You could be missing out on a really valuable marketing and lead generation tool if you don’t utilise an email list. But where do you begin? If you haven’t been sending emails, and now you’re ready, these tips will get you off to a great start…
Choose your email marketing platform
You can’t continue to use mail merge if you want to grow your database, so I advise researching email automation platforms like Mailchimp, Mailerlite and Hubspot for hosting your email list. Look out for the ability to segment audiences, create autoresponders, capture analytics and behave as a customer relationship management system (CRM), moving your leads along a customer journey.
Also look at the capabilities of each pricing level – do you really need to spend the highest amount for all the bells and whistles? And do take advantage of the free trials on offer – this way you can get to know the platform even better.
Next, attract your customers…
Create really valuable high-quality downloadable content
Everyone loves a freebie, but they’re also wise to the ‘data trap’, so you need to make your content valuable enough that someone is willing to trade their email for it.
Whatever it is, it needs to be free, beautiful, and highly useful, for example I share a simple business support questionnaire that helps business owners discover how they may develop their businesses. In return they get a personalised report that shares focus points. I also give away free business e-books which give advice on a plethora of business areas. All worth the cost of an email address.
A nod here to data permissions too – make sure your email list sign-up form includes an easy to follow link so they can access your privacy and cookies policies. It’s also worth considering how you’ll instill trust before they fill out the form. Consider including on or near the form, how often they’ll hear from you and what sort of content they can expect to receive. If they know they’ll get a 2-minute read every month, they’re less likely to be wary.
Here are some ideas for valuable content:
- Free Guide or Template
- Masterclass
- Webinar or Training Video
- Mini-Course
- A Coupon Code
- Free Sample or Trial
Create a landing page
A landing page is the place where your visitor will be directed to after clicking the link to sign up or download.
This needs to be compelling, as they can be put off by a sales tone, so think about how you can persuade them to take the next step and actually give you their email address.
Lead with the benefits of why they should want to download or sign up; be the solution to their pain, problem or desire. Share testimonials (and links to the review), for social proof that it’s worked before. Share a bit about your credentials to build trust in you or your business and end with a strong call to action.
Automated emails – the responder
Once your visitor has given you their email address and received their freebie, you can set up an auto responder to say welcome and thank you, offer them even more good stuff, such as discount for signing up or sharing and asking them more questions.
NB: You cannot coerce someone into signing up by offering money off something, only after… The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) says ‘You should not make the discount solely available to those who sign up for your email list.’
Remember, your emails are supposed to be HIGH VALUE at all times, and follow ups should nurture your new leads, not hit them with sales…
Get sharing!
Here’s where the fun starts! You can share your link on all the social media platforms as well as in your blog and LinkedIn articles.
Consider adding an attention grabbing banner above the fold on your homepage, or a subtle pop up.
Don’t lose sight of your goal though and try not to spam your audience.
Be consistent and be ready to tweak
Are you ‘one and done’? Or are you ready to think about other segments in your buyer personas? You could even update the original freebie to make it ‘even better’.
The key, as in most marketing strategies, is to be consistent with your messaging. Whatever you told them you would do, do it. Showing up regularly (but not too often!) is how you build rapport, engagement and trust. It doesn’t matter how often you show up, it’s about meeting expectations…
A final thought… Buying an email list
The tactic of creating valuable content and sharing it to build your list is an ‘organic’ one. You can of course opt to buy an email list from a reputable company, but a word of warning – quality may vary, in that the contacts may not suit your buyer personas as well as if you built it yourself. Organically building your list means your audience has already lent into your message with interest and have opted to hear/read more.
Are you ready to build your email list?
Book in some time with me to go over your email strategy, settle any doubts or hesitancies and figure out how it all fits into your overall business plan. I offer up to 45 minutes free business mentoring as a trial – no obligation, just plain advice. I look forward to hearing from you, Mike.