Growing your Email Marketing List

Email is a productivity tool for most people, and so it is important for marketers to get permission before mailing people. For this reason it is important that marketers work on getting more people on their opt-in email list. 

Setting up List Magnets

Content that is highly attractive can be used to entice people to sign up for your email marketing list. We call this type of content a "list magnet" - in other words it attracts people to sign up to your email list. 

Almost every interaction with customers can be used to gain their permission for you to send them emails. Many emails marketers have found it beneficial to incentivise email sign-ups by offering something valuable, and askinh if they would sign up to your newsletter at the same time.

Examples of valuable content include articles, videos, multimedia, presentations, white papers, gift voucher, music tracks, free attendance to an event, entry into a competition, or simply the offer of exclusive or useful content in a newsletter. 

People want to receive content that is relevant to them, and preferably from a trusted brand. 

Demystifying the Inbox, 2013. Everlytic & Effective Measure

62% of people subscribe to email newsletters for news and expert information

Demystifying the Inbox, 2013. Everlytic & Effective Measure

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Create a compelling email signup page

Once you've decided on what your incentive for signup is going to be (your list-magnet), you should make it as easy and compelling as possible for people to give you their details and permission for your contact. 

Here is an example of a good email landing page (for Treeshake's Social Content Canvas) 

1. Display your trusted brand prominently
2. Remind people why they’re here
3. Sell the benefit
4. Give more information
5. Make it real with a preview- show them what they’re getting
6. Call to action
7. Email opt-in
8. Button-text links to the action
9. Encourage people to share the goodness

BEST PRACTICES FOR SIGN UP FORMS

Above the fold and on every page.

Conventionally in the sidebar of your site

Research shows that sign up forms on  ABOUT PAGES are highly effective. 

Privacy and anti-spam policy for subscribers. Let them know what will their info be used for AND how THEY will benefit

Make the call to action clear, and put it on a nice big button so they can't miss it. 

Test to see that it your email sign-up page is working by testing and optimising it.