It’s no secret that email gives you the biggest bang for your marketing buck. It’s free to send, it’s used by more than half of the world, and it nets you a pretty astounding ROI.
That’s all fine and dandy if you have an extensive list of people who have all signed up to receive your marketing messages. But if your list is on the small side (or doesn’t exist at all), you have some work to do.
It can be tough to convince even your most loyal customers to give up their email address. The last thing most of us need is more messages pinging and dinging away in our inboxes.
If you’re having trouble building up your business’s email list, take these tips for a test drive.
9 Simple Tips for Capturing Email Addresses
1. Use Gated Content
Gated content is one of the easiest ways to build your email list. You create something of value (an eBook, case study, webinar, exclusive video, etc.) and offer it to your audience in exchange for their email address. They get what they want. You get what you want. Everyone wins!
2. Hold Contests and Giveaways
There aren’t many people walking this earth who don’t like free stuff — or the chance to win free stuff, at least. Hosting a contest or giveaway can incentivize people to give up their information.
3. Offer an Immediate Discount
We’ve all seen popups that say, “Enter your email address to save 25% on your next order.” And that’s fine. But why not let them save that 25% on this order — the thing that they already have in their hand or in their shopping cart? An immediate discount on what they already plan to buy is more motivating than a discount somewhere down the road.
4. Create a Loyalty Program
Coffee shops have apps that offer a free cup of joe after you buy 10. Supermarkets allow club members to save a few pennies at the attached gas station. Banks have referral bonuses. Loyalty programs keep people coming back for more – and have the added bonus of requiring a valid email address to sign up!
5. Have a Good Privacy Policy
The biggest reason people don’t want to share their email addresses is that they don’t know what you’re going to do with it. Are you going to keep it super-secret, only share it with trusted partners, or write it on every bathroom stall from here to Honduras? A good privacy policy lets them know what to expect and makes them feel more comfortable.
6. Cross-Promote with Business Partners
Your business network is a fantastic way to add new email addresses to your mailing list. Cross-promoting with them allows you both to reach a brand-new audience.
7. Offer Multiple Ways to Sign Up
You probably have an email signup on your website … somewhere. But what about on your blog? Your social media pages? Are you using landing pages to solicit signups? The more chances you give your audience to opt-in, the more addresses you’ll get.
8. Make It Easy
We don’t want to imply that humans, as a species, are lazy. We would, however, like to point out that we don’t want to have to work really hard at anything. Remember, you are not trying to create a spy-worthy dossier here; you just need some very basic information. Don’t ask for more than you need.
9. When All Else Fails, Ask!
There’s something to be said for honest communication. In many cases, you don’t need to resort to elaborate schemes to get an email address from a customer – you just need to ask them for it. “I’d like to be able to send you [coupons/blog posts/informational videos/literal puppies] from time to time. Can I get your email address?” “Simple” is sometimes the best strategy!
It’s Time to Connect with Your Customers!
When it comes to marketing, email is the cheapest, most effective strategy. But you need email addresses first! Don’t resort to buying “proven” lists online or from strangers in dark alleys. (Especially not from strangers in dark alleys.) Building your list from the ground up may take some work, but it yields the best results.
Would you like some help getting in touch with a whole new fan base? Mischa Communications can help you make new friends. Let’s start making plans!