Creative Approach On How To Build Email List For Email Marketing 101

Originally posted on October 11, 2021 @ 8:59 am

Considering how to build email list for your brand, and don’t know how to get started? We’ll show you how to create email list and how to grow your subscriber.

Building an email list is the most important thing you want to do to increase sales and conversions. Though a number of bloggers and brands are yet to fathom the importance of list building when starting out.

In this email list tutorial, we will reveal the how and why building an email list is key.

Let get started with;

Email List Building facts

1. According to Harris Interactive, about 81% of people in US who shop online have more tendency to make extra purchases, be it online or in a store, as an outcome of emails that is centered on earlier shopping activities and favorites.                              
2. Marketing Sherpa also noted that 72% of consumers attest that email is their preferred channel of communication with brands they do business with, 61% of them say they love it when they receive promotional emails weekly and 28% want them even more regularly.                                                                                                       
3. The Relevancy Group’s conducted a research that testify that the US marketing executive accept the fact that email on its own drives the same volume of returns as social media, website and display ad efforts combined. 

With that being said, if you’re not Building an email List, you’re losing out on BIG opportunities.

Let get the ball rolling…

What is an Email List?

Email list is an exceptional list of email addresses with name of people who have given you authorization to keep them informed about updates and promotions from your business through emails.

You need an email marketing services to get started with building an email list and send bulk email notifications to your subscribers about your blog updates, online shop and other business services.

Why Must I Create Email List for My Business?

Most businesses in the US gets 4300% ROI of their investment through email marketing – this is according to Direct Marketing Association.

This is because people are captured as subscriber via email list from a website by clicking a sign-up form (double-optin), because they’re highly interested with what that business is offering.

This is the reason these subscribers are more likely to convert to purchasing customers. Even most businesses with email list gets 10% higher rate of conversion than social media advertising campaign.

So let look into why you need to build email list and why it’s important for you and your business.

1. Email is Direct and Private Thing

You can send emails directly into your customer’s inbox and can only be access by such person anytime any day. There is no limit to how you send. It’s just direct and personal.

2. Email goes with a Goal

When you send an email to your customers, it’s with a particular purpose. So every email you’re sending to your customer is with a goal to be achieved – to take an action, deliver a message or giving an update on the newest blog.

3. Email is Specific

Immediately your people subscribe to your list, you can start segmentation, and you are likely to start sending targeted or specific offers, notifications or updates to get better offers.

4. Your Email List belongs to you.

Every of the email addresses you’ve collected via optin sign-up on your website, social media campaign and so on…, belongs to you. Other businesses have no influence on it.

5. Email is Personalized

Every emails sent is most times personalized – bears the recipient’s name. the messages sent lands in their inbox, they get to read it in the privacy of their box. Questions can be asked as well confidentially and private. This will help create and build trust and relationship.

6. Your potential customer has email address.

Recent research conducted by Radicati, shows that about 3.8 billion email accounts are active globally. Now compare it Facebook with 1.4 billion and Twitter with 100million active users.

So your potential customers are most likely to have an email, so with email list optin services you get to capture them and sell your product effectively.

This is exactly the reason every smart business in the world should build and nurture an email list.

Social Media vs Email Marketing for List Building

Some social media users are of the opinion that email marketing is dead owning to the emergent of social media networks.

But the truth is even the social media networks will ask after your email address when you want to sign up with them.

You can see that even the social media giants still need email list building to get connected to you and to give you updates and latest happening about their new innovations and ideas.

All the more, you sign up using your phone number, you will still be asked of your email address to help discover your friends, for password recovery options, and most importantly to send you targeted email messages.

These social media platform sends these emails to engage their subscribers with content and get them to visit either their website or app repeatedly.

You can see that even social media platforms are in the business of how to build email list to sustain and grow their business.

Even social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, WhatsApp, Snapchat, LinkedIn to mention a few are prominent today because they understand the importance of list building.

Social media is also an essential channel to create your email list and start email marketing – to increase conversions and sales.

Learn how to use social media marketing as a channel to grow your email list.

What You Need to Start Building an Email List?

Already, you can tell the importance of building an email list, and why paying no attention to it can be a MASSIVE blunder.

As a result, let’s take a look at what you need to start your email list building.

3 Things You Need to Build an Email List:

1. A website or blog.
2. An email marketing service.
3. High-converting opt-in forms

These three things are relatively easy to set up, and none of them require coding or design skills.

For the sake of this tutorial, we’ll be focusing on the last two things in the list. But if you don’t have a website or blog, follow our step by step guide on how to start a blog or how to create a website.

Even as you plan to create and build email list for your business, it’s important you consider what email marketing service to use to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in communication and engagement.

In our next section, we’ll be looking at choosing the best email marketing service.

Choosing the Best Email Marketing Service

In recent times, there are plenty of email marketing solutions on the web. Most times, newbies don’t know how to choose the right one or could go for free options just to save cost.

However, some of these free email marketing services are not the best option. Why?

1. They function as subscription provider: Some operate as blog subscription through email instead as email marketing service.
2. You can’t send private email newsletter: You should be able to send out private email newsletters to your list.

3.   You cannot customize your email: You should be able to personalize your email message and delivered in the same format often with your branding or personalization.

4.   You cannot segment you email list or subscribers: You should be able to categorize subscribers by interests, demographics, or content type.

5.   There is no reporting: You need know how many people got the email, what percentage of users opened it, and how many of them clicked on your links.

If afterward you tried to move to a paid service, your users will have to re-confirm their subscription. A lot of them will not do it, and you will end up losing subscribers.

These are reasons why we ALWAYS vouch for beginners to use a professional email marketing service right from the beginning.

Though, they might cost a little bit of money, but you’ll not regret investing in your money which will pay you huge returns.

Benefits of Professional Email Marketing Services?

Running your business with a professional email marketing services is the best thing you can do your brand, here’s the benefits you get for using a professional email marketing service;

1. You can send private mass emails to your subscribers.
2. You can see subscriber activity and group your subscribers based on actions they take.
3. You can run A/B split tests to see which email subject line, content, and offers work best with your subscribers.
4. With reporting tools, you can see which country you have the most subscribers from. You can adjust your time zone preferences, and send emails at the right time.
5. Last, but definitely the most important, you can see the email addresses of all your subscribers.

Yes, we have a lot of professional email marketing services on the web, but to make life easier for our readers like you, we have taken the pain to compiled a list of the best email marketing service according to simplicity, cost effectiveness, features and performance.

You can read a full list of the best email marketing services we have complied.

So for solo businesses, we recommend you use Constant Contact for the reason that they are one of the largest email marketing services in the web.

Constant Contact gives a 30-day free provisional offer. This gives you adequate of time to set up and start getting the results. But by the end of 30 days, your email list would likely be paying for itself (cost $20 / month). Start your free trial.

However, you’re considering to some degree more cutting-edge that includes powerful marketing automation, then SendinBlue or ConvertKit is a very good option. They are both very prevalent amongst business owners, and they come with free trials as well.

As soon as you have sign up with an email marketing service, the next step is to add opt-in forms to your website to allow your users to subscribe.

OptinMonster optin forms

OptinMonster is the most potent conversion optimization service will help you convert leaving website visitors into subscribers and customers.

As an alternative of appending unexciting sign up forms to your sidebar, you can easily create high-converting opt-in forms like lightbox popups, fullscreen welcome mat, inline forms, floating header and footer bars, slide-in scroll boxes, and more.

Now what put OptinMonster to be a really powerful tool is the behavior its automation and personalization features.

OptinMonster lets you to automatically display several opt-in forms according to where your user is coming from, which page they are visiting, and what activity are they doing on your website.

For instance, the Exit-Intent® feature monitors your users mouse actions and display them a targeted opt-in form at the exact second they are about to leave. This helps you convert a leaving visitor into subscribers.

This is why blog influencers like Michael Hyatt, Neil Patel, and Social Media Examiner use exit-intent on their websites. Exit-Intent® helped Social Media Examiner increase their subscribers by 95,000 in 7 months.

Getting Started on How to Build Email List the Right Way

Now let walk through how to start building your email list? At this point, we’ll be listing the precise stages you need to follow.

Step 1. A Good Email List Marketing Services

Once you want to start to build email list, a good email service is what you first need. And right now, after cautiously weighing up every single email marketing service provider, we can definitely say Constant Contact is a GREAT pick.

Our reasons are:

Constant Contact makes email service easy. Particularly if you want to automate your email marketing.

In addition, …

You can Try Constant Contact

When it comes to easy service, it’s far better?

Presently, yes, that link is an affiliate link. On the other hand, we really believe it’s an outstanding email service, mainly for small businesses, bloggers, online business owners, and more.

Related Article: Getting started with a marketing campaign.

Step 2. Grow Your Email List

After getting yourself a good email marketing service, it’s now time to grow your email list, so…,

How Do I grow my Email list?

Well, growing your email list requires tactic, how? You may want to ask.

If you want individuals to sign up for your email list, you should to a giveaway to motivate them to give you their email addresses and name.

What do I give away?

It varies, nevertheless here’s a short list:

1.         A Special Discount or Coupon

Giving out special discount and coupon is very common for online stores. They give away special discount code or a coupon code for people who join the mailing list.

However, the results can be good. If you want people to join your email list, giving them a discount price code or coupon code is a great way to do it.

2.         Free Content

Free content is another common how-to-grow-email-list tactic. If you want people to join your email list, you need to convince them to join. So if it’s not giving away a discount, the next best thing is giving away free quality and special content.

You want to give away content that directly attracts your ideal customer.

Now what format should this content be in?

Your free content can be of either of these formats: video, eBooks, articles.

To deliver this content to people, you need an automated email service, so immediately they subscribe to you list, the content is delivered. (Constant Contact will do this job for you and can be EASILY set up… you can Try Constant Contact now for FREE).

However, there’s something you must not do:

Do Not Proffer “Free Updates.”

Bear in mind, if you are looking for people to sign up, you have to give them a touch of what they want. Now allow me ask you a question…

Do someone ever actually want “Free Updates?” nobody gets up and thinks, “I need some free updates!”

So, it’s either you do a discount giveaway or some content and you’ll see new people optin to your mailing list.

Step 3: Append Your Email List Form On Your Website

At this point that you are aware with what you want to give away, you should put these email signup forms on your website.

If you run a blog,

 But with a general website or store, there’re two great options for you:

1. Add Your Email List Form to Your Website Navigation

Including your email list signup form to your website navigation bar is a great way to grow your email list.

This will helps keep your email list “promise” front and center. And it reminds your visitors to signup if they haven’t signed up yet.

2. Add Your Email List Form to Your Menu Bar.

Your website menu bar shouldn’t only include a link to “About,” “Contact,” “Careers,” and that’s it.

Most people who visit your site do not care about these links. They visit your site to learn about your business. So you should change it to specific content pages that you know people who read your site would be interest in.

So I recommend you ensure that each page asks people to sign up for email updates.

So, in summary: include a link to email signup form pages in your “Menu” as a way to attract people to dig deeper.

Step 4: Send a Warm Welcome Email to Your New Subscribers.

Getting started to building your email list begins with personal connections and relationship

So the question is, what welcome email should you send to your new subscribers?

In any case…

A large amount of the email marketing services allows you to send a “Welcome” email. And you should without doubt do it. This is the first step to personal meet, connect and build relationships with your potential customer.

So, what should you include in this welcome email?

I love to keep it intimate and friendly. So, here’s what I do.

Hey, (Your subscriber’s Name)

Thank you for joining my email list.

I’m Aloysius Emmanuel. the founder of Marketing Weblog. I promise to deliver you a free eBook, so here’s the link to the free eBook I promised you.

But I have a quick question:

“What are your worries with right now?”

Even if it’s something small. I’d love to hear more.

I patiently await your reply,
Aloysius Emmanuel.

Why do I ask this question?

To cut a long story short, when my subscriber tells me what their challenges are, it helps me picture out what content I can create for them – A lot of times I transform this content into free giveaways to build my email list.

It also helps me know who my customer is, better.

So, for instance, if you run an ecommerce store that sells men shirts, you may possibly hear your customer say something like: “I’ve bought a handful of other shirts and they always wear away from each other in the wash. I’m expecting your shirt to last longer!”

And now, you’re building your email list – and getting valuable customer insight.

Step 5: Create an Email List Growth Strategy

Now that we’ve gotten this far, you’re most likely going to ask, “How can I in reality build my email list?”

I’m happy you questioned!

Here are a small number of other email list growth strategies that you can begin using… without cost.

First, a number of HORRIBLE advice on how to build an email list are out there on the internet. They say things like:

“Use business cards,” “try telemarketing,” “harass everyone you see in real life.”

But, HELL NO!

These GROWTH strategies do not work. This advice is written by folks who had never built an email list before.

So, this is what I recommend you do as an alternative…

Email List Growth Tip 1.

Create an Enduring Content Creation Strategy

The first list building strategy is creating content on a regular basis. Not just any kind of content. But viral kind of content.

Here’s the reason:

Create viral content inspire people share it. And when people share your content, it gets your “email signup form” in front of large audience and that means more potential email signups!

Viral content is not all about funny videos… or latest music by top celeb… but no. You need to create content that can go viral within your community and niche.

For instance, …

Let’s say as an event photographer. You could create a piece of content like: “This married couple engaged the wrong photographer, and nearly ruined their wedding. Here’s How I saved them.”

Assume if a big name was making plans to get married and they were searching for a photographer, and they saw that headline. Or they had a friend who was getting married in a week or two and they say that. THEY WOULD SHARE IT IN A SECOND!

This is what I mean by viral content. Create content that your perfect customer would want to read… and promote the heck out of it.

Email List Growth Tip 2:

Create Multiple Email List Giveaways

Reflect back on how I stated to you to give away something to start building your email list earlier in this article?

So…

Create a handful of them.

Though not every Tom, Dick, and Harry will want the one thing you’ve created, and that’s why it’s good to have a few different alternatives.

Email List Growth Tip 3:

Create an Email List Popup Form

Look, I and most persons dislikes popups on websites or blog. But popup works just fine.

Here’s the thing though…

Do not use a POPUP that obstructs your entire page. And if you do that Google Search will deal with you severely. So don’t do that.

On the other hand, I’ll advice you use smart popups that won’t block your full page and they work just great.

Email List Growth Tip 4:

Use The Drafting Technique

You’ll need a high value traffic if you really want to build a smart email list, a large amount folks feel they need to pay for that traffic…

…but you can get it for free.

How?

Use “The Drafting Technique.”

Here’s a guide on revolutionary marketing strategy right here, also learn how to use search engine optimization technique to drive tremendous traffic to your website.

Email List Building Strategies and Resources

In building email list, you need the right tools, but have knowledge of how to use them as it should be what makes the most difference.

In terms of email marketing strategy, the main thing you should plan out is segmentation.

What is email list segmentation?

Email list segmentation is the practice of categorizing your subscribers, so you can better brand your emails according to their interest.

Email list segmentation helps you get higher open and click-through rates.

Content giveaways are the highest converting opt-in forms for list segmentations. It’s a method where you offer additional benefit-content at the end of your popular blog posts.

These usually convert 5 times higher than a regular opt-in.

There are a lot of different ways to capture email leads, and WPbeginners has a detail beginner’s guide to lead generation.

To grow your email list, you must learn to attract people with an appealing tactics and I recommend you use a lead magnet.

Highlight Of Lead Magnet

What is a Lead Magnet?

A lead magnet is something remarkable that you give away for free in exchange for an email address.

Creating a lead magnet does not have to cost you anything;

Most lead magnets are digital materials like PDFs, MP3 audio files,

Alternatively, any video you can create at minimal or no cost.

It can be completely anything you desire, so long it provides value to your visitors for free.

Examples Of Some Popular Lead Magnets:

• eBooks
• A cheat sheet of tips or resources
• White papers or case studies
• A webinar
• Free trials or samples
• A free quote or consultation
• Quizzes or a self-assessment
• A coupon

The possibilities are endless!

Advantages of a Good Lead Magnet?

As discussed, a good lead magnet should provide value for free.

Nevertheless, if you want your lead magnet to be highly effective, follow these 5 criteria:

1. It is easily used: Lead magnets can only be effective when the audience uses them,

Therefore, if you send a 300-page proposal, you will not gain any grip.

2. It is Actionable: Lead magnets should provide an actionable tool,

Skill set, or useful information that that compel your audience can apply.

3. Creates visible improvement: People buys products and services that works well.

Your lead magnet will become successful if it provides values.

4. Lead Magnets Are Significant: If your homework about your prospects is done well,

Then, you have no issue crafting out a good lead magnet subject that solves problems.

5. Immediately accessible: People love instant satisfaction, so give it to them immediately.

Now that we have discussed what a lead magnet is and how to create a highly-effective one,

It is high time you create your optin form.

How to Create an Optin Form that Converts?

The purpose of your optin form is to convey the big benefit of your lead magnet,

so your website visitors subscribe to your email newsletters in exchange for getting the lead magnet.

To create an optin form that converts, an optin should have the following components:

1. Appealing headline: Your lead magnet headline should clearly describe the big benefit of its intent.

2. Helpful narrative: Let your description concise, clear and precise? Use bullet points to assist the reader’s eye quickly get what they want.

3. Eye-catching visuals: Including an image to the lead magnet (like a mockup of your eBook) is appropriate. An eye-catching image pointing at the optin is a great way to boost conversions.

4. Simple form: Trying to ask for more than a first name and email address can scare or irritate your visitors. Asking for too much information too soon will ruin your conversions.

5. Persuasive subscribe button: Make sure to use a complementary color for your subscribe button, so that it in actual fact pops out on the page. Using a non-generic email copy that compels people to click immediately (“I need the 7 tools! “) will help greatly.

Once you have created your optin form, installing it on your site is the next step.

14 high-converting places to put your optin form:

• Splash page
• Welcome gate
• Floating bar
• Your site’s header
• Blog archive page
• Within your blog posts
• Your sidebar
• In a timed lightbox popup
• In a scroll box
• Your footer
• Your About page
• Resource pages
• On a designated sign-up page
• In an exit-intent® popup

One of these 14-listed items, is very mandatory if you really want to get as many subscribers as possible.

That is the exit-intent® popup.

An exit-intent® popup is a kind of popup that shows up at the moment the user is about to leave your website.

This popup does not disrupt the reading experience of your users,

But only triggers when the user is about leaving.

The perfect time to ask your users to subscribe is when they are about leaving.

This is where exit-intent® comes to play.

Because they have likely, read through your content and found your site helpful.

exit-intent

Using an exit popup works amazingly great,

For example, Neil Strauss was able to increase conversions 125% with exit intent!

Final Note on How to Build Email List

Look, I at all times say building an email list is one of the cleverest stuffs you could do to grow your business.

Now you can see it through this how-to guide. I also recommended my preferred email marketing service that’ll help you on how to build email list… for newbies. It’s called Constant Contact

You can Try Constant Contact FREE. And a very good alternative is Sendinblue, Converkit – if you have free dollars to spare.

And above all…

Follow all email list growth strategies to help grow your email subscribers.

Until we meet again! I hope you found this helpful. Please share with your families and friends.

Thank you!