Lead Generation: Building Your Email Marketing List

Email marketing is one of the most effective forms of marketing, but you need an engaged mailing list to get the best return on your efforts. Gaining new subscribers for your mailing list requires a multi-faceted approach that spans your online and offline assets.

Some of the most effective ways to add new subscribers to your mailing list are:

Email marketing website Opt-in

Your website is usually the first point of contact between your business and a potential customer, making it an ideal platform for collecting new subscribers. However, new subscribers won’t come easily so you’ll need to make clear all the benefits of subscribing; whether that be access to exclusive offers and deals, or tailored content they won’t find anywhere else. Include email sign-up banners on all of your main website pages to help users’ opt-in quickly without having to leave their current page.
If you use other forms on your website for webinar or event registration for example, consider including an email sign-up option on these forms too.

Social media and email marketing

Social media is a great place to generate new subscribers for your email marketing list, offering a variety of low-cost ways to reach new subscribers.

• Facebook: Some email marketing platforms can be linked directly to Facebook pages to create a sign-up form within a customised tab. You can use this tab to demonstrate the benefits of opting into your email communications as well setting the standards for your email communication moving forwards.
Another way of collecting email sign-ups on Facebook is by using Facebook Lead Ads. These ads make the lead generation process simple by pre-populating forms with data collected from a user’s profile. With a two-tap process your leads can easily join your mailing list – even when using a mobile!
• Twitter: Twitter users can utilise the promoted tweets feature to collect new email subscribers. Add a call to action button linking to your sign-up landing page to take users straight to the correct page – a simple sign up with users who are already showing an interest in your business.
• YouTube: As the second largest search engine, Youtube is the ideal platform to source new leads. Use annotations in your videos that enable viewers to click through to your website and subscribe in a matter of seconds.
• Instagram: Much like Facebook and Twitter, Instagram users can optimise sponsored posts as lead generation tools. Capture leads at an optimal point when they are browsing your company social media pages.
• Social media posting: Include posts about the benefits of subscribing to your email campaigns as part of your regular social media posting schedule for easy, no-cost advertising.

Search Engine Marketing and Advertising

If search engine advertising is part of your marketing strategy you can use this to generate subscribers to your emailing list. Create adverts aimed specifically at encouraging leads to sign up to your mailing list with details of the benefits they will receive in doing so. An effective landing page and a good call to action will help you attract new sign-ups.

Offline lead generation

Email marketing lead generation can be just as effective offline as it is online. Encourage your employees to promote your mailing list to customers instore and over the phone. You could even make up some leaflets explaining the benefits of joining your email program, detailing exactly what customers can expect to get in return for signing up.

Whichever way you collect leads for your mailing list there are some important points to keep in mind:
• Always gain permission from your subscribers. This means having a clear opt-in form that doesn’t use pre-checked boxes. It must also be clear for subscribers to see what they are signing up for such as newsletters, offers or daily round-ups for example.
• Once people have subscribed to your mailing list be sure to add a confirmation page or pop-up to let them know that they have been successful.
• Send a welcoming trigger email once people have subscribed. This is your opportunity to thank your new subscribers for joining your mailing list, remind them what they have signed up for and to start the relationship off on a good note. It’s also a good opportunity to ask your subscribers to ‘whitelist’ your email address to avoid future deliverability problems.

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