When we talk about getting back to tried-and-true marketing tools, nothing seems more effective than a mailing list. Whether you are working to send consistent email newsletters or you want to start a direct mail campaign, mailing lists help you to reach customers in the comfort of their own home (or inbox). It is also a great way to generate and nurture leads, which helps to solidify your client funnel!
How do you add potential customer emails to your mailing list?
In our experience, email marketing is a great way to build and nurture the relationship with your customers. But, how do you get those email addresses in the first place? Many people are being pickier about signing up to receive junk in their inbox. In order to get in there, you must give them something they value. And that will vary based on your target market.
As always, we can’t get any farther in the marketing process without truly knowing the target market. By now, as a business owner, you should be familiar with both their demographics (characteristics of your customer base) as well as their psychographics (what they value, their lifestyle and desires). In order to serve them up something they really can’t wait to read (and increase the potential for them to click through your emails), focus more on their psychographics and pain points.
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about what you can do on your end to give your target market plenty of chances to sign up for what you have on offer.
Create a pop-up form for your website
A branded opt-in pop-up is a great way for people to easily enter their email to receive updates. All you need to do is drive traffic to your site so that they have the chance to join your mailing list. You will want to have a catchy headline that makes them want to be included in your list. Don’t include too many details when asking for info…keep it simple by just asking them for their email.
Offer a promo or gift with sign up
We have all visited a site where you can enter your email address in order to receive a coupon code or percentage off goods or services. This is a great way to entice your website visitors to opt-in for your mailing list. Promos or gifts can range from coupons to free downloadable eBooks and more. It all depends on your niche and what your target market will value.
Promote your list through various channels
If you have a social media presence, make sure to remind followers to subscribe to your newsletters, emails and more. You can also let them know about promos and offers on your channel. Facebook and Instagram offer ads that can boost your reach. We use these with caution. You don’t want to go dropping money on everything you post, but boosted ads are great when used intentionally!
Use a platform that makes list management easy
Take some of the work off your plate by subscribing to a site such as MailChimp, which allows you to build your list, create email campaigns, monitor interest and much more. You will want to regularly engage with your mailing list and clean it up by removing inactive subscribers.
By maintaining a mailing list, you are securing a client base that is evergreen compared to social media. Most people will come and go from channel to channel, but everyone will continue to check their email regularly. Offer something of value that speaks to your target market and helps you build a relationship with them through the power of email.
