Launching into the world of email marketing is a smart move – congratulations on starting! While many marketing avenues exist, email stands out as the sole method for sending cost-free, direct messages to a highly interested audience whenever you choose. That’s its power. With email marketing, the average conversion rate is around 15%. In contrast, paid search only sees around 7%. That’s right! Executed effectively, email can generate almost double the conversions of your paid search ads.

Picture this: 15 out of 100 people completing your form or buying your product is already fantastic. Now, imagine applying that 15% conversion rate to hundreds or even thousands of email subscribers. The potential revenue becomes incredibly appealing! This enticing opportunity presents a challenge: converting subscribers is easy, but how do you cultivate a list large enough to significantly impact your profits? That’s precisely what we’ll address today. This post explores seven proven techniques to build a high-converting email list for your small business. By the end, you’ll have the strategies to potentially double, triple, or even multiply your subscriber list by 10! Let’s dive in.

Evaluating Your Email List: What Makes It Effective?

Before building or expanding your email list, grasp what makes it effective. While a large list seems great, lacking the right accompanying information will lead to missed opportunities in your email marketing. Consider these characteristics of a high-performing email list:

Segmentation Made Easy

The goal is to segment your email list based on demographics, interests, past purchases, and more. This means gathering this information from the get-go.

Effortless Personalization

Basic personalization involves including the recipient’s name in the subject or email body. Gather additional data to further personalize campaigns for specific subscribers down the line.

Engaged Subscribers

An email list full of unengaged subscribers or those marking your emails as spam harms your deliverability rates. Declutter your list to create space for engaged subscribers.

Opt-In Confirmation

Your email list should only include individuals who have consented to receive your emails, typically through a checkbox when submitting their email address. You could even implement a double opt-in for added confirmation. Think about the additional information you need from subscribers before creating your list. This will influence your form design and opt-in procedure.

Building Your Email List: Free and Low-Cost Methods

Explore these seven free, affordable, and highly effective methods to expand your email list:

1. Crafting a Compelling Newsletter

A newsletter is one of the best ways to build an email list. It incentivizes subscribers to share their information, is easy to create, and, best of all, it’s free! Your newsletter can include:

• Valuable content from your website or blog
• Customer testimonials and reviews
• Frequently asked questions
• Announcements for upcoming events
• Special offers, promotions, and deals
• New product launches
• Referral and loyalty program details
• And so much more!

A newsletter’s adaptability offers ample chances to engage your audience and maintain an active email list. Encourage newsletter subscriptions through a website form, an opt-in button on other forms (like downloads, orders, or contact requests), or by using some of the following ideas.

Get ready-to-go email templates perfectly worded for every situation >> 30 Free Email Templates

2. Offering Discounts to New Subscribers

While not entirely free, offering a 10%, 15%, or even 20% discount for joining your email list is a tried-and-true method for rapid email acquisition. Ecommerce commonly uses this classic approach:

The principle holds true for B2B businesses as well. A discount, depending on your product or service’s price, is a low-risk way to introduce potential customers to your funnel. It allows them to familiarize themselves with your brand and offerings before committing. Follow your welcome pop-up with a well-crafted welcome email, a tailored nurture campaign, a regular newsletter, or a consistent stream of engaging content to demonstrate your brand’s value.

3. Gating Your Premium Content

While widespread organic engagement is great, leveraging top-tier content behind a form (like Salesforce) is key for driving growth beyond initial engagement.

Instead of directly posting your insightful case study on your website, require a form submission for access. Offer that in-depth how-to video on your YouTube channel exclusively to email subscribers and promote it on your less resource-intensive videos. The methods are many, but the message remains: exceptional content is valuable. If you’ve invested in creating it, leverage it for list growth.

4. Hosting Contests and Giveaways

Unless you have a truly captivating newsletter or a brand people naturally want to follow (and maybe you do!), offering something valuable in exchange for joining your email list is crucial. Think of a giveaway that would genuinely excite potential customers.

Sweepstakes entries, like the example above, offer a fast and engaging way to grow your email list. Here’s a winning strategy for generating emails through giveaways:

• Establish clear contest rules, giveaway guidelines, and define your prize package.
• Promote the giveaway across your social media platforms, website, and other marketing channels.
• Invest in paid lead generation campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, using targeted ads and lookalike audiences for cost-effective lead generation.
• Utilize compelling ad copy and visuals to highlight the value of your prize package.
• Consider partnering with relevant influencers or brands to expand reach and increase engagement. While numerous ways to run a contest exist, this approach efficiently generates new email subscribers.

5. Implementing Exit-Intent Pop-Ups

Pop-ups, when relevant, unobtrusive, and offering valuable content or CTAs, are effective list-building tools. The key is being unobtrusive. Even the most relevant content can disrupt the user experience if presented at the wrong time. Exit-intent pop-ups address this by activating only when a user is about to leave the page. On mobile, this could be clicking out of the browser or scrolling up, while on desktop, it’s when the cursor moves towards closing the window.

Exit-intent pop-ups are low-risk and minimally disruptive, especially when targeted at new users and non-subscribers (as opposed to repeat visitors or existing subscribers who might be leaving temporarily).

6. Creating High-Converting Landing Pages

Simply directing traffic to your homepage and hoping for contact information isn’t enough. To maximize conversions, constantly create and A/B test relevant, engaging landing pages. An effective landing page guides the user towards filling out the form as the most appealing or logical action. Minimize distractions and make it difficult for them to leave without providing their information. Uber’s landing page exemplifies this:

This landing page stands out for its simplicity. It features:

• A clear headline
• A concise subheadline
• A straightforward form with a CTA
• Two links for other visitor types (renters and riders) Non-driver visitors are left with two options: leave or fill out the form. Uber even removes top-level navigation, a smart tactic to enhance conversion rates.

Get the guide >> How to Make Landing Pages (with Crazy-High Conversions!)

7. Testing and Optimizing Your Landing Pages

Utilize landing page testing tools like Unbounce and CrazyEgg to create, host, split-test, and measure results. HubSpot offers design features but limited testing capabilities. VWO is a robust option for those serious about split-testing, offering personalization to tailor the experience based on user data.

Unbounce’s testing interface allows variant creation and performance tracking. Regardless of your chosen tool, test these elements:

• Headline: It’s crucial for grabbing attention and encouraging engagement; experiment with different versions.
• CTA: This text prompts action; play with color, size, text, and placement for optimal results.
• Form Fields: Fewer fields mean less friction and potentially higher conversions. Keep forms concise and transparent about the information required.
• Visuals: Optimize images and utilize videos effectively. A/B test variations to find what resonates.
• Social Proof: Incorporate badges, awards, reviews, or testimonials to build trust and demonstrate value.

Building Your List, Building Your Revenue

Here’s a recap of the six proven ways to build an email list:

1. Craft and distribute a valuable newsletter.
2. Entice new subscribers with exclusive discounts.
3. Gate premium content behind forms for lead capture.
4. Host contests and giveaways to incentivize sign-ups.
5. Use exit-intent pop-ups to capture departing visitors.
6. Design high-converting landing pages for optimal results.
7. Regularly optimize and test your landing pages for continuous improvement. By implementing these strategies, you’ll see a steady stream of new email subscribers flowing into your CRM.