Companies use a variety of methods to reach their customers, including websites, social media, videos, podcasts, radio, television and even email. As surprising as it may be to some, email is still a contender in today’s digital world.
Compared to social media, email outranks social in driving sales, with "60% of consumers say[ing] they've made a purchase as the result of a marketing email they received." Email marketing provides a variety of benefits and should be considered when developing your marketing strategy.
Before you can reach out to individuals, you need to develop an internal email list. An email list is a database of email addresses that you have collected from potential and current customers who have provided their information to you. These individuals typically sign up or subscribe to receive information directly to their email inboxes. Email lists are a great marketing opportunity as they provide you a direct avenue to promote business updates including current discounts and sales, company news, product launches, tips and tricks, downloads or contests and giveaways.
Determining how to start your business email list can be a little daunting, but creating one doesn't have to be hard. It also doesn’t have to cost anything either. We knew you’d like that last part.
Below is a list of six ways you can start building your company email list at no additional cost.
Use your current contacts We are all about working smarter and not harder, and why wouldn’t you use what you already have at hand? What’s even better is that your current client base has already used your products and services and would most likely be interested in learning more about your company and any upcoming offers by email.
Add a signup/subscription form or widget to your website Subscription opportunities are easy to add to your current website. What’s great is that they can be minimal and don't necessarily require a lot of information other than name and email address. Also, since they require little space, you can place them on multiple high-traffic web pages such as your homepage or in recurring sections of pages like the header or footer bars. Better yet, why not do both? Check out the below example featuring the San Francisco Chronicle's use of both a header subscription button and a sidebar newsletter form.
Create a landing page Dedicated landing pages that appeal to your customers needs or wants are ideal ways to prompt individuals to submit their information. The great thing is that you can easily create a variety of landing pages, or lead pages, to meet your business goals. For example, you could create a specific newsletter subscription page, a limited time sales offer with sign up, or a page that provides subscribers access to a free downloadable how-to or checklist PDF. In addition, creating specific landing pages immediately directs users to the correct content and reduces your chances of losing a sign up. The less user clicks, the better. Below is an example our newsletter subscription landing page.
Time your pop-up banners Pop-up banners are exactly that. They are separate screens or banners that “pop up” on the reader’s screen while they are perusing your website. Instead of immediately setting these screens to show once a visitor hops onto your site, you can schedule them to display after readers spend a specific time (15 seconds, 30 seconds) on your site, after readers view a certain amount of pages (3 pages, 5 pages), or after readers scroll to a certain spot on your page (halfway down). Additional settings can also be applied to target more specific users, like returning visitors only. Similar to landing pages, pop-ups can also be used to push specific content depending on your marketing campaigns and goals (newsletter subscriptions, sales offers, downloads, event registration, etc.).
Promote it on your social media posts and stories Your target audience may not necessarily know that you have a weekly newsletter that you send out with additional content. Sharing this resource across your social platforms will help spread the word to your followers, but you may also end up reaching new customers in the process. What’s great is that you can direct your followers to one of the website landing pages we talked about earlier.
Take advantage of your events Yes, the pandemic impacted a lot of in-person event opportunities, but events have been starting to pick back up. From panel discussions, conferences and expos, to in-store reopenings. Using these in-person events are a great opportunity to connect directly with your target audiences and also promote your business email or newsletter. If you’re not seeing a lot of sign-up traction at your event, don’t worry. Sometimes a little incentive or giveaway can help. Just be sure that you let your visitors know they will also be signing up to receive communications from you. Download our complimentary event email subscription form below.
Creating an email list is a necessary step to implementing a successful email marketing strategy. Regardless of your industry or whether you are selling a service or products, you’ll find that email marketing is a great way to connect with and further nurture trust with your readers. In addition to promoting your business, you’ll eventually convert readers into paying customers.
Unsure of how to build out your company's email marketing strategy? We work with our clients to develop strategies and create unique, branded content that keeps customers informed on the latest news, tips, and updates about your products or services. Contact us today.
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