Top 10 Email Marketing List Building Tricks & Hacks
For anyone who has tried to build their email list, they know it can be a challenging task. Users can be skeptical about giving their email address to a website they are not familiar with, think you will spam them, or even sell their email address. So how do you build your email marketing list? Are there any list building tips, tricks or hacks that you can use to build trust with the user and get them to give you their email?
By following these ten actionable tips, you can build an email marketing list quickly, without buying or renting email addresses. Opt-in email lists are a valuable asset; you can nurture your leads and encourage repeat business from existing customers. These hacks will help you build an email list of people who will look forward to getting your messages and who will remain a subscriber because just building a list isn’t enough, you also have to offer valuable content and keep your subscribers hooked.
List Building Tip 1. Describe The Benefits Of Subscribing
Don’t just ask customers to subscribe, describe the benefits of receiving your emails. If you will send unique content, coupon codes or helpful tips, say so. Consumers won’t agree to sign up for emails from you unless they believe that there is something in it for them. Understand the type of person you want on your email marketing list and then write your copy like you are speaking to them, explaining the reasons why they will enjoy getting emails from you.
List Building Tip 2. Pop-Ups
Install a plugin or a script for a pop-up subscription box and you’ll see a significant increase in email subscribers. Allow visitors a few minutes before the pop-up appears and make sure they only see the offer once per visit. You can opt for a slider, instead of a pop-up, which unobtrusively slides out as your reader scrolls down the page.
List Building Tip 3. Give Something Away
People love free stuff, and they are usually willing to give up their email address to get it. Give away a digital instant-gratification gift, such as free graphics or a WordPress theme that they can’t get anywhere else. Make sure it’s clear that by asking for their free gift, the person is also opting-in for future emails. Also mention that more free offers are coming soon, so your leads will stay subscribed. Promote your free gift offer on all your social media channels and encourage people to share the offer with their friends.
List Building Tip 4. Assure People That You Won’t Bombard Them With Emails
Keep your email frequency reasonable and make sure people are aware of how often they will get communications from you. Face it; spammers who emailed subscribers every day with affiliate offers make it a lot harder for the rest of us to capture email addresses. Tell people that you won’t share their email address either, then don’t share your list with anyone. This information is generally contained in privacy policies, but few people bother reading them.
List Building Tip 5. Offer Sign-Up Options
If your website has multiple sections, such as a news or entertainment website, offer email sign-ups for specific sections of your website. If an individual knows that he or she will only get sports news or the latest funny cat videos, they are more likely to subscribe and more likely to open the emails.
List Building Tip 6. Have Many Opt-In Boxes
Every page of your website should have an opt-in box to remind visitors to sign up. If you want to build an email list quickly, you have to give your visitors multiple opportunities to sign up. Every new blog post is a chance to capture more email subscribers so blog often. Keep your home page’s email sign-up above the fold, not hidden in the footer.
List Building Tip 7. Create An Exclusive Saving Club
Online and offline retailers can create a savings club where subscribers receive a new coupon code with each email. Stress the exclusivity; people love to imagine that they are getting a better deal than other consumers. If you offer 10 percent off coupons on your website, give email subscribers 15 percent off or free shipping with a minimum purchase. Never let your subscribers see the same offer, or a better offer, on your website if you want them to stay subscribed. Include a “Tell A Friend” feature in your emails so subscribers can forward the email to a friend, so he or she can subscribe and get exclusive savings as well. “Tell A Friend” works better than “Tell Your Friends” since it implies that only a select few are members of the club.
List Building Tip 8. Take Advantage of Texting
Your email marketing software may offer text-to-subscribe functionality, which allows individuals to sign up for emails without visiting your website. Use the code on packing slips, your business cards and any other printed material your business generates. If you have a local business, encourage email signups via text in display advertising and with messages on register receipts. In the past, local business owners would get customers to fill out a form to subscribe, however, this often led to forms with illegible email addresses. With a text-to-subscribe program, the email is always captured correctly.
List Building Tip 9. Create A YouTube Channel
YouTube lets users edit videos, adding text and links as needed. Create tutorials, how-to videos, news programs or other relevant content and ask watchers to subscribe to your email list for updates on new videos and promotions. The videos don’t have to be long, but they do have to be good.
List Building Tip 10. Offer Exclusive Content
Create a compelling list-type article and ensure potential subscribers know that subscribing is the only way to read the content. You can break up long articles into several emails, which keeps people from hitting the unsubscribe button. Tease subscribers with the next exclusive article and you’ll have them eagerly waiting for your next email. If writing several long articles each month is too much, since you are busy generating content for your website, hire a copywriter who understands your business and knows what content will keep your audience engaged.
Bonus Tip For Building Your Email List Quickly
Shameless plug in 3.2.1… Use the Onspot Social Email Collection App at your next event to engage with event goers, or in your store to help build a long-term relationship with customers. Learn more about how it works and get a free demo here.
Building your email list quickly is a highly effective way to generate sales. Email marketing has a good ROI compared to social media marketing and online display advertising, so build your list and turn your leads into profitable customers at a fraction of the cost of other marketing techniques.
