Springtime is here and typically at this time of year our thoughts turn to new growth as the world around us blossoms with every shade of green along with vibrant and fragrant flowers. We clear out things we no longer use. We plant new seeds and expectantly await a harvest of flowers and fruit. Creating a healthy email list is much like gardening.
A number of ways exist to create a robust email list. Your list, that you will grow organically, is going to be comprised of people who choose to be on your mailing list. In other words they consciously opt in because of something you offer. I am sharing a few ways below:
Relevant Content
The number one most effective way to build your email list is to offer regular compelling, relevant content. I explored how to create relevant content in last month’s blog, entitled Get Personal and Be Content if Your Content Builds Relationships. If you missed it, you can read it by clicking here. You will drive traffic to your website and compel visitors to give you their email address when you provide content that is helpful.
Encourage Sharing and Forwarding
People love to share important, meaningful, useful and entertaining information when you include a “share” or “forward to a friend” button in your email. It’s that much easier for your subscribers to share the wealth. This gives you access to fresh networks of like-minded friends who may opt in to your email list as well.
Create Opt-In Campaign To Refresh Stale Email List
If you’ve been working with a list that seems a bit lifeless, create an engaging opt-in email and send it out promising to remove all contacts that don’t respond. Don’t worry, this leaves you with more engaged contacts and could improve your deliverability.
Promote an On-line Contest
If you have a product or service you could give away you can create an online contest for a chance to win whatever you have to offer. Be sure to promote the contest on social media too.
Team Up With An Appropriate Partner
Run a co-promotion on this partner’s website or be featured in their email. Of course you’ll return the favor for your partner. This allows you to target a new, yet appropriate audience to collect email address from a brand new source. You could also host a webinar or ask for registration to receive a new ebook. After the co-marketing efforts you and your co-marketing partner can swap leads.
Continuous Building
There are endless ways to invite, tempt, persuade and otherwise entice prospects to part with their email addresses. You want to make sure the way you do it is respectable, legal and that you always follow through on your promises. That way you will continuously be able to build a robust list as well as a robust reputation.
