If you have been in business for some time, especially an online Business, you would have heard it said one or more times, “the money is in the list”.
The reason why successful business owners advises building and maintaining an email list is because, the individuals and / business owners on your email list, are people that have put their hands up to say “I am interested in what you are saying” by opting in / subscribing to your email list, making it easier to convert them into customers. The key is to then go ahead, and build a relationship with these individuals who have subscribed to your list.
Now that you know why you should have an email list, let’s move on to 15 awesome ways to grow that Email List!
- Give away something FREE: Give away something such as a FREE eBook, report, audio or video series that your target audience want and will get value from. On your giveaway page add a web form to collect your leads. I use GetResponse.
- Good Quality Content: In order to lure your readers into subscribing to your list, make sure the content you post is highly interesting and engaging. Let me ask you a question. What made you read this post?
- Encourage Sharing: When you send out new emails to your list of subscribers (prospects), make sure you incorporate widgets or sharing options such as “share with a friend’ ‘share on Facebook’ and other similar options. This will make more people subscribe to your email list if they find your emails engaging and interesting.
- Run Contests: This is one of the most successful ways to increase your list enormously. Make an effort to host contests, giveaways and other inviting opportunities that your readers will get when they sign up or subscribe to your email list. Make sure to post these contests and events on your various social networking sites to enhance its reach and visibility.
- Pin it: Pinterest is a great place to promote your business. Create valuable content using images and make sure to complete the description areas so that your pins direct people to your website/blog or landing pages.
- Make it easy: Make it easy for people to subscribe to your email list from your website. You can do this by making your opt-in boxes very visible. Also make sure your opt-in boxes are visible on every page of your website for people to subscribe to your list. I recommend GetResponse (cheaper option) or LeadPages (a little pricey)
- Add a Signup Option: When you send out emails, ensure that you have a sign up option embedded in your mails or simply include a link where they can sign up. A neat place to put it is in your email signature.
- Collect Email Addresses: When you host or speak at offline events, be sure to collect email addresses and ask attendees if you can add them to your email list.
- Reconsider Existing Data: Sometimes we overlook the contacts that we already have. Go over your database and include all your available contacts such as family, friends, colleagues, neighbors and others. Be sure to give them an option to stay on your list or unsubscribe via your email tool.
- Personal Invite: When you get a change to meet prospective clients, customers and members in various meetings and face to face discussions, introduce them to your valuable email newsletter and urge them into subscribing. Make sure to adopt the right approach while encouraging sign up.
Enable Mobile Option: With smartphones everything seems to be just a touch away. Ensure a mobile sign up option that allows people to subscribe with their mobile devices and not go through the hassle of logging into their laptops.
- Target Forms: When you give out membership and other related forms, ensure a sign up option. This is one sure way to get contact information out of members and others alike.
- Facebook Sign Up: Include a tab on your facebook business page that allows visitors to your page sign up to your email newsletter.
- Offer Scintillating Discounts: One of the best ways to lure people into your fold is to offer something that they will not find anywhere else. Offer discounts in exchange for their email address.
- Host a FREE Webinar: Conduct an online webinar and collect names and email addresses of would-be attendees. Be sure to let attendees know that they will be receiving your email newsletter by signing up to your FREE webinar.
