Trying to grow your business email list can be hard. It is not just about collecting as many emails as you can. You want to build your list by adding people who see your emails as being valuable to them, and not another spam email that they will throw in their recycling the second it arrives in their inbox.
Here are some of the tips I suggest to help you in your process of building your business lists.
- Put a signup link in the electronic signature of your emails. This way people have ample opportunity to sign-up, but you are not shoving it down their throat.
- During a presentation or trade show, have a signup sheet. If you want to make it more enticing, have a prize drawing that goes along with it. By having them sign up on the spot, it is a great way to continue the conversation.
- Put the sign-up link on your business card- maybe make it a QR code. This way people can scan it automatically and it takes them to the place to sign-up. What is a QR code?
- If you write articles you should add an “about Author” section. Make sure to put the link in that section for people to sign up.
- When someone purchases a product online, you will often have a “thank you” screen pop-up. On the thank you screen, ask them to join your newsletter. Some people like to add an incentive in their thank you screen for signing up.
- Add a signup link to the footer or side bar of your website so that it is on every page. You never want to be in a situation that people who want to signup don’t know where to find it.
- Make it part of your paid ads campaign by including a link to signup
- Offer an e-course or e-book incentive to signup. You can place this incentive on your website, or anywhere else you can think of.
- Create partnerships with other businesses. You can trade advertising on each of your newsletters to help you reach a new market. Although this solution can save you a lot of time and money, make sure it is the right partnership for your company, and that you complement each other. It is important to note, that you shouldn’t just trade lists and start emailing this new group. You need to advertise your newsletter on the other company’s newsletter, so that the readers have the option to opt in only if they are interested.
- Put a link to signup on any of your branding materials you may have for your business. EX: pamphlets, brochures, business cards, etc
- Put the signup link on Facebook, tweet the link, or post a blog about what your next newsletter will be about. Use social media to help grab those people who already have an interest in your company.
- Fill your newsletter with information people want to read. Don’t make it too advertisy; make it informative. You need to strike a balance between advertising your company and positioning yourself as an expert in your field.
- Offer special coupons in your monthly newsletter, so that people will want to keep opening it over time to see if it is a coupon they want.
Don’t Do This
- Do not sign up people that you have not asked, unless you are purchasing lists. It is kind of rude to abuse information you may receive from someone. Plus, your opt-out % will go up and there is the potential it could hurt your PR.
- If someone has opted-out of your email do not add them in back again unless they specifically ask. There are people who just don’t like to get a lot of emails, and it is important to respect that. Find another way to build a relationship with that person.
