People love to say that the money is in the list, and as sick as you may be of hearing that — it’s true. Every internet business needs a good strong email list if your marketing efforts are going to pay off. The question is – how do you effectively build that list?
These are 6 things you can do to build your email marketing list, and if you understand the value of an email list, don’t wait. Start putting these ideas into practice today and watch your list begin to grow.
Tip #1. If you Want Subscribers, Ask for Them!
Put an opt-in form on every page of your website and your blog. Make it easy to find and easy to fill out. The only information you really need to start is a name and email address. If your form requires subscribers to include their physical address and telephone number, they will be less motivated to sign up. Keep it simple.
Tip #2. Offer a free incentive to encourage subscribers.
No one is simply going to hand over their email address without a good reason. They need incentive. That’s where offering them a quality free gift works especially well.
But don’t send your list just any free offer; create your own. Put together a power packed e-book, write up a useful e-course, create a cool video, offer a step-by-step method for helping your subscriber accomplish something, whatever it is make it your own and make it useful.
It will take a little more effort on your part but it will go a long way in building your credibility and expertise and minimize opt-outs.
Tip #3. Build On Your Trust
Capturing visitor’s email is the first step toward building their trust, so don’t abuse that trust by sending them a barrage of sales pitches. Instead, include emails filled with helpful tips and advice along with your personal stories and helpful hints.
Keep your emails consistent, perhaps 1-2 emails a week. This often depends on your niche and you may need to test that but on the flip side don’t go too long without sending an email either.
People sign up because they expect to hear from you, if they don’t, they’ll forget they ever signed up. When you do finally send an email, they’ll opt out or worse, accuse you of spamming them.
Tip #4. Keep Your Email Opt-In Form in the Forefront
Create an opt in form and place it on every page of your website. Additionally, create a separate page on your website for email opt ins as well. This page is often referred to as a squeeze page and it’s very effective for encouraging email opt-ins.
Because building your email list is critical to building a loyal following and increasing sales, use this squeeze page as often as you can in things like forum signatures, and in resource box for any articles that you write. . The key to setting up an opt-in form is to keep it simple. You only need to request a name and email address. Also include a privacy statement that says you will not sell or share email addresses with anyone.
Tip #5. Promote Your email List
If you’re using promotional methods like article marketing, forum marketing and social media, don’t use those methods to bring traffic to your website, instead use them to build your email list. Include your squeeze page links in all your articles, social media links and forum marketing. Your chances of making sales and getting return visitors is much greater if you can build up your email list and promote from within that list.
By building a strong relationship with your subscribers they will come to know and like you and they’ll recognize your expertise. That goes a very long way for building traffic and gaining sales.
Tip #6. Use Joint Venture Opportunities To Promote
Connect with popular websites in your industry by offering to swap email promotions. Offer to promote their free guide, e-course or tips to your email list in exchange for offering your free incentive to their list.
The important thing to remember with this type of joint venture is not to find websites that are in direct competition with your site but instead, complement your site.
For example, a weight loss site might joint venture with exercise site, or an article marketing site might joint venture with a content creation website.
In Summary…
Building your email list doesn’t have to be a chore, but it does require time and effort from you. These five suggestions will leverage that time and trouble into a growing email list filled with targeted subscribers who are most likely to buy.
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