or bonus to people who refer their friends and family to join your list.
- Host a free trial or demo of your product or service and require attendees to sign up for your list to participate.
This week’s challenge
- Do you have an email list? If not, it’s time to set one up. Go with something simple to start with, I really like MailChimp.
- Head over to my site to grab these freebies:
- Decide what type of core lead magnet you want to make and start pulling it together.
- Schedule a free chat with me at jennielyon.com/chat and we can take a look at your lead magnet to optimize it!
- Then, set it up and start promoting, promoting, promoting to watch your list grow, grow, grow!
Building an email list is critical to your business, and it can be a challenging process. If you take the time to develop a strong lead magnet and optimize your opt-in form, you can start growing your list and reaping the benefits of email marketing. Remember, building an email list is an ongoing process that requires constant maintenance and attention. However, the payoff—in terms of increased engagement, traffic, and sales—can be significant. Click here if you want to schedule a free call with Jenny today!
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