Have you heard the saying “it’s all in the list”? Email list, that is. That’s right, email marketing is the key to success for so many businesses, both big and small.
But what about Instagram?
I hear this a lot – and don’t get me wrong, social media is important! It’s a chance to build your brand, expand your reach, and connect with potential customers and partners in your niche. But, as I often like to say, likes don’t pay the bills.
And if you aren’t transitioning your social media followers off of the app and onto a place you own (hint: your website or your email list), then chances are, they won’t end up taking much action in your business aside from the occasional like or comment.
The Power of the List
Another reason that I think email marketing is sooo important is that it’s your main opportunity to connect with your audience directly. While social media posts might or might not get seen by your followers due to ever-changing algorithms, emails let you connect with your people right in their inbox.
Think of it as the marketing tactic that is most like sitting down for a one-on-one coffee date with a friend. It’s personal. It’s targeted. And it’s a great way to create connection.
Now that you are fully bought in on why email is so important, let’s talk about how to get people on your list in the first place. These strategies go way beyond adding a subscribe button to the bottom of your website.
What I’ve found to be most successful in growing an email list is to provide value. This often comes in the form of a free resource, which can take so many unique and varied forms.
By offering value and support, you are showing your target customers that you can help them solve x, y, or z pain points. It’s essentially a proving ground for your expertise and superior products or services. This sets the stage for you to further your relationship with your audience, and hopefully, eventually turn them into a paying customer.
So what are some ways you can offer value to your audience? Here are four unique and impactful ways to grow your email list.
1. Provide a Free Training or Webinar
Offering a free training in the form of a live or recorded webinar is a great way to gather new subscribers. This might sound intimidating, but I promise you, it’s less work than it sounds! If going live sounds too stressful for you, offering a pre-recorded webinar is just as valuable and has the benefit of being evergreen.
Simply pick a topic that you are an expert in, or even invite an expert to join you to talk about a specific topic. Focus on pain points for your audience or common questions and requests that you receive.
To access the webinar, create a sign-up form with your email provider. After the webinar is over, you have a targeted list of new subscribers that you know are interested in a specific category or topic so that you can continue serving them more value and offers via email.
2. Create a Challenge
Social media or email challenges are another awesome way to grow your list. Similar to a webinar, you want to pick a topic that is a pain point for your audience. After you nail your topic down, consider these factors:
- How long do you want the Challenge to be?
- What content will you provide each day?
- What end result will Challenge participants receive?
- How will you promote your Challenge to get sign-ups?
- Will it be a live or an evergreen Challenge?
- Where will you host your Challenge?
- What comes after the Challenge – i.e. what are the next steps for your audience?
There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but they are all important to consider when formulating your strategy. If you need inspiration, check out my 5 Day Caption-Writing Challenge (and join if you haven’t yet!)
3. Make a Quiz
Have you ever gotten swept up in the latest Buzzfeed quiz, and before you know it you’ve spent half an hour totally consumed with finding out which Game of Thrones character you are or what job you are destined for?
We’ve all been there – online quizzes are fun and surprisingly addicting! They are also an easy way to grow your email list.
Just pick an online provider and start creating a quiz that helps answer a pain point for your customer. Share your quiz on social media and your website, and you’ll be surprised at how many subscribers start rolling in!
4. Provide a Guide
Do you have a great blog that consistently gets views and comments? Or do you find yourself answering the same questions over and over again for potential customers? Consider making a guide!
This can be a simple PDF download that requires an email address to access. The guide should be a go-to resource for your audience that is both informative and easy to understand.
Having trouble thinking of a topic? I’ve found that almost any blog post can be turned into a free guide – take this one for example! I could create a “4 Great Ways to Grow Your Email List” guide that highlights the 4 strategies described here. Package it as a PDF and create an opt-in form, and ta da! You are on your way to growing your list.
What’s the best strategy you’ve found for growing your email list? Tell me below!
With Gratitude,
