If you’re just getting started in email marketing or considering taking the leap, you may be wondering about what it takes to grow your email list. How do you get people to sign up to receive your emails? It’s not terribly difficult.
Here are some great ways—online and off—to capture email leads and continue to generate awareness of your products and services. Its certainly not an exhaustive list, but these are the key ways to stay connected to the people who are already interested in what you do!
- Website and social media sign-up forms. After setting up an email marketing account, there is code that can be generated to place on your website. Visitors to your site will fill out the form and, like magic, they are now a member of your list! Facebook also has sign up form integration capabilities for your business page, so make sure you take advantage of these digital means of gathering leads.
- Special events. Photobooths aren’t just for weddings anymore! Corporate events, conferences, and special storefront events are great opportunities to hire social media savvy photobooths. Your customers will want to get in on the action with your business’ fancy filter and share their pictures in social media. But first, you can capture their email address and cell phone number where the image is sent. You get their contact info for a longer-term marketing strategy and in the short term, they become an influencer for your business on their social media page. Learn more about this strategy from Midwest Selfies.
- Point of Sale. At some point during the check-out process, just ask! Utilize a POS system that allows you to gather information about your customers and enter their email address right there—with their permission. This will increase your ability to promote your future sales and events. If your POS system doesn’t accommodate the gathering of that information, simply ask and have a growing list you can enter in to your email marketing platform later. This can also be an aspect of your online shopping cart check-out process.
- Contests. People love FREE and will almost always give you an email address for a chance to win something. Have a fishbowl for business cards or sign up slips and once a month plan some sort of give-away. In the meantime, you’re growing your list and increasing sales! The old saying that you have to spend money to make money is true, but you don’t always have to spend much to see a return on your investment.
- Special offers. Do your customers want to get 20% off in the store or online? Special offers to anyone who provides an email address is a strategic way to gather more leaders. Not only do people love a good sale, but their willingness to spend money makes them a lot lead and a valuable member of your email list. You can utilize this method with free downloads on your website as well.
Email capture is worth the effort because it keeps you in front of the people who are already interested in what you do. Don’t neglect the opportunities to connect with people who have already made purchases or have sought information. You’re on their radar, so don’t let them forget about you!