Think email marketing is gone? Think again. Last year alone, 44 percent of email recipients disclosed to making a purchase based on a promotional email they received.
Email is one of the most personal, customizable forms of online marketing. And it works.
As smart marketers and small business owners, we’re always looking for better ways to build our email lists with qualified leads.
- Offer Coupons
Retail consumers love to get a great deal. Set-up email-gated coupons through your website to generate qualified leads (and receive immediate sales too.) By offering coupons related directly to your products, you’ll only attract prospects who are interested in your particular merchandise.
- Run Contests and Sweepstakes
I like to win; you like to win – your customers like to win too. Run an email contest directly on your website. Use sweepstakes to both promote your business (by giving away a business related prize) and generate leads.
Use contests such as photo contests, photo caption contests, and vote contests to make your website more engaging. You win by getting user-generated content, consumer input – and emails.
- Free Product Catalogs
Do you have a PDF catalog of your products? Upload it to your website. Set up a simple lead generation landing page to allow interested buyers to download it for free (in exchange for an email and name) whenever they want.
- Free eBook
These days you’re most likely blogging. If you’re blogging the correct way, you have a series of interesting or informative articles related to your business.
Take 5-10 well-written articles and turn them into a valuable resource for your market. Give the eBook away for free through an email landing page.
- Free Trial
Let your prospective customer test out your products. Offer away a free trial for a limited time period – all for the mere cost of an email. A free trial attracts warm leads who are just ready to nurture into new buyers. Use the emails to send out timely, personal messages to reel them in.
- Free Quote or Appraisal
If you offer customized pricing, get email leads by setting up a distinct “free quote” landing page. Make it easy for your website visitors to take their interest in you to the next level. Set up an email form on your site to catch those leads, warm them with your charm (and price) and get the sale.
- Personalized Consultation
If you’ve got an awesome sales team (even if that’s just you), a live one-on-one consultation can close the deal. It can also give you very warm emails to keep the relationship going. A lead generation consultation page is a must for your business.
- Live Webinar
Live, free webinars give you the chance to connect and engage with genuinely interested customers. Webinars show your customers that you’re willing to share your expertise for free – and that you understand what you’re talking about.
They take a bit of prep time and you have to make a new webinar for each lead generation opportunity. Maximize your lead generation by recording a series of email webinars.
- How-to Guides
Want to educate your market and be seen as the helpful knowledgeable business leader? Write a number of free how-to guides related to your product or service. Give them away for free on your website through an email landing page.
- Pre-launch Engagement
If you’re starting a new business or product offering, a vital tactic I’ve successfully used is the “launching soon” landing page. Generate emails by marketing your products and giving pre-signups sneak peeks, special deals, and engagement opportunities (such as product name contests, logo vote contests or ebook cover contests). Send out emails to keep the relationship – and anticipation – building.
Written by Krista Bunskoek
Originally posted on ducttapemarketing.com