Nowadays, you need an email for almost anything. Signing up for games, making accounts, sending invitations, etc. But email has an even stronger purpose – email marketing.
Most people don’t use this service as a tool to promote their content. And that is a big mistake. You need to think of your email list as an even closer group of people than, let’s say, Facebook followers. Because you are reaching out directly to them via email, and that creates a close relationship.
But how do you do that? It is simple, perfect your opening line, make sure your emails aren’t dry and be personal with them.
Still, you need to make sure those emails bring in conversions, and here is how you can make that happen.
Be personal
First, put yourself in the position of an email receiver. You do not like long and bland emails, with no personality. When you are reading the email, it almost sounds like a computer had written it. So you will just mark it as spam, or you will delete it.
The best way to avoid the spam folder is to be personal. The email must seem as if an individual wrote it. Not just like somebody used a template and hit send.
And to be even more special, you can add a reply button, so that the receiver can contact you.
You need to remember that you are writing to a human being, and not just creating a flier. So it is also good to end the email with a statement saying that if they need any information, you are available to them.
Sharing
You can’t make your subscribers forward your email. But you can suggest it. There is nothing to lose. And people who get the email forwarded will most likely subscribe to you because they trust that person.
Also, your emails should have a subscribe button for new people. If your loyal subscribers forward your email, you want the new ones to be able to subscribe. Right?
With this strategy and with the help of your loyal subscribers, you will get new people who are interested in your products. And that’s a WIN.
Social media
As always, you can use your social media platforms as a way to get those loyal customers, which are not on your email list, yet. But you need to be smart about it!
We believe that with the right strategy on social media, your email list will grow with loyal customers. How to do that? Well, it is simple. Create a Contest!
With this, you are exposing your page and your products to a wider audience. Also, the more prizes you decide to give, the more people will join. Imagine if bingo only gave one prize, how many people would participate in that?
But your goal is not to just give prizes – it is to invite people to your site, and from there get them to enter their email. And voila, you have achieved your goal.
Opt-In Forms
These types of forms are also a great way to pick up new customers. But, most sites use the pop-up window as soon as you open the site. Which is not the best way of doing it. Would you subscribe to something without even knowing what it is? Of course not. That is like buying a car without giving it a test drive.
The best placement for an opt-in form is on the sidebar of your website, at all times, or, after an article. Just keep in mind that people will most likely enter their email address after they have read about your products.
Other placement options you could use are, on the footer of your site, header, and on the About Us page.
A different page for guest visitors
When we say guest visitors, we mean people who came to your site from a guest post on another blog. If they found your post interesting, and are curious about you, they will check you out. To make that happen, you will use your skills to transfer them to a page of your own created just for them.
With guest posts, you are already reaching a new audience, and you want them to come to your site, and be on your mailing list. And you can do that if you already have a similar article on your site that you can link it to your guest post. Assuming you have an opt-in form under that post.
Remember, if they are reading your article, they are your target group. They just need a little push from you in order to end up on your site and mailing list.
Give subscribers more choices
What you don’t want to see is people unsubscribing from you. This could mean that they are overwhelmed with your emails. It does not mean that they are not interested in your products.
If this happens, what you can do is create another offer. Create different options so that they can choose which one they like the best. You can create offers like 1 email per week or 1 email per month. Your goal is to make them stay on the list of subscribers and not lose them.
One time offers
This is, arguably, the best way of converting subscribers into buyers. When you make an offer for them to buy something from you with a discount of let’s say 25% or even 50% they will most likely buy it.
You can also add that, if they invite 2 more people to subscribe, they will get an additional discount. With that strategy, you get new subscribers and a subscriber who is now a buyer.
Email preview
I guess we all are a little bit curious and tend to read the email preview, just to see what the email is about. Well, in the email marketing business, your first line is crucial. If you want your reader to open your email, you need to think of the first sentence.
Your first words need to grab the attention of the reader so that he/she has no choice but to open your email. Most people don’t pay attention to this part, but it will for sure be a game-changer.
Overall
In the end, don’t forget to take care of the customers who are already subscribed. Focus on growing your list, but also, nurture your existing subscribers.
Be personal with your emails. Try to create a bond. That’s the crucial thing.
Don’t let your emails be way too dry, or generic. And f you see people unsubscribing, take a moment and brainstorm what could be the reason, and how you can improve that.
These steps above will surely help you grow your list, and keep people on it as well.
