Email marketing can be one of the most effective marketing tools for your business. It may seem like a big task, but building your email marketing list does not need to be complicated or time consuming. Using the right tools and taking advantage of the opportunities you may already have, a solid list can be generated pretty quickly.
1. Gather Email Addresses Manually
Do you see potential customers/clients in person? Whether it is in your office, storefront, or at trade shows, don’t be afraid to have a paper sign-up sheet available and don’t be shy about asking if they are interested. I said “paper” for a reason; no need to be fancy. A little manual email entry work will be well worth it.
2. Include An Opt-In On Your Website
Don’t miss this opportunity. Your website visitors are probably the most likely people to sign up for your list. Add the sign-up box in key spots on your website – sidebars and footers work great for this.
3. Give Something Away Free
There is nothing wrong with a little incentive for signing up for your email list. Try giving away a discount coupon, a free trial, an ebook… anything you think would be valuable without being too costly to you.
4. Use Your Social Media Accounts
Are you already using social media to promote your business? Try promoting your email list. Mention that free thing from #3 and link to the sign-up form/page.
5. Add A Link To Your Email Signature
You probably already have some sort of signature that goes out with each email you send. Why not add a link in your signature to your sign-up form/page?
6. Create Great Content
Great content makes being on your list valuable. When you are providing something valuable, people will share it with other people they know. Encourage sharing in various ways while you are delivering that great content. A simple start would be adding an “email to a friend” link at the end of the content.
For more info on email marketing lists, see my post Using Mailchimp to Grow Your Email Marketing List.