Your email list is probably the most valuable asset you have. Why? You may ask. Well, you’re probably getting ready to launch a new product or service, and you need people to know about it. You also want to ensure that you stay top-of-mind to your audience. Finally, you might also use the list to send out regular emails, sharing helpful tips and tricks or providing them with exclusive content that you can’t offer physically. So, it’s basically the perfect blend of marketing, product-related information, and entertaining content. So, how might you use email to effectively grow your marketing group’s email list? Here are six ways that you might try.
1. Send Out Seasonal Emails
If you’re passionate about a certain season, you might want to consider sending out emails to your audience during that time frame. For example, if you’re passionate about beach life during the summer months, you might want to send out an email campaign with content related to going to the beach or spending time on the water. Alternatively, if you’re into gardening, you might want to plant some seeds and get watering bottles out to your audience in the spring. The possibilities are endless! You might also consider sending out an email to your audience in the winter, sharing helpful tips on how to deal with the cold. Whatever your interests, you can bet there’s an audience that will value your advice (and maybe even be grateful for it, too).
2. Cross-promote With Related Industries
Do you have a hobby that’s even remotely related to the one you marketing? You might want to consider using it as the basis of a cross-promotional campaign with a related industry. Perhaps you’re a fan of Broadway and you’ve seen the phenomenal success of the Tony Awards. You might want to consider sending out an email, offering tickets to the next award show and cross-promoting the event with the Broadway industry. You could also partner with a museum or a celebrity chef, inviting people to your event and cross-promoting the exhibit or chef’s restaurant. The possibilities are endless!
3. Announce A New Product Or Service
You’ve probably seen this tactic done countless times, but it’s still one of the most effective ways to grow your email list. All you need are some press releases or announcements about a new product or service. You might want to write a short announcement, sharing the good news about a new store location, new materials, or a new process. You might choose to partner with a PR firm that can help you with press release distribution, building brand awareness, and driving sales. A handful of well-executed and targeted announcements can do wonders for your email list growth.
4. Host A Webinar
Did you know that people are more likely to listen to and remember information presented in video form? With the right host and content, a webinar can be an engaging and educational experience for your audience, as well as a great way to grow your email list. To host a successful webinar, you’ll need a few things. First, you’ll need to identify a few key topics that you’ll want to cover in the webinar – something that is relevant to your niche and that you’re uniquely qualified to speak on. Next, you’ll need to find a few quality guests that can complement your insights on these topics. Third, you’ll need to put together a detailed outline, sharing the key points you’ll cover in the presentation. Finally, you might want to consider recording the session, provided you’ve got at least 50% of the content in written form. If you’re feeling extra creative, you might want to consider taking notes during the webinar and crafting a short presentation out of them. Publishing those notes as a blog post a week or two after the webinar can also boost your conversions.
5. Follow Bloggers And Social Media Influencers
Did you know that people are more likely to buy a product or service that’s been recommended by a trusted source? It’s a fact – studies have shown that people are more likely to purchase a product that’s been recommended by a blog or a social media influencer. Naturally, you’ll want to follow bloggers and social media influencers who are relevant to your niche. However, you should also consider looking for influencers in related industries. If you’re a fashion-related business, you might want to follow influencers in the style blog world or social media influencers who focus on beauty or wellness. Similarly, if you’re in the real estate sphere, you might want to follow real estate bloggers or those who focus on luxury buys or downsizes.
6. Offer A Free E-book Or Instant Download
If you’ve got a new product or service and you want to quickly and efficiently spread the word about it, you might consider offering an exclusive e-book or an instant downloadable resource for free. Building a community of engaged followers around your product is a great way to drive sales and become a trusted source for information on your industry. If you choose the e-book route, you might want to consider offering a 10-15 page mini-guide on your industry, with lots of helpful information and key takeaways. It’s always nice to provide value to your audience and make them feel like you’ve understood their needs. It shows that you’ve thought about them, that you’ve considered their wants and needs, and that you’re offering something that’ll genuinely be helpful to them.
At the end of the day, no one tactic will enable you to instantly grow your email list. However, acting on several fronts, using different tactics, and being consistently relevant will yield the best results. Which method you choose will largely depend on your industry, your budget, and your timeline. With so much talk of marketing automations and email lists, it might be easy to forget that old-fashioned, face-to-face networking still works. So, don’t be afraid to meet with customers and potential customers in person to close a sale or build a better relationship.