How to Build a Healthy Email List

When you first decide to employ email marketing, it can be a very exciting time. After all, how instant is email?! And how cost effective?! Before you launch your campaign, it’s important to know that your email marketing is only as effective as your list. And in order to maximize your investment of time and effort in this important piece of your online marketing strategy, it pays to build an awesome list.

How do you start?

• You can start slow. You may have a small number of subscribers for your initial communications, and that is OK. These early subscribers can be the most valuable on your list, because they will forward your message to more subscribers, and your list will grow organically. Just be sure your messages include a link to the subscription form on your web page so these potential subscribers will have an easy way to add themselves.

• Offer an inducement for joining the list. It should be an exclusive discount or an early notification of an event – something that shows the value of being on the list. Provide some industry tips and tricks, or a behind-the-scenes look at your business.

• Make sign-ups easy! Put a link to a sign-up form on your Facebook page, your website, your email signature, and anyplace you have a web presence. If you are at a special event, be sure to collect subscribers for your list, possibly by running a raffle. And encourage your clients to sign up at the point of purchase or during account creation. Always spotlight the value your email list will provide these new subscribers.

• Archive your email marketing messages on your website so potential subscribers can see what they’ve missed! Include a link to your sign-up form.

Let’s also review some ways not to start: be sure you don’t buy an email list, or use your own existing database of email addresses unless the clients specifically signed up for your email list. Apart from being an ineffective way to communicate with valuable contacts, either of those methods could blemish your business’s credibility. You might annoy customers, get blacklisted, or get in legal trouble for breaking anti-spamming laws. Instead, when you gradually build a permission-based email marketing list, your messages will be more effective and welcome.

When you build your email list, you can also query your customers to get a better idea of how to tailor your messages to their specific interests and needs. Offer the option, during sign-up or during a subsequent survey, for clients to fill in a few simple demographics, interests, and activities. By specifically developing your messages with your audience’s needs in mind, you can build a stronger relationship with your clients. After all, customers who are already engaged with your business tend to spend 33% more than new customers.

Finally, even if you have already started email marketing, you can still employ some of these strategies to improve your list. And make sure you send your marketing blasts on a consistent schedule so you will gain new users each time as your existing subscribers forward your valuable offers.

A healthy email list can be a great way to keep clients engaged with your business. Whenever you would like help to make your email marketing sizzle, contact World Source Tech for assistance developing this valuable marketing strategy for your business.

Photo: St0rmz