Proven Tactics to Up Your Email Marketing
Building a strong email list is crucial for any business looking to connect with customers and drive sales. Email, after all, is a tried-and-true way to stay connected with your network. A thriving email list allows you to share valuable content, promote special offers, and foster long-term relationships. But how do you entice visitors to subscribe in the first place? Here are a dozen effective tactics to grow your mailing list and take your email marketing to the next level.
Expand Your Reach
- Cross-Promotions: Partner with complementary businesses to offer joint promotions and events that require email signups.
- Host Events: Whether it’s a webinar, workshop, or networking event, every time you host an event it provides an opportunity to grow your mailing list. Use QR codes to offer a seamless stay-in-touch sign-up process for in-person events.
- Encourage Sharing: Add social sharing buttons and an “Email to a Friend” option in your emails to tap into the networks of recipients’ friends and colleagues. Also, place a “Subscribe” call-to-action (CTA) at the email’s bottom as a straightforward text link, making it easy for forwarded recipients to opt-in.
- Host a Giveaway: Run a giveaway that requires participants to provide their contact information to enter.
Make Signing Up Simple and Rewarding
If you use content marketing – like social media – to get engagement and grow your network, be sure to make it easy for them to get MORE of your great content. Follow a few key steps when you’re trying to turn incidental readers into lifetime fans:
- Stick to the Basics: Don’t overwhelm visitors with lengthy signup forms. Request only essential information like name and email address. A shorter form is more user-friendly and increases signup rates.
- Provide Value Upfront: People love free, informative content. Offer downloadable checklists or industry insights in exchange for email addresses. This is a great way to showcase your expertise and incentivize signups.
- Leverage Social Proof- Include positive customer reviews and testimonials near your signup form to build trust.
Once you’ve built a decent list of engaged family, friends, associates and prospects, how do you make sure your emails are hitting home?
Follow Essential Engine’s guidelines for content marketing – Always have a balance of content, including:
- Lifestyle content – By offering content that’s broadly appealing, you’ll broaden your audience beyond just diehard readers.
- Industry content – It’s a great idea to show your expertise in your industry and show people exactly why they should be choosing you as a business partner. (Just don’t do this so much you lose your audience!)
- Personal content – Personal touches that inspire real personal connections are the lifeblood of your marketing, especially in this time of AI. Add more of you – from personal anniversaries and events to professional milestones – in order to inspire real, personal connections with your network.
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