How to Build an Email List That Boosts Your Business
Email marketing is a powerful tool for businesses, but the answers to the question “how to build an email list” may make it look challenging. With its growing population of online users and increasing access to technology, building email lists presents a significant opportunity in India. According to Statista, by 2023, India is projected to have over 900 million internet users, making it the world’s second-largest online market after China.
One significant advantage of building email lists in India is the potential for high conversion rates. According to recent studies, email marketing has an average return on investment of 3800%, making it one of the most cost-effective marketing methods. Additionally, 80% of Indian marketers reported increased engagement through email marketing campaigns.
Using language-specific content can greatly enhance engagement and conversion rates. Building an email list can be a successful strategy for expanding the reach and engaging with new customers, capitalizing on the country’s digital presence and cultural diversity.
Here’s how to build an email list:
If you want to build and grow an email list to create a successful email marketing campaign, you must give it your complete focus and attention and make it your number one priority. Here are some measures you can take to build and grow an email list:
1. Offer Incentives or Lead Magnets
Building a mailing list can be effectively accomplished through lead magnets and other types of incentives. In exchange for your target audience’s email address, you can offer them something of value. Here are some tips for building a list with the help of incentives or lead magnets:
1.1. Understand Your Target Audience:
To design a successful incentive or lead magnet, you must first determine who your target audience is and understand what they are looking for. Think about the many kinds of information and resources that might be most beneficial to them.
1.2. Create an Incentive or a Lead Magnet:
Once you have determined your ideal customers, the next step is to create an incentive or a lead magnet that will pique their interest. This could be an eBook, checklist, webinar, free course, quiz, or any other form of exclusive content in exchange for their contact details.
1.3. Set up a Landing Page:
Build a landing page that advertises your incentive or lead magnet and has a form for visitors to fill out to receive it. This form should capture the user’s email address and other pertinent information, such as their name, location, or the firm they work for. Make sure your sign-up forms and emails are mobile-friendly.
1.4. Promote Your Landing Page:
Make it easy for potential customers to subscribe to your email list by including links to your sign-up forms on your website, blog, social media profiles, and any other relevant platforms. You can also use paid advertising on social media sites and Google AdWords to get traffic to your landing page.
1.5. Follow Up With Your Subscribers:
Once a subscriber has signed up to receive your incentive or lead magnet, follow up with them via email. Give them access to the content they signed up for, and continue to nurture your relationship with them by giving them opportunities to interact with your company and provide additional value beyond what they initially signed up for.
PRO Tip: This way, you can build a high-quality email list of engaged subscribers interested in your products or services.
2. Leverage Existing Relationships
On a journey to how to build an email list, the next step is leveraging existing relationships. These are some steps that you can follow to tap into existing connections:
2.1. Determine the Nature of Your Current Relationships:
Compile a list of all the individuals and companies with whom you currently have a working relationship, including clients and customers, business partners and colleagues, as well as contacts in your industry.
2.2. Connect With Your Network of Contacts:
Contact the people in your network and inform them about your email list. Ask current customers, partners, and other contacts if they want to receive your emails. Describe the benefits of subscribing, what sort of information they can expect, and emphasize the value they will acquire as a result. You can also advertise on social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram and send messages to your entire network of connections.
2.3. Ask for Referrals:
If you already have contacts, ask those individuals whether they know anyone else who may be interested in subscribing to your email list and encourage them to forward your landing page to their contacts.
2.4. Offer Incentives
Consider providing an incentive to anyone who brings in new subscribers to your email list. This could be a discount on a product or service, access to a resource or event for a limited time, or even a free trial.
2.5. Make It Easy for People to Sign Up:
Make your sign-up process simple and user-friendly. Add a sign-up form on your website, social media channels, and other applicable platforms. Try using a pop-up form on your blog to persuade visitors to sign up.
2.6. Provide Immense Value
Once someone has signed up for your email list, send them valuable information and resources as soon as possible. Keep them interested by providing relevant news, tips, and promotions.
PRO Tip: You can build and grow a high-quality email list of engaged subscribers interested in your products or services by capitalizing on your existing relationships. Remember that you should always deliver value to your subscribers and continue cultivating your relationship with them over time.
ALSO READ: Email Marketing Trends to Lead in 2023
3. Run Competitions or Giveaways
A popular way to build an email list quickly is to host a contest or giveaway. Here are some steps to ensure the success of this campaign:
3.1. Choose the Right Rewards or Incentives:
Choose a reward that will resonate with your niche market. This could be a discount, freebie, gift card, special content, product, or service access.
3.2. Plan Your Spending and Your Goals:
Consider how many new email subscribers you hope to get, and set that as one of your contest/giveaway goals. Determine how much money you can spend on the incentives you want to offer.
3.3. Choose the Parameters for Participation:
Establish the guidelines for participation in the contest or giveaway. There are many ways to do this, such as having them follow your social media accounts, share a post, or submit their email address in a form on your website.
Spread the word about the contest or giveaway by announcing it on your website, social media handles, and other relevant channels. Use paid promotions like Facebook or Google AdWords to expand your reach.
3.4. Capture Email Addresses
Design the contest so that sharing their email address is mandatory. Ensure they understand they will be added to your email list if they enter the contest or win the reward.
3.5. Follow Up Afterward
Send your subscribers a follow-up email after they have joined the contest or claimed the prize. Give them the details on how to get their hands on the reward, and keep them interested in your brand by giving them more reasons to interact with you.
PRO Tip: You can gain new email subscribers and keep existing ones engaged with contests and prizes. Just make sure you comply with local regulations regarding contests and giveaways.
4. Promote Your List
Building an active and interested subscriber base requires constantly promoting your email list. Here are some guidelines for promoting your email list using various promotional methods:
4.1. Social Media Platforms
Use your social media accounts to spread the word about your email list and solicit new subscribers. Write posts that extol the virtues of joining your email list and provide a CTA that leads readers to your landing page. You can also use paid social media advertising to reach a certain demographic and landing page.
4.2. Blog Readers
To grow your email subscriber list, publicize it on your blog and urge readers to sign up. Add a CTA in each post to get people to visit your landing page. Use pop-ups and slide-ins to promote a freebie or lead magnet and encourage site visitors to subscribe while they read your blog.
4.3. Collaborate With Influencers
Consider teaming up with key opinion leaders or influencers in your field to spread the word about your email list. Launch an affiliate program and pay them a commission or bonus if one of their referrals joins your email list.
4.4. Additional Marketing Methods:
Include a CTA in your email signature and business cards, which leads them to a lead magnet or free trial of your product or service to boost sign-ups.
PRO Tip: You can grow a responsive, engaged subscriber base of people interested in your products or services by using these strategies to promote your email list.
ALSO READ: Top 7 Email Marketing Tools for 2023 to level up your Business
4.5. Provide Valuable Content
In the context of how to build an email list, keep your subscribers interested in your brand and content by consistently providing them with valuable, relevant, and well-designed content to keep them engaged and interested. A famous quote by the comedian Steve Martin says, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
If you consistently share valuable and engaging content with your subscribers, they will rave about you to their network and share or forward your newsletters to others. Word-of-mouth recommendation is the best form of marketing because it is more credible than any advertisement or promotion.
ALSO READ: Top Content Marketing Trends to Follow In 2023
Learn, Build, and Grow Your Marketing Career With Emeritus
Building and growing an email list is crucial to successful digital marketing. By implementing the five key tips shared in this blog, businesses can create a strong foundation for engaging with their target audience, nurturing relationships, and driving conversions. However, to gain a comprehensive understanding of email list-building strategies and master the art of digital marketing, take up Emeritus’ online digital marketing course. Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills to build and grow a highly effective email list. Take the next step towards achieving digital marketing excellence by signing up for Emeritus’ digital marketing course today.
