Email marketing (e.g. promotional emails and e-Newsletters) is one of the most useful tools for directly reaching your target audience and loyal customers.
So how do you start building an email list?
Kind of a given in this day and age of spam—everybody gets spam and everybody is ticked off by it—so the pre-tip here is that the list must be acquired with permission from your clients! This also builds your professional credibility.
Sidenote: I once joined a professional networking organization. I opted to be on the organization’s mailing list to get information about future meetings. When the organizer used that list for her own mailing list as a personal life coach, I wasn’t the only one in the group whose feathers were ruffled by this blatant act of shmarmi. The lesson is, people know when you’re being shmarmi, and they don’t like it. The last thing you want to do is send that kind of message from the get go!
Now on to the meaty goodness of creating a successful and effective email list for delivering your branding, product and services info, and promotions to the people who are dying to get it:
1. Inquire Face-to-Face.
Ask your existing clients when you see them if they would like to sign up for your monthly/bi-weekly newsletter to receive your latest and greatest promotions, event info. and current community events regarding your industry/product/service. When you let them know that you think they could benefit from your free offering, more often than not your customer will want to see what it’s all about.
2. Link it up by displaying easy online inquires on your blog, website, and social media pages.
Ask clients and prospective clients online to join your email list by first setting up with an e-newsletter service, and then using an html button to link to your member sign-up page.
These tools make it easy to reach your client. They will be able to see the sign-up list on your blog, on your website, Facebook, and any other social media you choose to drive traffic. Sign up requires a name and an email and snap. You’ve got an emai list easily managed by your e-newsletter provider.
By the way, there are several of these services that are worthy of your business. It all depends on what you need and which one you prefer to meet those needs.
Check out:
- My fave: Mad Mimi
- Constant Contact,
- Mail Chimp,
- AWeber, or
- Vertical Response,
to name a few.
3. Include your links on all of your collateral—and show your clients what they’re missing!
Your business cards, rack cards, brochures, you name it, they should all sport your links, especially when you’re trying to build your e-list. Include your web address, twitter address, Facebook address, and blog address, all methods that should lead to your sign-up page. Make it easy for your clients and potential clients to find you.
You can promote your newsletter by including a teaser of the latest issue or link to your newsletter archives on your social media site updates and as part of your email sign off.
Printing out a sample of your e-newsletter for those of your clients who come to your office or shoppe is a great way to let them know that you’re offering an easy way to keep in touch with your promotions and events.
And one more thing…
Creating a free offer that goes with their email newsletter sign-up doesn’t hurt!
Do you have an e-book or e-pamphlet full of valuable info that would benefit your clients and potential customers? Free offers are extremely helpful in creating trust for lasting relationships as well as email lists.
Happy e-list creating and luck in your prose!
