How many people walk into your office or store each day?
What about your social media pages or website — how many people visit you there?
Smart businesses know the importance of staying in touch with new and potential customers. And while there are a number of channels you can use to stay connected, no tool is more effective than email marketing.
A recent survey from research firm MarketingSherpa found that 91 percent of consumers like to receive emails from organizations they do business with.
If you want to grow your email list and increase your profitability, there are a few simple steps you’ll need to follow.
1. Make it possible to join wherever
Whether someone is standing at your counter or visiting your website, they need to know that they have the opportunity to stay connected with your company by joining your email list.
Make an inventory of all of the places people interact with your business.
Your office locations may include:
- In-store/office
- At the point of sales
- Events hosted or attended
- Tradeshows/conferences
Online locations may include:
- Website
- Blog
- Social media profiles
- Online listing and review sites
Make sure you provide the opportunity for people to join your email list at all the customer touch points.
2. Make it easy to join
At this point, you may be thinking — “Yes! I’ve heard this before. I know I need to grow my list and I always make sure to ask.” But the next question you need to ask is: Are you making it convenient to sign up?
When it comes to collecting email addresses in-person, a paper sign-up sheet is typically the go-to solution for getting people to join your list. But did you also know that there are tools like mobile apps that give you the ability to collect email addresses right from your smartphone or tablet?
When it comes to collecting email addresses online — whether it’s on your website, blog, or social media pages — convenience will be defined by how quickly and easily someone can join your email list. Short and simple forms only asking for information you plan to use are important as you want the sign-up process to be quick and easy.
3. Make it compelling
People are more likely to share their information when they understand the value of signing up.
One of the best ways to add value for new subscribers is to provide an incentive or offer.
For example:
- Flint Energies, for instance, offers a downloadable guide with 101 Energy Saving Tips.
- My Sister’s Closet, a retail store, offers a 25% coupon to new subscribers.
- Liberty Jane Clothing, a clothing manufacturer, offers two free patterns to subscribers who sign up on their website.
But along with creating an offer, you can make your list compelling by clearly stating the value of your emails to your audience.
For a restaurant like Franklin Cape Ann, that value comes from their monthly event emails that let customers know about seasonal wine dinners and upcoming tastings. For an accounting firm like Davidson & Company, LLP, the value comes from their weekly video emails with financial tips for new and existing clients.
What can people expect from signing up for your mailing list? How often will they hear from you? What type of information will they provide? Why do other people like being on your list?
Use that information to craft an “elevator pitch” for your email list and include it when asking new visitors to sign up.
What can you do today?
There’s a lot to think about when it comes to growing your email list. Here are three things you can do today:
- Make an inventory of all the places you interact with customers: Make sure to include offline and online locations.
- Set up your online opt-in form.
- Craft your elevator pitch: Why should people join your email list? Check in with loyal clients that you know enjoy your emails to find out what they like about being on your list.
Written by Ryan Pinkham.
Originally posted on business2community.com