Ben T. Smith, IVThere’s a lot you need to do to have an effective email marketing program. We just covered the types of emails you should be constantly sending out. You also need to be engaging with your subscriber list. Oh, and the better you curate your list, the better you’ll be able to provide a more fulfilling experience for your audience.
Of course, all of this super hard work comes after an even harder task: Growing your subscriber list. We’re only half kidding with all of this: All that work is necessary, but none of it needs to be hard. It’s daunting, sure, but so is staring down an 18-inch pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and ranch. And just like scarfing that ‘za, growing your subscriber list is a thoroughly rewarding experience. And we’re here to help! We picked out six tips from our wildly successful ebook on growing your audience…
…to help you get started. Of course, we recommend you download the whole book (it’s free!) but, hey, we aren’t pushy.
6. The More Obvious The Better
Plain and simple: If you want to increase your subscriber list, you need to make it easy for people to, well, subscribe.
Your efforts shouldn’t be relegated to cramming a tiny “subscribe” button in the top right corner of your website. Put the option EVERYWHERE. Literally. If a unique visitor goes to your site, throw a pop over their way that maybe even has an incentive for subscribing to your emails. Did you have a transaction with someone? Make sure your transactional emails have a “subscribe” option plain and proud.
It may seem like this is an obvious thing to do, but many people resign themselves to the passive approach. Don’t be passive, your subscribers deserve better than that. This is probably the most qualified email sign up you’ll gain too as they navigated to your website. It’s organic. Be omni-present and really sell the sign-up.
5. Simplify Your URLs
We know what you’re thinking: What do my URLs have to do with my subscriber list? Well, everything, really. Before this crazy experiment we call the Internet came around, word of mouth was a marketers best tool. And when you’re relaying information, the shorter and sweeter the better for remembering purposes. The same holds true today: If someone thinks you have a slammin’ website, they should be able to tell their friends about it without having to get an aneurysm remembering your URL to the letter. (We’re looking at you, www.doughnutshopbutmakesurewhenyoutellpeopletheyspelldoughnutcorrectly.com.)
People should be able to rattle off your website without a hitch, and because you followed step No. 6, the chances of gaining new subscribers only increases from there.
4. Pick The Right Social Networks For Your Site
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: All huge social media outlets, all may not be quite right for your brand. Despite being some of the most commonly used, there are hundreds of social media sites out there that are just right for you to capitalize on. And before you go signing up for all of them, realize that you don’t need to. After all, nobody likes a whiff of jelly spread over as many biscuits as possible. No, they’ll take a couple absolutely slathered in it.
So how do you know which outlets need to be dripping in your jelly? Hey, sounds like a good time to engage your subscribers with an email! Asking your users will not only give you a good idea of where they spend most their time, but it will create a new level of immersion for them.
Once you hone in on the top sites they use, you can concentrate your efforts on them and not only are you showing your current folks you care about them, but now you’re exploring entirely new avenues to rope in some new subscribers. Plus, the best part: It’s been shown that customers who engage with you on social media and receive your newsletter are the most likely to make a purchase.
3. Make Some Shareable Content
Now that you’re dominating your social game, it’s time to get in a good habit of providing some shareable content in your emails. And it doesn’t have to be something like asking your subscribers to share an article you wrote about how to grow your email list. It could be as simple as putting together an awesome picture or infographic for a newsletter or a promotion, and sending it out. Refer-a-friend campaigns are great also. If pulled off correctly, not only will your email list grow but you’ll see a boost in your evenue also.
Whatever course you take, make sure it’s easy to digest and share: Short, simple, and rad-looking will help to increase the reach of what you’re hoping your subscribers will post to their social media outlets.
2. Get Some Ads Going
In the past, Internet ads have gotten some bad press. Once a cesspool for viruses, awaiting some unknowing sap to click, nowadays everybody’s getting in on the ad game — so much so that some sites’ revenue is mostly generated by them. So there’s no reason you shouldn’t be hitting up Google or LinkedIn or Facebook for some quick pay-per-click ad campaigns. It’ll be money well spent and that hot tub full of spring water you want for the office can always wait.
Another avenue involves using other newsletters to build the audience for your newsletters. It’s very Chris Nolan, but bigger newsletters that cater to those in your industry can be a great tool for gaining new subscribers.
1. Get Offline
Your options are limited to online only. It turns out that there was a time when people used to talk to each other face-to-face and, hey, that held up for a good long time. If your business has an actual brick-and-mortar store, make sure employees are offering to sign customers up for your newsletter — or put a sign-up sheet at the cash register.
Trade shows and industry events relevant to you. These are great ways to get your face out there and grab some new subscribers. Additionally, it’s a good opportunity to pick the brains of your peers for some tactics that worked well for them.
Heck, you can also get out there and promote yourself by hosting your own event. Not only will this be a good way to show your current subscribers that they’re what counts, but you can make it a great opportunity to rope in new ones. Throw in free punch and pie as an incentive for showing up because who doesn’t love punch and pie?
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