When it comes to return on investment, EDM is big business. However, one specific query remains, especially if you’re starting from scratch – how to build an email list?
As we became more comfortable (and reliant) on computers, email marketing was one of the first digital strategies used to connect with new and existing customers. In fact the first email marketing blast was sent in 1978. Some would say that since then, email marketing has died – but with 106.2 trillion emails sent every year, this couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s just changed.
When actioned well, benefits associated with email marketing include:
- You Can Target Your Audience – Your email subscribers are already interested in your brand or business, which of course cuts down targeting significantly. You’re controlling who sees your content, and it eliminates the guesswork.
- Increase Brand Recognition – Your subscribers may already be familiar with what you do, sell or offer, but they might not be ready to buy from you just yet. By “checking in” with them, you’re reminding them about your brand so that you stay relevant with them
- The Results Are Measurable – Engagement levels are relatively easy to measure with email marketing. You can, quite literally, track every single time someone opens your email, who clicks through to your website, and who eventually buys something.
- It’s Cost Effective – You don’t need to pay for advertising space, printing or postage – once the actual content is crafted, you’re good to go. It’s also less time consumed compared to other avenues like PPC, SEO and social media.
The thing about building an email list is that once you have it, you’ve done the hard part already – you have the attention of your audience, so what are you going to do with it?
“The money is in the list.”
Sounds cool, right? This is all conditional on one small factor – you need to have an actual list of subscribers in place. Without them, who’s going to be reading (let alone opening) your emails?
How To Build An Email List
In order to get your email subscriptions pumping, there’s more or less two main components required which include:
- A healthy flow of traffic to your website
- A decent “sign-up” form or widget on your website to collect that traffic
The primary purpose of growing your database of email addresses and subscribers, is ultimately to increase the number of potential leads – just one email address can easily be converted into a loyal shopper for life. So how do you land them?
Get A Good Provider – A big pile of emails is rendered useless if your email service provider doesn’t have the tools that you need. You’re going to want to monitor the analytics – who’s opening what, who receives what, and how much of it you can automate.
Pop Ups And Opt Ins – Pop ups are a divisive marketing tool, and require a lot of thought and attention to get it right. If you go down this route to obtain subscribers, ensure you monitor the triggers that work for you – some have success with ten second blasts, others it’s a full minute.
Offer Value – If you are able to successfully nail the “pop up”, you’re going to need to give users a reason to sign up – especially first time visitors. Depending on the nature of your business, it may range from a discount code, a free e-book, or even entry into a contest.
Monitor Your List – 30% of people change their email address every year, so be sure to monitor who is opening your marketing emails. If they’re inactive over a long period, then it may be time to do a cull.
Market Exclusivity – Your email subscribers should (in theory) be offered unprecedented access and special offers to your products, services, brand or business – they are your VIP’s after all, and marketing this will only encourage more subscribers.
This Sounds Great, But What Do I Write In The Emails?
Insights show that customers who purchase goods through email marketing compared to social media, converts are three times higher in order value. On a global scale, one third of marketers worldwide claim that email marketing provides the best return on investment for their business. If we measure our marketing efforts collectively – well, that’s a pretty attractive set of figures.
If you’re not quite sure where to start on your email marketing or content strategy, why not schedule a free discovery call with us at Content Hive? With digital content done for you, we can help to get your brand buzzing online.
