Where to find email marketing list subscribers

Welcome to the second installment of Marketing Mondays! This month our topic is turning subscribers into buyers – how to get your conversion (visitors/readers versus sales) to skyrocket.

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve probably heard it a thousand times. “It’s all in the list.” Without a good double-opt in subscriber list you can’t go very far in the world of marketing online.

Building your list should start at the very beginning of your business, with as much importance and consistency as any other area of your business. Your list is one of your best means to regular repeat income, and without money your business venture can’t proceed.

An important thing we’ll mention right from the get-go is spamming. Spam and privacy legislation in both Australia and the United States made it  illegal to send bulk marketing emails without the consent of the recipients. I recommend having your list double opt-in. This means that when someone subscribes to your mailing list, they recieve an email asking them to confirm their subscription. This is the standard for email marketing today.

So, how do you find people to subscribe to your list then? Here are some fantastic ways to build your mailing list, right from the beginning of your business.

1) When you are creating your website, be sure to include an opt-in box for people to subscribe to your mailing list. This will also be a requirement for those who find you through the next steps below.

2) Writing articles to submit to article banks. By writing and submitting articles based on the topics you intend to promote, you can submit them to article banks and directories. Make them rich in keywords, and remember to put your name and website information on the bottom of each article. That way prospects can find your opt-in form and sign up.

3) Joint ventures are a fantastic way to build your list quickly. This is a great opportunity for getting your name noticed, and having people sign up to receive what you have to offer. Contact one of your fellow business owners who has the target market as you (not necessarily a similar business), and swap offers with them. When it comes to free products or services, many visitors don’t think twice about leaving their contact information to receive the benefit in return.

4) Adding an additional paid bonus or discount with minimum purchase to your free gift page can also get some money rolling in as you build your list. There are many people who will jump at the chance to get a good deal as a result of an offer they saw after receiving a free product.

5) Add free reports or other incentives for sign-ups directly from your website. Keep a specific report especially for those who sign up to your mailing list from your website itself. This will let them know how much you value them right from the start.

Once your list grows, you can keep it running smoothly by converting free customers to paid customers. Start small by offering eBooks or other low-ticket items and samples. You can gradually increase these to anything else which can fill the needs your customers have. Once your list is strong, your business will be too.

Join us next week, when I’ll be discussing how to target your emails to your niche.