Five tips to grow your email marketing list in social media times
Posted by J-P De Clerck on Wed, Jul 28, 2010
Emailvision recently published five tips for growing your email subscriber list. The company says that many email marketers still under-utilize the options of email marketing.
In my personal experience that is a putting it very lightly, especially now that many new channels exist (social, mobile,…) that work perfectly together with email and that it is more important than ever to focus on the digital signals of an increasingly online (potential) customer who calls the shots in communication.
Personalization, segmenting, more valuable content, more attention for the people behind the email list, connection with web Analytics, integration with social media, keeping email lists ‘clean’, real-time subject lines, triggered campaigns, preference centers, deliverability: there are dozens more areas where many email marketers still can improve their practices.
However, Emailvision specifically looked at the quality and the growth of the database with new contacts and cross-channel, multi-channel and social are present. So, below are the tips from Emailvision. I added a few of my own for those who have already conducted all these crucial steps, but it is definitely a good start.
Improve the subscription process and use the recipients’ needs as point of departure
In order to achieve the best results with email marketing it is very important that emails are relevant for the recipient. The needs of the recipient are always the point of departure, period. This is obvious but often forgotten. It’s also crucial to leave control to recipients in regard of their contact preferences: frequency, format and even content (promotions, information etc.).
Obviously, the precise possibilities you offer depend on many elements such as the nature of your business. To increase the response it is also important that the registration form is visible with a direct link in the known search engines. This offers interested persons direct access to the registration page which reduces the barrier to register. Finally, make sure that the opt-in forms are easy to find, that the call-to-action for your emails is visible and that you provide an example. Keeping past newsletters is good for SEO as well.
Develop an integrated multi-channel course of action
Properly utilize the various contact moments with clients to collect addresses. Don’t only ask via Internet whether clients and prospects want to receive e-mails, but also with telephone contacts for example. Also use events, place a registration address on business cards etc. Finally, make use of social media presences, blogs and all possible forms, including surveys, to grow your subscriber lists.
Utilize transactional emails
Transactional email is sent following a purchase or transaction. Since these emails contain important information for clients, they are read thoroughly and it is therefore good to place links stimulating the registration of other channels.
Use registrations to your advantage
Complicated registration methods may result in complaints and ensure that the reputation of the organization is damaged. You should therefore make it as simple as possible to cancel registration. Also ask for the reason of cancelling the registration. This helps in the improvement of the following email campaigns and to provide possible cancellers with information that they do actually want to receive and the possibility to use other channels.
Utilize social networks
Ensure a large presence on social networks, like Facebook, Twitter and LinkIn, relevant to your clients. Stimulate clients via marketing emails to share information. After all there is no better marketing than word of mouth. By adding a ‘share with your friends’-button to the mail, for example, members can easily share relevant information via the desired network. This will eventually lead to a greater exposure and a greater database.
Warning: the use of social sharing tools will depend on how easy they are to use, how share-worthy the recipients find your email content but also the demographics of your target groups! Don’t expect miracles if your typical prospect and buyer is in a demographical segment that is not really active on social networks. And don’t forget the traditional send-to-a-friend!
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