Email lists are the lifeline for your business. This means, if you are like me, you are always looking for ways to grow it. When I first started email marketing, I went from zero to over 2,000 in one day! Let me share 7 of my strategies for growing your email list quickly.
Is Email Marketing Still Effective Today?
I told clients (for years) that marketing is all about building relationships. One way to build relationships is through your email marketing. It is a way to establish trust and move your prospect further through their funnel journey you set up. So, is email marketing still effective today?
“Building an email list is crucial because it’s the best way to build a relationship with potential customers in an intimate way. You’re not just a status update that’s there and gone; you’re right in someone’s inbox, where they receive other important communication from their work, family, and friends.”
Campaign monitor
And according to a Reddit user, TechTunePawPower:
“It’s here to stay. If it doesn’t work, I think newsletters die. Several reasons why it will continue to work;
- Higher ROI (when compared to other mediums)
- Wider reach and targeted approach
- Control over the message to be communicated
- Since it’s direct, personalized approaches work best (when compared to mass targeting)”
Ways to Build Your Email Lists Quickly
1. Contests
Contests can be a good way to build a list quickly. Be sure the topic of the contests is something your audience wants or needs, which will inspire them to sign up and give you their email address.
2. Event Speaking
This is how I grew my list from -0- to over 2,000 overnight! I’m telling you it was amazing. I wasn’t using email marketing, and when I spoke at an online event, I got over 2,000 email addresses who opted in to receive my emails!
I was suddenly thrown into the deep end, and I had to learn to swim. I certainly needed to do something with all those email addresses right away.
I quickly signed up for an email marketing platform and began my email marketing, learning along the way.
3. Get Featured In An Online Magazine
Another way to get email addresses is by being featured in an online magazine. The reason is that when others see that you are featured, that fosters trust in the audience who see it. If you have something they want (a free opt-in, free coaching session, etc.) that only sweetens it and entices them more.
4. Great Free Offers (or Opt-ins)
Having a great free offer is essential so you can share it regularly and attract new people to your email list and following. I have several free offers, but I do not offer them all at once.
I offer them regularly, but it also depends on the recent content I’ve put out. I try to coordinate the two. In other words, if I were just featured in an online magazine, then I might offer my free coaching session to entice my new followers to sign up. If I am doing a webinar, I offer one of my free checklists about scaling and business growth.
5. Create A Webinar (Workshop or Masterclass)
Creating a free webinar, workshop, or masterclass is also a great way for people to give you their email addresses. If the topic is something that your audience is attracted to and something they need help with, they will probably sign up right away.
Make the topic something in line with what you offer and specialize in. Then be sure to be helpful, give good tips, summarize it, and offer more help by way of another free opt-in or services you can supply for them.
6. Social Media Audiences
Your social media audiences should be given opportunities to give you their email addresses as well. This can often be overlooked, however, if you have a good following and offer a sweet checklist, webinar, or free session, they should sign up quickly.
Also, make sure you are listening to your social media audience so that you know their biggest needs, and this, in turn, will help you create offers and give value in your posts. In the end, this will grow your email list.
You can even have them sign up to receive notifications when your new blog article drops.
7. Partner With Influencers & Other Brands
The last thing I want to mention is influencers and other brand partnerships. Partnering with others to get your name and brand out is important. By being featured in a magazine article, you are partnering with them as you will share it just as they will.
In other words, you are working together to get more followers from their audience, just as they hope to gain some from your audience.
Final Thoughts
Finally, I want to mention that you should guard your lists and treat them well. You are building a deeper relationship with them. As they grow in trusting you, you must also give them extras at times. Be mindful of the fact that they have entrusted you with their email list, so do not constantly spam them. Give them good content to read so they will continue to remain on your list for a long time.
Tammy S. Durden is an award-winning business coach who specializes in helping women online service providers grow a business to fit their lifestyle rather than squeeze a life around their business.
She is also a thought leader, course creator, and speaker in the online service industry.
Tammy has established herself as an authority figure over the last 17 years while creating and growing several online service businesses.