Since starting my first business Finlee and Me and now my second business Angela Henderson Consulting, in my opinion, every business owner needs to build an email list. While having a community on social media is great, an email list allows you to share more information more reliably. Facebook and Instagram could block you at any second for any reason. It’s unlikely but possible, and if it happens to you and you have staked all your marketing on that one platform, your business could be in real trouble. You could lose your entire following in the bat of an eye.
An email list, on the other hand, is always yours. Nothing short of the internet exploding will take your email list away from you, which means that it is the one following you can truly count on to stick around. The only question left is how to build an email list quickly and efficiently.
How to Build An Email List
Make an Opt-In for Your Website
If you want to build an email list fast, start by creating an Opt-In. An Opt-In is a freebie you offer in exchange for an email. It can be a course, workbook, list, or anything that you think your target audience would want and can get value from. For example, scroll to the bottom of this page to see the useful Ultimate Business Blueprint I offer on every page of my website. It’s a great way to give your audience something useful in return for their email address, and if the product is good enough it will make them excited to read your emails as well.
Use Your Existing Followings
If you already have strong followings on social media, use that to your advantage. Every single one of your followers has an email account, so ask them to give it to you. Put a call to action in your bio, or post about your special offers that only cost a mere email address. Think of it as a backup of your social media followings.
Create Valuable Content
There are plenty of newsletters out there that are, to put it bluntly, boring. They immediately try to sell you something, without offering you any value. Why would you read on? Make sure that you are creating valuable content that your target audience wants to see. This in itself will inspire them to sign up for all the latest blogs, courses, or pearls of wisdom that you offer.
Use Landing Pages
Landing pages are one of the most direct ways to build an email list. If someone clicks a call to action button, don’t send them to your website homepage where they are immediately flooded with choice. Send them to a simple landing page where the only thing they have to focus on is entering their email. You can see and example landing page by going here: 30 Days of Instagram Content.
Pop-Ups
When someone is about to exit your site, install a pop-up to remind them to join your newsletter. This is a popular one that definitely works for many websites. I have decided not to use pop-ups on mine, simply because I find them freaking annoying, but they definitely do work. If they don’t bother you, pop-ups are a reliable tactic to build an email list.
Make Them An Offer They Can’t Refuse
Everyone loves a deal, and most people will give away a lot more than their email to get one. If you want your clients to return, offer them free shipping, or 10% off, if they join your email list. If they don’t take up this offer at the time of purchase, offer them a coupon code or freebie when you send them their receipt.
Add it to Your Emails
Whenever you send an email, make sure that the link to your landing page is in your email signature, along with your Opt-In offer. You may be thinking that you have their email already, and can just add it to your email list yourself. This is unethical, illegal, and just plain rude. Give them the option to sign up, don’t decide for them.
Ask People
An often overlooked method is the old fashioned way. Ask people to sign up for your newsletter. Whether it is a client, customer, or colleague, the next time you are chatting to them ask them if they have signed up for your newsletter yet. If the answer is no, tell them about all the amazing things it offers subscribers.
These 8 strategies are a sure way to build an email list. Get started with the first one and make your way through the list. The best thing about most of these strategies is that once they have been created and incorporated into your business, they require no upkeep whatsoever. All that’s left for you to do is follow through with an awesome, consistent content.
If you want to learn more about why you should build an email list, check out my blog on Sales Funnels, of which email lists are an essential part. If you want to connect with me further, make sure you check out my Facebook group Australian Business Collaborative.
Have an awesome day,
Angela
