Did you know that your email marketing database declines by about 22.5% every year?* Your database may change as people move jobs, contacts switch email providers, and customers decide to opt out of receiving your business’ emails. It’s important to have a strategy in place to keep current contacts engaged and make up for lost contacts by growing your email database of customers. Keeping your customers and prospects updated on business news, products, announcements and promotions is essential, and having a quality and up-to-date email marketing list is the perfect tool to make this happen. Here are six tips on how to build an email marketing list.
Create Interesting and Relevant Email Content
Before you start building your email list, make sure you have enough content to be sending to customers on a regular basis. You don’t want to spend a ton of time building the perfect list just to find out you have nothing to send. Take the time to develop a monthly or quarterly content calendar of upcoming important events, promotions, announcements, etc. That way, you have a plan to keep the email communications flowing and consistent.
Sign-Up Sheet
If you have a brick and mortar business, start building your email list with a paper sign-up sheet where customers provide their email addresses to be included in future updates. A great way to get people to sign up is to give an incentive. For example, you could give each customer a discount code or coupon for registering, or create a raffle for a chance to win store credit. Promoting the incentive doesn’t have to be limited to in-store visits--you can share the contest online and on your social pages to spread the word.
Create an Email Sign-Up Button
A great way to add more customers to your email list is to have a prominent “Sign-Up” button on your digital marketing components. This includes your website homepage, all social media pages, the checkout page of your site, etc. Anywhere current and potential customers visit frequently is where you want to place this opt-in button.
Social Sharing Option
Make sure to have a social media sharing option or a “Forward to a Friend” button embedded in all your marketing emails. This is a great way to get access to new networks, friends and potential clientele who might sign up for your list. Most email marketing programs like MailChimp or Constant Contact offer tools to add these features to your email. Keep your content fresh and interesting, that way customers will want to forward or share your content with their family and friends.
Find a Partner
Identify another business that shares your target audience and partner with them on a promotion or content offer such as an e-guide. For example, if you own a flower shop you could investigate local bridal stores to partner with on a promotion for people planning their wedding. Collaborate with the partner on promoting the incentive you’ve developed and swap the email addresses you collect.
Utilize Traditional Marketing
Does your company participate in trade shows, conferences or other similar events? If so, this is a great opportunity to collect email addresses for your list. Network with different people at these events, and once you get their email addresses make sure to send them a welcome email, so they can confirm their opt-in to your list.
Lakeland Bank offers a full range of business banking services to support independently owned businesses, including online services, business loans, and cash management solutions. Our Customer Service Team can be reached at 866-224-1379.
*Marketing Sherpas research shows that B2B data decays at a rate of 2.1% per month. This is an annualized rate of 22.5%.