Trust me; when I say I know you want to grow your email marketing list, but do not want to go about the sleazy way that makes you feel uncomfortable. One thing I love about my small business is how it has grown the organic way of word of mouth. Yes, I teach people how to pay for growth by utilizing advertise and influencers. Something, I had done when I had my online boutique. However, a majority of my growth especially when it comes to my email marketing has been organic word of mouth growth.
For instance with Business Bestie right now on average there are 50+ sign ups a week. Only utilizing a free opt-in that viewers see after being on the website for 30 seconds or more. Outlining five things you can implement that are non-sleazy ways to grow your email marketing list.
Sign Up Options
One of the first things you should focus on in regards to obtaining subscribers to your email marketing list is your sign up option. Last year, I talked about the importance of designing your opt-in form. A majority of third party shopping carts have plugins that allow you to have an opt-in for your email marketing campaign. Site viewers are having a fatigue of forms popping up to soon or blocking what they are doing. It’s important you design a visual appealing form that pops at the right time. Personally, I tell people to wait 30 seconds to two minutes before popping up. Allowing the time to browse your website. In addition to that, you can set it up where they don’t appear if they have appeared before for that person visiting your site.
Regular Content
This past holiday season I unsubscribed from over 40 different newsletters. Some I never actually signed up for and others I was astonished to receive a campaign because I never received one before or the last one was months ago. Service business owners should send content at least once a month. Personally, I utilize my newsletter to discuss what I have personally learned in the last month or so for my business. My newsletter campaigns happen to in-depth running around 1000 words or more. As a product based company at a minimum, you should be sending a newsletter once a month regarding new merchandise. There are some enterprise small business owners who bring in millions that send out campaigns once to twice a week. They have the product to push and realize that allowing customers to see new merchandise immediately and direct them to said product equals sales.
Freemiums
Honestly, I am not really for Freemiums, but I know a plethora of internet influencers who will tell you to provide something for free to get subscribers. Here is the problem with giving away content to anyone and everyone that finds you especially on Pinterest. They only came for one thing and a high chance they are not your target audience. Recently, I have seen people say they have grown their list from 100 to 10,000 but no one is opening the emails. They are spending serious money having this list. Do not just build a list to brag about the numbers you have because your open rate and click thru rate is going to be trash. Focus on the content that is produced. If you do want to provide a freemium as a product based company give them a first-time purchase code for 20% off. Service companies I would provide a list of your top articles, podcast or vlog post that way they can become more familiar with your business.
Promote
When my newsletter goes out around the start of the month I share it on multiple platforms allowing people to read it if they have not subscribed. The content that is share can help them learn more about me and my knowledge. Then the newsletter is pinned to the top of my Facebook Fan page until the next one comes out. This allows my friends on Facebook to share the content with their friends and family that might find the information useful. Make sure that you promote your newsletters asking people to subscribe. Schedule one tweet a day discussing the benefit of subscribing to your email marketing list. Last year, I helped a friend grow his list from 400 to 1600 in a week by tweeting about the benefits of subscribing. Having his email marketing list has increased his revenue stream too.
Challenges
One positive thing that happened last year for my small business is learning new information by joining challenges that I found on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. I was prompted to subscribe to their list to receive information over a seven day period that provide me insight on things on how to design an Instagram page that converts, positive thoughts and more that were extremely beneficial. No matter the size of your social media following if you have expertise in a certain area with at least $60 to run a Facebook ad, hosting a challenge is a great way to grow your list. Yes, several of them had courses or one on one’s they were offering after the challenge, but the content was great.
Sign Up List At Events
Tap into your local audience by placing an iPad or notepad out when you are vending at events. One of the most overlook audience is the local audience. Most people have become consumed with being a worldwide brand they forget people in their local community are their ideal audience. The benefit of collecting those emails for your list comes when you have more events. Recently, I received several newsletters about local events for towns I don’t live in. When you attend these events or pop-up, shops make sure to segment those people. You can make a list that says that city, market or whatever you want to call it. Making it easier to target the right people.
These are six simple ways to help you grow your email marketing list this year. Remember its not about having larger follower list, its about having engaged followers who read, share and engage.
