Growing your email list is a vital activity for online marketing to build any business today. It’s the difference between borrowing leads on social media platforms that can disappear at any time and owning your leads for long-term customer engagement.
The problem for many entrepreneurs is how to consistently grow your email list with the right kind of leads that will turn into ideal customers into long-term clients.
If you want to increase your qualified leads through email marketing, implement these five key actions:
1. Know Your Ideal Client
The first step to growing your list is to make ensure that the people who join are the ones you actually want on it. Having a list full of people who you dread working with is frustrating and will hinder your success. Be clear on your “client avatar”. Ask yourself questions like these: Who are they? What do they do? How much do they earn? What are their interests? What stage of life are they in? Where do they live? Do they have kids? Are they married? Do they own a business? Etc.
2. Engage With Them Where They’re Already Hanging Out
The reality is that your ideal clients are already engaged somewhere online. If you want to grow your email list, join the forums and online groups where they are. Connect and contribute in meaningful ways inside these groups. Rather than focusing on attracting them to your group from scratch, find the groups they’re already in and connect with them there.
PRO TIP: to expedite your list growth, consider running paid ads while simultaneously connecting organically.
3. Develop and Offer Highly Valuable Content
As you engage with the people you want to reach, pay attention to what they need help with or their desires. Then, develop free valuable content to offer them as a way to introduce yourself and build credibility. Create videos, PDF guides, ebooks, etc. that meet their needs or desires. This will be the “bait” you’ll use to connect with qualified leads online.
PRO TIP: don’t spam other people’s groups. Seek to connect and serve first and offer help when appropriate.
4. Serve Your List Consistently
Once someone has opted into your email list, build a relationship with them through consistent communication. Share more valuable information. Ask them questions to receive feedback about their ongoing needs and desires. Use their answers as future content to reach more people like them and grow your list exponentially. Think of your email broadcasts and campaigns as a way to nurture a relationship as you would do with someone standing right in front of you physically.
5. Ask for Referrals
Once you have gained their trust as a credible resource or guide, ask them to share your posts or email content with others whom they believe can benefit. Allow them to become your “street team” members who help spread the word about you and your business. It’s amazing what people are willing to do for those who help them!
When you implement these five key actions, you’ll begin to grow your list and, in turn, grow your business. Once people are on your email list, you can contact them whenever you like. You can continue to build a relationship with them and learn new ways to serve them. When this happens, you will shift from having a generic “faceless crowd” list to having a network of valuable relationships with people who become raving fans.
If you would like help building a business around your message that generates consistent income month after month, then check out Design Launch Grow today!
You’ll have full access to our business-building training videos, live weekly coaching calls, and a private Facebook community full of entrepreneurs navigating their own entrepreneurial journeys together.