Keys to Building an Effective Email Marketing List
Email marketing lists are a tricky, yet powerful tool that many small businesses and large corporations are using to increase customer loyalty and drive sales. However, creating a good list isn’t as easy as it seems. There’s much risk and high cost in buying 3rd party email lists of unsuspecting prospects. Thus, by building your own list of current and potential customers you have a greater opportunity for developing strong and fruitful relationships with those increasingly important contacts. With an effective email marketing list you can go beyond your website and brick and mortar store to create new brand advocates and customers. Once you master your email marketing list you will want to view this webinar on How To Grow Sales with Emails.
Permission Based Marketing
It’s better to ask for permission than forgiveness! Contrary to the popular saying, when it comes to email marketing, aka permission based marketing, permission wins. When creating your list think like a customer. If you wouldn’t want a company to invade your privacy without permission then don’t do that to your customers/prospects.
Opt In Marketing
- Provide multiple places on your website to opt-in. Common places are the About Us page on your site. Folks who land here are already looking for more information about your organization so give them the opportunity to connect directly for more information. Your checkout page is another opportunity to capture opt-in leads. If they are buying something from you there is a higher probability that they will want to stay informed on deals, sales and other email offerings your company may provide. Another great place is on your blog comment section. People who post comments on your blog are interested in your company and are engaging. Use this opportunity to take them to the next level.
- Opt-In to Win! It’s imperative that customers opt-in directly to request or receive information from your company. Verify and assure customers that their information is never resold, rented or misused.
- Build an opt-in form on your home page – Encourage prospects and customers who land on your home page to take action. Incentivize them with a free e-book download, giveaway, promotional code or great content in your newsletter.
- Keep your opt-in form simple. Don’t require too much information or you will discourage people for signing up on your email marketing list. A simple first name and email are sufficient.
- Test multiple offers and track the activity on your website to see which offer allows for the most email marketing opt-ins and then stick with that one.
Automated Email Marketing
Fortune is in the Follow-Up! Make sure you are using an email marketing software that allows for seamless follow-up. Auto responders enable you to connect with the customer immediately after they sign-up to provide them their free download or promotion code, a confirmation email or a welcome email. It’s important that you affirm the action you just requested and made good on your promise in a timely manner. For more ideas on autoresponder best practices read The Right Way to Send Automated Email.
If you follow these 3 key steps while creating an email marketing list you will be well on your way to happy customers and successful email campaigns! Still want more? Watch our new webinar, “From email newsletters to email marketing that drives sales”.