TL;DR – How to Grow Your Email List:
- Discount codes
- Free shipping
- Bonus gift
- First access to new products
- Waitlist for restocked products
- Referral and VIP program bonuses
Email marketing for eCommerce can be highly effective at boosting sales so it’s worth it to grow your email list for your online store.
16. Start a Referral Program
Existing customers and clients can be a wonderful source of leads. They already have experience with your brand and many don’t even need an incentive to refer you to their friends.
But a formal referral marketing strategy can make the process more efficient and rewarding for everyone. You can set up a simple referral form popup with OptinMonster that can collect both the name of the new referral and the existing customer.
17. Send Engaging Email Content
This often gets overlooked, but the best way to grow your email list may be to hang onto existing subscribers. After all, you’ve already done the hardest work of convincing them to sign up. Don’t let that effort go to waste by sending boring emails, or worse, nothing at all.
Here are some ideas for what to send in your email marketing campaigns:
- Helpful content like how-to guides, blog posts, podcast episodes, and YouTube videos
- Promotional content like new product announcements, coupons, and case studies
- Timely content like event invitations and webinars
- Informational content about your business story, job postings, and behind-the-scenes sneak peaks
You don’t have to email every day, but you should try to send emails regularly so that subscribers know when they can expect to hear from you.
18. Segment Your Email List
Email segmentation is the practice of dividing your subscriber list into groups based on demographics, purchase behavior, and other characteristics. You send different content to different segments. Segmentation can significantly increase conversions and grow your email list because you’re sending relevant content that subscribers actually want.
Some segments you can create in your email list include:
- Purchase history
- Website activity
- Location
- Content interest
- Stage of the sales funnel
- Demographics
- Device and email client
19. Maintain High Deliverability
There’s little point to growing your email list if none of your subscribers open or even see your emails. That’s why you need to manage your email deliverability carefully.
Never try to take a shortcut by buying an email list. This is illegal in many places and will definitely get you lots of unsubscribes and spam reports. This will severely hurt your email deliverability even to legitimate subscribers.
Make it easy for subscribers to manage their preferences or even unsubscribe. While it hurts to lose subscribers, it’s better for them to unsubscribe than to report your email as spam.
If you’re switching from one email service provider to another, you may need to “warm up” your list by sending from the new ESP in batches. A large number of emails from a new account may trigger spam warnings.
Email deliverability tends to be a self-reinforcing cycle. Once your deliverability starts to drop, it can trigger deliverability issues elsewhere. So stay ahead of these problems with email verification tools to ensure high list quality and deliverability.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Grow An Email List
What Is an Email List?
An email list is a collection of email addresses that a business, organization, or individual gathers from people interested in receiving updates, offers, or other communications.
How can I get more people to subscribe to my email list?
To encourage people to subscribe to your email list, you can offer them something valuable in exchange, like a discount code or a free resource. This is called a lead magnet and we have a tutorial for how to create a lead magnet if you need help getting started. You can also make it easy for people to sign up by placing a signup form on your website or social media pages.
What kind of content should I send to my email subscribers?
The content you send to your email subscribers should be relevant and valuable to them. This could include updates on your business, special offers, helpful tips or advice, or exclusive content that is not available elsewhere. Check out our list of newsletter ideas for inspiration. Also, read 8 Product Recommendation Email Examples to Drive Sales.
How often should I send emails to my subscribers?
The frequency of your emails will depend on your business and your audience. Generally, it’s a good idea to send at least one email per month. You don’t want to send too many and overwhelm your subscribers. But if you don’t email often enough, subscribers may forget who you are and why they signed up for your list. This can lead to higher unsubscribe rates. One of the best solutions is to ask your subscribers how often they want to hear from you.
How can I make sure my emails don’t end up in the spam folder?
To avoid having your emails end up in the spam folder:
- make it easy for subscribers to unsubscribe if they want to
- use a reputable email service provider
- include a clear and specific subject line
- avoid using too many images or links
Should I buy an email list?
It’s much better to grow your email list organically by encouraging people to sign up through your website or social media pages. Buying email lists can result in a low-quality list and may violate anti-spam laws.
How can I increase the open rate and click-through rate of my emails?
To increase the open rate and click-through rate of your emails, you can use a clear and specific subject line, personalize your emails, segment your email list, and include a clear call-to-action.
How can I measure the success of my email marketing efforts?
You can measure the success of your email marketing efforts by tracking metrics like open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates. You can use an email service provider to help track these metrics.
Conclusion: Growing Your Email List Can Be Easy!
We hope this list gave you some ideas for how to grow your email list. As you can see, the best ways to grow your email list don’t have to be expensive or difficult. You just need to be strategic about:
- Inviting new subscribers to join your list
- Offering compelling reasons to subscribe
- Keeping existing subscribers engaged with your emails
Next, check out the best email marketing automation tools and some more proven tips on getting more email subscribers. For the best bulk email services to reach a wider target audience, explore the Top 10 Best Bulk Emails Services in 2024.
Best wishes as you grow your email list!
Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that we believe will add value to our readers.
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