7 Ways To Grow Your Email List

Growing your email list may be one of the most daunting tasks associated with email marketing, but it does not need to be as difficult as you may think it is. In truth, your customers already like you so all you need to do is ask. But how do you ask? Here are 7 ways to grow your email list.

1. Contest

Featuring a Contest is a great way to grow your email list. The prize can be something as simple as a discount or as large as you see fit. The more valuable the prize, the more people will be encouraged to enter. Keep in mind though that you will be limited by the size of the audience so if you want to feature a valuable prize make sure it is seen by enough people to make it worthwhile. Larger contests may be supported by additional advertising.

To run a contest, create a sign up form that people must sign up to with their email address to be entered. Let them know that a name will be drawn at random and the winner will be contacted by email. They will have 24 hours to respond to the email or another name will be drawn at random. This will ensure they provide a correct email address.

2. Incentive for signing up

Offer an incentive for signing up and state it clear at all sign up locations. This does not need to be a discount, although discounts such as coupons or codes are quite effective. It could be an ebook, top 10 list, white paper, or a link to a video. These other incentives are great if they can be tied into a theme. For example, if you have a top 10 list of ways you can be healthier in the new year. Another example would be a video of you or your staff addressing something of value to your clients. Don’t have time or the inclination to video tape yourself or your staff? You can always provide the same information in an ebook. Then when people sign up, they receive a link in the “thank you” email to download the incentive you described.

3. Add A Link In All Employee Email Signatures

Add a link in all company email address, either employee or role based. This link can be a simple statement asking people to sign up for your email. It should be obvious, bold, and draw some attention to itself to increase the likelihood of it being seen and clicked. Since this text should be limited in its length, link to a landing page where you can set expectations on frequency and content can be explained in more detail.

4. Collect email addresses at offline events

Any event that you attend such as tradeshows or seminars offer great opportunities to collect more email addresses. If you have a table at the event, you can either put out a fishbowl to collect business cards, ask your staff to get visitors to fill out their contact information on a piece of paper, or if it is within your budget, you can place a tablet on a table and people can enter their contact information immediately. Keep in mind that collecting email addresses through business cards will only get you implied consent. This means that you will only have permission to send to them for 2 years, and you will need to prove when you received the consent. If you have visitors fill out their contact information on pieces of paper, you will need to keep the paper as proof of consent as well. In either case, you will want to send the individual a welcome email that confirms their opt-in to your list. This email can act as your record of consent.

On the other hand, if your visitors provide their contact information electronically through an Email Service Provider, the date will be part of the information that is saved on line.

5. Host your own event

If you host your own event, you can make the email address a mandatory part of registration. If they want to come to your event, they must provide an email address. You can state that this information will be used to provide the individual with any changes to the date or venue of the event, and that by registering for the event they are providing you permission to add their name and email to your emailing list.

6 Ask on all Social Media Channels

Simply asking people to sign up will let people know that it is available, and many of them will. They already like your business, products, and/or services otherwise they would not be following you on your social media networks. Take advantage of the relationships that you already have.

7. Turn your Receipt or invoice into an invite

91% of people want to stay in touch with businesses they have done business with. Take advantage of this and invite them to sign up for your email. Want to give them even more of an incentive? Let them know that they will get a discount or other incentive as described above, when they sign up.

By using some of the examples in this article to grow your email list, you should see growth. Possibly slowly at first but do not be discouraged. The real results will be seen after you do it again and again. Or try a different method next time. Just keep trying to grow your list and it will. The next problem you are going to have is how to manage a large list. Imagine that. What a horrible problem to have! If you want to discuss how we can help you grow your list, please contact us.