Strategies To Grow Your Small Business Email Marketing List

Email marketing remains one of the most powerful marketing tools for small businesses. It boasts an impressive ROI and allows businesses to reach customers on a personalized level.

It’s critical to deliver valuable content your readers look forward to receiving in order to reap the rewards of email marketing.

As we explore strategies to increase your email subscriber list, focus on what you know about your ideal customer. This lens will guide you in generating genuine customer email interest.

Use Lead Magnets to Collect Contact Information

Many businesses offer incentives (discounts, free resources, etc.) in exchange for people’s contact information. This can be an effective strategy to grow your email marketing list.

Some common ideas for lead magnets include:

• Checklists
• eBooks
• Coupons
• Quizzes
• Plans, recipes, or instructions
• Samples
• Templates
• Free trials

Lead magnets can attract potential customers to learn more about your business. It’s critical to remember that you must follow up and cultivate the relationship to lead them toward becoming a loyal customer.

Leverage Gated Content

Content gating places valuable content behind an opt-in form that requires people to share their contact information to gain access.

One side benefit of this strategy is that your business continues to grow your library of valuable information. It’s best to consistently add content to your library to take full advantage of this strategy. This ensures that readers will return for more useful information and view your business as a trusted industry expert.

• Start by creating a membership site to ensure your content is available only to subscribers.
• Design a landing page that has a prominent, appealing opt-in form for user sign-ups.
• Consider promoting your landing page link through social media and on your website.
• Monitor your metrics. Your organization can identify returning leads and their behavior.
• Use your gathered information to send personalized email.

Add Email Sign-Up Forms to your Website

Optimizing your website with noticeable, visually appealing sign-up forms can boost email sign-ups. Add email opt-in links to the critical pages of your website: hub pages, blog, and pages with higher traffic rates. Website visitors should not have to look for an email opt-in form.

Capture Contact Information at Events

Webinars and online events can be great strategies to attract, educate, and build trust with your ideal customers. Requiring registration for all events allows you to collect contact information and grow your email list.

Similarly, small businesses should always seek to gather contact information at in-person events, including (but not limited to):

• Trade Shows
• Conferences
• Industry-related events
• Community events
• Workshops
• Business networking meetings
• Meetups

To collect emails, you can use a clipboard and paper, an iPad/Tablet, text to join, or a QR code. Consider using a program or app that helps you organize your contact information.

As you build your email subscriber list, regularly review open and click-through rates and remove inactive email addresses. This offers you a clearer picture of your starting point, real growth, and marketing data. This process will lead you to what works best for your small business.