This article is an excerpt from the guide 100 List Building Methods and Techniques
Building a list is important for every business because the list is an asset that the business owns to give it special access to a customer’s personal space. Besides, it is a cheap and authentic technique of building leads, delivering valuable content, and building trust and rapport with the customers. The following are some of the strategies people can use to grow their list of subscribers as fast as possible. In practice, multiple strategies can be used at the same time since one alone cannot effectively achieve the intended goal.
Here we go…
2.Creating a Landing Page
A landing page refers to the web page that the visitor arrives at or “lands” on when they visit a website. It is a standalone web page that is distinct from the main website. The land page should have no global navigation to tie it to the primary website so that it can limit the options available to visitors. The main purpose is to guide the visitors to the intended conversion goal.
3. Installing SumoMe
SumoMe refers to an application that has tons of cool mini-apps and share buttons that help people grow their lists. It allows visitors to a site to easily share the content to other platforms or other people. In the process, there is a greater exposure which often leads to more people subscribing to the mailing list.
4. Changing the Call to Action Button
Many people use common words such as “submit” or “sign up” as a call to action for people to submit their email address. However, these words and phrases are too common and have become outdated. It is important to create a call-to-action that is specific, enticing, and fun. As an example, Xo Sarah has a call to action in which she asks a question: Want to learn the top 10 tools I use to run my blog + biz every day? Inside the signup box, there is a phrase written “Hell yes- send me the list!” At least the call to action is enticing and fun. It encourages many users to share their email address for mailing purposes.
5. Using Multiple Opt-Ins
Most sites have only one opt-ins on the sidebar or at the footer. A site that attracts more subscribers should have 5 or more opt-ins to create opportunities for users to join the mailing list. The opt-ins should be located to the footer, headers, sidebar, under each blog post, and ScrollBox because no one will seek the email list.
6.Use of Comment Forms
People like to leave a comment or ask a question whenever they have read a given content. In practice, this creates an opportunity for one to collect contacts. Many people always use Disqus to manage comments on their sites. However, having a simple form at the bottom of the page can help in growing the mailing list. The form should have spaces for people to put in their email addresses so that a new subscriber can be captured.
7. Speeding up the Website
A study conducted by Walmart concluded that when the loading jumps from 1 second to 4 seconds, the conversion rate will decline. However, for each 1 second improvement in load time, a site will always report a 2% increase in its conversion rate. As a result, a person seeking to build his list should first consider the speed of the website. The load time should be as short as possible to enable more subscribers provide their email addresses when prompted.
8. Guest Blogging
Guest blogging has increasingly become a popular marketing tactic in the last four years. It involves leveraging the traffic, authority, and audience of the website belonging to another person. When implemented successfully, it can drive massive jump in the number of subscribers
9. Require Email Address for People to View Pricing
The strategy is straightforward and relatively quick to implement. It involves putting a “gated” email opt-in requirement on the pricing page. Beyond growing the email list, requiring users to submit their email addresses before they can view prices accomplishes two strategic goals. First, it discourages jokers because they have to make a small commitment before they can access the price list. In this case, the people who submit their email addresses are deemed serious, and, therefore, the need to contact them later to discuss more about the product or services of the company. Second, it enables segmentation of subscribers so that the business can automatically follow up on inquiries.
10. Video Call-to-Action
The video CTA is an advanced tactic mostly used by people who rely on videos to market their businesses. The JLBmedia reported that approximately 78% of internet users watch video each week and 55% watch the video at least each day. Videos are widely consumed, and, therefore, it makes sense when videos are included as part of the website’s sales funnel.
11. Target the Same Audience with Ads
Marketing technology on the internet today makes it easier to drive high quality traffic into one’s website. Facebook has a feature known as “Facebook Custom Audiences” which marketers can use to target the same audience. For instance, if a marketer has an email list of 500 people, the list can be uploaded on Facebook so that Facebook automatically target people similar to the matches found on the network. In addition, one can target ads to consumers who have liked competitors and have demonstrated certain purchasing interests recently.
12. Run a Challenge
Organizing a challenge is a powerful method of list building because of two main reasons. First, it has the potential of massively boosting the email list size when properly implemented. Second, it helps in creating a bond between the marketer and subscribers. Before running a challenge, one can survey the targeted audience to determine a major issue they face. The identified issue should be the basis for running the challenge. It should be a requirement for interested persons to join the email list before they can participate in the challenge.
13. Host Giveaways
Giveaways are a fantastic strategy to engage consumers with one’s brand and build the email list. When implemented correctly, it is a sure-fire strategy in growing the list. Important components of any giveaway would include the following. First, it should have a compelling prize that the audience actually wants. Second, referred entrants should have access to bonus entries. Third, there should be guaranteed bonus incentives for all people who do not win anything. Despite being effective in growing a list, one should be aware that giveaways can pick up tons of non-relevant subscribers who do not have an interest in the product.
14. Avoid Asking Much Information
In the opt-in forms or sign-up forms, one should not request too much information from the targeted audience. In some cases, some people would ask for names, telephone contacts, email address, and physical addresses yet they do not need all the information. It is important to keep the information requested just simple. The less data one requests, the more likelihood of collecting more emails.
15. Sticky Widget
One should have a fixed sidebar that always remains at the top of the page when a user scrolls the website. This ensures that the opt-in is always visible to remind the user of the need to register. The visibility of the opt-in can result in a subscription at any time and any point in the page.
16. Comment Redirect
Comment redirect is a strategy commonly used to target the most engaged visitors. These are visitors who have already made an effort to share, comment, or ask a question regarding a given content. As such, they are a click away from opting-in if they are given the right push. The comment redirect can send these people to a customized landing page which appeals to them to subscribe to the mailing list.
17. Direct Mail
Direct mailing service is an extremely flexible channel that gives a marketer the access to otherwise inaccessible prospects for various purposes such as selling products, generating leads, following up enquiries, getting more business from existing clients, and keeping in touch with former clients. Through direct mails, a marketer can present each benefit of his product or service in a manner that is 100% consistent. When direct mails reach the right audience with the right message and offer, a marketer is likely to generate inquiries and sales.
18. Using Email Signatures
Email signatures are ideal for people who spend lots of time communicating with customers through email. The email signature normally contains the logo of the business and various contacts a customer can use to communicate with a representative of the business. It drives subscriptions because it is appealing, and the target customers understand that they can easily stay in touch with someone from the organization.
19. Use of Social Media Platforms
People have access to a wide range of social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Periscope, and Snapchat among others. Since billions of people use these platforms, presence in two or more platforms gives an opportunity for one to access highly engaged audience that can subscribe to their mailing lists.
20. Referral Systems
A referral is whereby existing customers recommend the brand or products/services to other people such as friends, family, and colleagues. It is more effective compared to dozens of presentations. List building through referral systems involve strategies such as reaching out to the hard-to-reach buyers, creating a reputation that opens closed doors, improving customer loyalty, and getting prospects to return calls.
Relate the story of a customer to their own story. This type of case studies helps the business looks authoritative and credible, and, therefore, ability to attract more prospects.
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