Email marketing 101: How to grow your subscriber list
What’s the importance of a robust subscriber list?
Growing your subscriber list is important for increasing your brand’s exposure on a more personal level.
Increasing your subscribers can seem like a daunting task, since most of us know how much we avoid subscribing ourselves. But, having the insight as to why you subscribe to certain emails can help you with your email marketing. The biggest question to keep in mind when preparing your email campaigns is, “What value am I trying to provide to the subscriber?”.
Think of it as a symbiotic relationship between your business and your subscribers. Keeping the subscriber at the center of everything you do will provide a positive experience for them and potential returns for you!
Why is it important for users to subscribe?
Subscribers are more than just followers. These users are choosing to opt-in to regular messaging and promotions from your business. They’re choosing to do so because of the value and benefits ‘being on the inside’ can provide.
Subscribers are the ones most interested in your new product launch, upcoming sale, or company news. They are more loyal and more likely to do business with you than a typical follower on social media. Creating effective email campaigns can increase your chances of engagement and conversion with your brand advocates.
How can I get them to subscribe?
The most challenging part of email marketing is getting your users to hit the submit button when joining your email list. Below are five fundamental ways in which you can create an authentic relationship with your subscribers.
1.) Set the tone for the relationship
Let them know what they’re subscribing into – how often they’ll see emails, what types of content will be sent (promotional items, informational/educational content, etc), and who it will be coming from.
Building your audience’s awareness can aid in the familiarization and recognition of your emails when they hit the user’s inboxes – making them more likely to be opened rather than sent to the spam or trash folder.
2.) Keep it simple
Users who have to enter loads of personal information like name, birthday and address are less likely to provide their email. Requesting more information than is needed can be a turn-off for some users. By keeping it simple and just asking for an email address, the better your chances are for seeing them subscribe!
3.) Have them choose which content they opt-in to
If your business’s website has multiple facets like a blog, webinars, industry news, etc., giving viewers the option to choose which content they want to receive will allow them to feel more comfortable subscribing. They won’t feel as if they’ll be bombarded with a ton of content they never wanted in the first place. This gives users the freedom to opt-in to the content they are more interested in and most likely to engage with.
4.) Speaking of content… quality over quantity
Don’t feel like you need to blast hundreds of emails to your subscribers over the year if they’re not crafted well. Carefully choosing messages that reflect your business goals, and resonate with your audience, is more important than spamming them in hopes they won’t forget your business exists.
Creating content that’s error-free, attention-grabbing, and visually appealing is crucial to holding your audience’s interest.
5.) Offer an incentive
Providing a reward to subscribers can be a great way to increase engagement with your content by creating action. Email campaigns asking subscribers to refer friends and families, complete surveys, leave a review, etc., should provide some sort of enticement motivating the subscriber to complete it. Get creative when it comes to your incentives – find something that will benefit your audience and your business. These could be discounts, freebies, access to bonus content, first looks, and more!
Here is a quick example: Refer three email addresses and win a free sticker!
You are increasing your brand exposure with the potential subscribers and the chance that people unfamiliar with your business will see your sticker. The subscriber benefits because they get some cool merch out of the deal!
By following these 5 basics, you can begin to grow a steady subscriber base that will prioritize your emails rather than cast them to the depths of their spam folders!
Learn more about what we can do for you in terms of email marketing, right here!