Email marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes. However, for your email marketing strategy to be successful, you need to have a solid email list. Without a good email list, your email marketing efforts will be in vain.
In this blog post, we’ll share tips and strategies on how to grow your email list, whether you’re an email marketer or a small business owner.
Choose the right email marketing platforms
An email marketing platform is a software tool that allows businesses to design, send, track, and optimize email marketing campaigns. It provides features such as email templates, list segmentation, automation, and analytics, which are essential for efficient and effective email marketing.
Using a platform simplifies the management of large mailing lists, ensures compliance with anti-spam regulations, and offers insights into campaign performance. This helps businesses better engage with their audience, increase conversions, and measure the impact of their email marketing efforts, making it a critical tool in modern digital marketing strategies.
Create email subscription forms that convert
An email subscription form is a digital form used to capture a visitor’s email address and consent for email marketing. It is typically placed on websites, blogs, or during the checkout process, and asks users to subscribe to newsletters, updates, or promotional emails. The form often includes fields to enter an email address and sometimes other information such as a name.
How to create a subscription form that works?
Clear value proposition. Clearly communicate what the subscriber will receive, such as exclusive content, discounts, or updates.
Simplicity. Keep the form simple with minimal fields, usually just an email address.
Compelling call to action (CTA). Use a compelling CTA that encourages action, such as “Subscribe now” or “Get free updates.”
Attractive design. Make sure your form design is visually appealing and aligned with your brand.
Strategic placement. Place the form in a prominent location on your website, such as in the header, footer, or as a pop-up (more on this later!).
Create a landing page that converts
In addition to your homepage, effective email capture landing pages are critical to building a strong subscriber base and achieving marketing success. You can also share these targeted landing pages in your paid ads to boost their performance.
Consider these two elements when creating your page:
Clean design. Uncluttered layouts with plenty of white space and clear navigation guide visitors toward the desired action.
Big, bold fonts. Easy-to-read headlines and CTAs grab attention and communicate value propositions effectively.
High-quality visuals. Relevant images and videos enhance comprehension and create a positive impression of the brand.
Limited-time offers. Creating a sense of urgency with countdown timers or limited availability encourages immediate action.
Exclusive offers and early access. Offering special benefits for early sign-ups encourages immediate conversions.
Limited quantity discounts. Scarcity tactics highlight the perceived value of the offer and encourage immediate action.
Encourage email subscriptions
Companies that offer lead magnets in exchange for email subscriptions see a 50% increase in opt-in rates. In exchange for their emails, consider offering your audience special deals, such as:
- Exclusive content such as unique blogs, videos or webinars
- Discounts and coupons for new email subscribers
- Free downloads of eBooks, guides or technical documents
- Participation in contests or raffles
- Early access to new products or services
- Free trials of services or products
Experiment with pop-ups
Pop-ups are small windows that appear on a website, usually offering something of value in exchange for the visitor’s email address. They help grow your email list by capturing the attention of engaged visitors and presenting them with an immediate opportunity to subscribe or claim an incentive.
Different types of pop-ups you can incorporate into your email marketing strategy include:
Exit Intent Pop-Ups. These appear when a visitor is about to leave the site.
Timed Pop-Ups. These appear after a visitor spends a specific amount of time on the site.
Scroll Pop-Ups. These are triggered when a visitor scrolls to a certain point.
Welcome Mats. Full-screen pop-ups that appear when a visitor first arrives.
Floating Bars. Persistent bars at the top or bottom of the page.
Content Refresher Pop-Ups. These offer additional content related to what the user is reading.
Social media platforms offer various tools to promote opt-in incentives and drive followers to your email sign-up page. With billions of social media users, it makes sense to use these platforms to build your email list, which can be a more direct and personalized way to engage with your audience.
Additionally, social media can amplify the reach of your email marketing campaign, attracting potential email subscribers who may not have found your brand through other channels.
You may want to run targeted ads on social media that lead to a sign-up page. Or you can run giveaways or contests that require email entry. There are many ways to use social media to your advantage.
Make contests
Incentivize registrations by running contests that appeal to your target audience. When creating the mechanics, make email entry part of the entry process.
Promote the contest on multiple channels, making sure it’s easy to enter and the prize is desirable. Use social media, your website, and existing mailing lists to spread the word.
After the contest, engage with new subscribers with welcome emails and relevant content to retain them. This method effectively captures the interest of potential subscribers and converts them into email subscriptions.
Run seasonal email campaigns
Seasonal campaigns are marketing efforts tailored to specific times of the year, usually coinciding with holidays, seasons, or significant events. There is often a surge in consumer interest and spending during these periods.
Create themed campaigns around these holidays and include special promotions, content, or products relevant to the season. By aligning marketing messages with the mood and activities of the target audience during these times, businesses can effectively increase engagement, sales, and customer loyalty.
Launch a referral program
With referrals you get a subscriber by attracting them with an incentive and you get another subscriber in return.
To use referral programs to grow your email list, implement a system where current subscribers can refer friends or colleagues in exchange for rewards. This could be discounts, free products, exclusive content, or other incentives.
Expand your offline email marketing campaigns
Even though everything is digital these days, email marketers can still take advantage of many offline opportunities. You’d be surprised how many people still use business cards when contacting or transacting with a business.
Use these offline methods to acquire potential customers and subscribers:
Events and Conferences Collect emails via sign-up sheets or during registration.
In-store signups: Encourage customers to leave their email at the point of sale or through in-store promotions.
Networking events. Exchange business cards and ask permission to add contacts to your email list.
Print marketing. Include a QR code or URL on printed materials that links to an email opt-in page.
Feedback forms. Use customer feedback forms to request email addresses for follow-up communications.
You may have to manually add the emails you’ve collected through these methods. But if it helps grow your email list, and your earning potential, then it’s worth it.
