Emails have one of the highest conversion rates of any other method of online advertising. While social media seems to get the most attention, there's no way of knowing how many people will see it in their feed. When you send a newsletter to your customer's inbox, you're guaranteed that they'll see it. Providing frequent coupons, behind the scenes content and valuable information will ensure that your audience enjoys your emails so they'll continue opening them in the future. Building a list means that you'll have a chance at multiple sales anytime you run a promotion or launch a new product or service. Small businesses have a lot to gain from growing an email list. Providing a coupon or announcing a new sale can reactivate prior customers and bring them back into your physical store, restaurant or salon over and over again. If you have a service based business like plumbing, landscaping or pest control, sending customers loyalty discounts via email will make your company stand out in their mind. The next time an issue arises, you'll be the first business they'll think about calling. Still, many business owners aren't sure how they can grow their list, and a lot of information about the topic found online focuses on internet and ecommerce businesses, not traditional brick and mortar locations. At iBoost, we help businesses of all sizes increase their online presence and grow their audience. After helping many business owners from around the country, we've learned a lot about the practical ways that companies just like yours can grow their email list in creative ways.
Use an Opt In Form on Your Website
The first step is to use an email marketing software system like MailChimp or InfusionSoft to keep track of your list and send out your professional newsletter campaigns. No matter which company you decide to run with, you can easily connect your account with a contact form that is embedded in your web pages and blog posts. There are many varieties of opt in forms available including pop ups, sidebars, slide in, full page takeover, above the fold and more. The most important thing to remember is to make your forms user friendly, attractive and easy to locate.
Encourage People to Subscribe on Your Social Media Accounts
Facebook pages, twitter profiles, Instagram bio's and other social media features all provide ways for your followers to find out more about you. Make it easy for your audience to either sign up for your list right from a pinned post, or have a clickable link in a prominent location that leads them to a sign up page.
Create a Premium Member Program
Rather than saying "sign up for our email list", position the subscription as something special. Create a Premium Member program where they get "exclusive content" and "members only discounts". They will be more likely to sign up if they know they can't get these deals any other way. Make sure you follow up with your promise by creating weekly coupons, extra blog posts, videos and more. This will increase the chances that they'll open the emails and take action.
Put Your Website URL on Business Cards, Flyers and Offline Advertisements
Many small businesses market with both online and offline methods. Though online promotion is a must in today's tech savvy society, traditional adverting can still play an important role for local small business owners. Make sure that your URL is located on all printed materials. Whether it's a t shirt, tote bag, newspaper ad, business card or event flyer, always include your web address. This will direct more traffic to the pages that have an opt in form and will help you grow your list faster. If they come into your store, but never visit your site, you might miss an opportunity to collect their email.
Request Feedback Via an Online Form for a Discount on Next Purchase
This is a great technique for all small businesses, but works especially well for service based local businesses. Building contractors, roofers, plumbers, electricians and similar companies can ask their customers for feedback. If you incentivize the request with future discounts or even a small percentage off their current bill, you have a better chance they will give you their email address. You can embed a form on your site or in an email you send them that includes the option to sign up for your member program or newsletter. As an added bonus, you'll get a chance to collect positive testimonials that can boost your reputation for future clients, and you can direct them to leave reviews on sites like Yelp.
Are You Ready to Take Your Online Marketing to the Next Level? Contact iBoost Today
Want to implement email marketing in your small business? Let the experts at iBoost take care of the hard work so you can focus on running your business. You'll increase your customer reach and grow your revenue without having to take on more overhead or extra responsibilities. Our team has helped many businesses in cities around the country improve their SEO and online marketing efforts, and are ready to do the same for you.
