Truth be told, an email list can do magic to up your online business. The sooner you know, the better. A few years back, I was ardently churning a bunch of content, writing and submitting it without even thinking how I could invest in building an email list. If they tell me the biggest mistakes in my writing career, it is not adhering to make one from the very starting.
Never mind, it is all a part of learning; you gain some; you lose some.
Here we are, talking about how to get the audience reading your content and even adding to your email list, and I couldn’t be any happier.
I did all the research so you don’t have to and providing the steps to get you started.
Steps to follow to get your audience on the email list
1. Navigate why you need an email list?
If your purpose is clear, you can manifest a great journey.
Well, everyone says you need an email list, but identify why you need it? If you know the goal from the starting, you will make it accordingly and serve your audience with the desired information.
E.g. A stay at home mom blog teaching about side hustles
Purpose —
Emphasise the crucial points and the merits to earn an income remotely.
Become your own boss.
How you can bank a hefty income?
It should support your business goals
Things become easier if the agenda is right in front of you.
2. Select an email service provider
What could be more beneficial than having a sign-up form on the landing page of your website? The ones who are interested to read your articles or get benefited should return something back to you. Here, a simple sign-up form does the trick before they navigate through your website.
But the question is, who’s the best bet?
I use convertkit to make mine and ever since this is the smoothest, simplest platform to interact with my audience.
3. A Welcome Email
Well, this is where the audience is going to know your brand. If you know, welcome emails have the highest opening rate. So, take them in with a warm welcome.
Use this opportunity and don’t ruin the chance to build trust.
Ensure to include these elements in the copy of the welcome email.
Who are you?
What your audience can expect from you?
How you can assist them?
You understand their pain points.
Add a takeaway or opt-in to sweeten the deal.
You are legit.
4. An email series
If one email is not for you, a welcome email series does the job to set the foundation of trust and belief with your potential audience.
What you can include in the email series
Your top, most read, appreciated blog posts.
Your business offerings and brand beliefs.
An opt-in or a free digital product of their use.
5. Optimise your website for the sign-up form
Often it is witnessed that placing sign-up forms are not well used to direct the audience into potential customers later. Meaning, you need to optimize the website.
What you can do?
Place it on the landing page of the website with a benefit on the header.
At the bottom of the articles, because why not? Your reader has just witnessed a masterpiece with helpful advice. They will happily sign up to read something amazing like this, over again.
Pop-ups at a selected section of your page or after a specified time interval (let’s say 15 seconds) tickles the curious customers. Possibility, they will end up subscribing.
6. Entice them with freebies
I have mentioned opt-in twice in this article. So what it is?
A freebie or opt-in is a lead magnet that you give your audience away for their email address.
It should be valuable to your email list because it can break or make your business game.
It could be free samples, newsletters, subscriptions, e-books, printables, PDF guides, templates, or sometimes a free course.
Who wouldn’t want to hone a skill or two if free stuff would come in like this?
PS - Make your freebies appropriate to the category of your blog or business.
7. Create a landing page to promote your freebie
This is optional if you’re just getting started with an email list but in the long run, it garners some good leads. As a landing page is a space with no distractions, creating one for opt-in should spike the chances for the readers to sign up.
8. An email form in your brand signature
If your email service support images in an email signature, it’s another win. If you don’t seem to be pushy writing “subscribe to my newsletter” everywhere, this is legit worthy. Hence, this is the safest and subtle pitch to let them sign up. It has the potential to get eyeballs not only from your current audience but can even engage new ones.
9. Social media
Find where you have an active audience and take them back to your website/sign up form. This is all about gaining leads from wherever you have a potential audience. Put the link of the form on your
Instagram bio
Linkedin bio
Facebook
Twitter
If they find it’s a deal to bag, they eventually will!
PS - If you have a committed social media audience, you can always ask them to share it forward!
Final thoughts
This is all you need to get the audience into your email list. Once you have your very own email list, you have something very concrete that is your very own after your website. I can’t say enough, anything can go to ashes, but your email and website have the potential to turn the tables.