Easy Quick Start Guide: How to Build an Email List to Grow Your Business
Why an email list is the key to skyrocketing your revenue
“I have no idea how to start building an email list. Why do I even need one? I speak to my followers on social media.”
Oh, friend, let’s talk, shall we?
Many social media darlings—and anyone else with a healthy number of followers—have found that likes don’t necessarily translate into sales. While it’s always nice to be liked, it’s also nice to pay your mortgage.
According to Litmus, email marketing has an ROI of $42 for every $1 spent. That’s 4,200%!
So, if you’re not building and actively growing your email list, you’re leaving money on the table.
Money that you could be investing in your business or investing in two first-class tickets to Italy. Tiramisu, anyone?
Why is building an email list so important?
Email is one of the simplest ways to change the trajectory of your business:
It’s a direct and immediate way of engaging your audience.
Nurture relationships with your target demographic.
You can drive sales any time, day or night.
Easily combat objections one email at a time.
You don’t have to hope the algorithm gods are in the mood to grant wishes.
Never rely on another platform again.
Every email, opened or not, is a mini-ad in itself when it appears in an inbox.
This is pretty powerful stuff and if you’re not harnessing this energy, you’re missing out
You may believe that people find email marketing annoying . . . and you’d be wrong. According to Retail Dive, 86% of people actually want to hear from you. So give the people what they want and start showing up in their inbox.
Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, here's your comprehensive guide to kickstarting your email list and unlocking its full potential.
So how do you actually build an email list?
1. Define Your Audience and Goals:
Before diving into the technical aspects of setting up your email list, take some time to clarify who your target audience is and what you hope to achieve with your email marketing efforts. Who are the people you want to connect with? What are their interests, pain points, and desires? Understanding your audience will help you tailor your content and messaging to resonate with them effectively. Additionally, establish clear goals for your email list, whether it's increasing website traffic, generating leads, or driving sales.
2. Choose an Email Marketing Service Provider:
To manage your email list and send out campaigns efficiently, you'll need to sign up with an email marketing service provider. There are many options available, each offering various features and pricing plans to suit different needs. Popular choices include Mailchimp, ConvertKit, AWeber, and Constant Contact. Compare the features, pricing, and user-friendliness of different providers to find the best fit for your business.
3. Create Compelling Opt-in Incentives:
Entice people to join your email list by offering valuable opt-in incentives, also known as lead magnets. These could be free resources, such as ebooks, guides, templates, or exclusive discounts and promotions. The key is to offer something that solves a problem or fulfills a need for your target audience. Create compelling opt-in incentives that showcase your expertise and provide tangible value, making it irresistible for visitors to subscribe to your list.
4. Design and Optimize Signup Forms:
Place sign-up forms strategically on your website to capture visitors' email addresses. Optimize your sign-up forms by keeping them simple, easy to use, and visually appealing. Experiment with different placements, such as pop-ups, slide-ins, or embedded forms within your content, to maximize conversions. Additionally, consider implementing techniques like social proof, urgency, or scarcity to encourage signups. A/B testing different variations of signup forms can help you identify what works best for your audience.
5. Craft Compelling Welcome Emails:
When someone subscribes to your email list, make sure to send them a warm welcome email to thank them for joining and introduce them to your brand. Use this opportunity to set expectations, deliver the promised opt-in incentive, and invite subscribers to engage further with your content. Personalize your welcome emails with the subscriber's name and tailor the messaging to align with their interests and preferences. A well-crafted welcome email sets the tone for your relationship with subscribers and increases the likelihood of future engagement.
6. Segment and Personalize Your Email Campaigns:
Segment your email list based on demographics, interests, purchase history, or other relevant criteria to deliver more targeted and personalized content to your subscribers. By sending relevant content that resonates with each segment of your audience, you can increase engagement, open rates, and conversions. Leverage data and analytics from your email marketing platform to track subscriber behavior and preferences, allowing you to fine-tune your segmentation and personalization strategies over time.
7. Consistently Deliver Value:
The key to maintaining a healthy and engaged email list is to consistently deliver value to your subscribers. Provide them with informative, entertaining, and relevant content that addresses their needs and interests. Whether it's educational blog posts, inspirational stories, exclusive offers, or behind-the-scenes updates, every email you send should offer something of value to your audience. Keep your content fresh, varied, and aligned with your brand voice to keep subscribers eagerly anticipating your next email.
8. Monitor and Measure Your Results:
Regularly monitor the performance of your email campaigns and track key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates. Use this data to evaluate the effectiveness of your email marketing efforts and identify areas for improvement. Experiment with different subject lines, content formats, and calls to action to optimize your campaigns for better results. Continuously refine your strategies based on insights gleaned from analytics to maximize the impact of your email list.
9. Nurture Relationships and Engage with Subscribers:
Building an email list isn't just about sending promotional messages; it's about fostering meaningful relationships with your subscribers. Engage with your audience by soliciting feedback, responding to inquiries promptly, and encouraging two-way communication. Encourage subscribers to connect with you on social media, participate in surveys or polls, and share their success stories or testimonials. By nurturing relationships and building trust over time, you'll cultivate a loyal and engaged community around your brand.
If you keep your list primed, then it will show you love when it comes time to put an offer in front of them.
Now that you know how to start an email list, there’s nothing stopping you from skyrocketing your engagement and revenue.
And if you’re not sure what to say? I can write your emails for you. Really, you have enough on your plate. Click the link below to set up a 15-minute discovery call.