Welcome to the world of email marketing. This is a place where you can nurture and cultivate your subscribers, sell them stuff and generally keep in touch with those who’ve shown an interest in what you’re doing.
So, the idea that I’m going to share with you today is how to build a list without spending any money and then how we can use that email list, how we can use it as a tool to get more sales.
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| Utilize social media platforms for organic list growth. |
| Create valuable and relevant content to attract subscribers. |
| Collaborate with influencers and industry partners for exposure. |
| Offer lead magnets such as e-books or webinars to entice sign-ups. |
| Engage with your audience through interactive quizzes or polls. |
| Leverage referral programs to encourage subscribers to refer others. |
| Implement effective email segmentation for targeted campaigns. |
| Focus on building trust and establishing credibility with subscribers. |
| Regularly clean your email list to maintain its quality. |
| Monitor and analyze metrics to optimize your email marketing strategy. |
1. Optimize Your Blog For Subscribers
The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure your blog is optimized for subscribers. You can do this by creating a subscription box that appears at the top of your blog’s homepage, and then adding it to every single post on your blog. Here are some examples of what your subscription box might look like:
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2. Create A Free Opt-In Resource
The second step to building a massive email list without spending a dime is to create a free opt-in resource. Your free opt-in will help you build your email list fast because it speaks directly to their needs and pains.
It should be something they are looking for on the internet, something that’s going to help them with their problems, or something that’s going to help them achieve a goal. Here is a list of things you can use:
- An ebook that contains good information
- A video
- A checklist
- A course (video or text style)
- A webinar
- An email course
The opt-in should contain enough good information that it can solve their problem. Don’t just give them fluff and soft information, give them solid content that they can sink their teeth into.
3. Grow Your List With Social Media
Social media is an essential tool that you can use to grow your email list. You will need to identify the social media networks where your target audience spends most of their time and create a plan to attract them to your website.
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4. Build Your List Using Quizzes, Contests, And Giveaways
Create a quiz. People love to take quizzes and share them with their friends. Most people have seen popular quizzes like which Game of Thrones character are you? Or, what career should you have?
These types of quizzes are great for your email list because they get people engaged with your brand and make it easy for them to share the quiz results with their friends on social media. But don’t stop there! You can create quizzes from just about any topic that relates to your business, such as what type of cheese lover are you? Or what kind of car is right for you?
Create a contest or giveaway. When creating content on social media, always include an incentive in the post that encourages people to join your email list. For example: “Follow me on Twitter, subscribe to my newsletter, and be entered into a drawing to win a $100 gift card.” This will not only build your list but also drive traffic back to your website or blog too!
Just remember that when promoting contests or giveaways through other channels like Facebook Ads (more on this later), it’s important that any incentive given away is relevant enough so as not to cheapen y
5. Build A List Through Facebook Live Broadcast
I’m an avid listener to motivational podcasts and a dedicated Facebook social media user. I live by the “give and receive” motto. When you give, it’s only fair that you receive something good in return. If your friend posts a picture of his dog, it’s natural for him to expect you or someone else to compliment it.
You should reciprocate the favor and return the favor with something even better than that dog photo, like a link to your website or online course of your choosing, or perhaps offer some value-oriented advice on how he can improve his life.
This is where email lists come into play: You should have an email list on your website or blog where people can sign up for an email newsletter about valuable content you create regularly. It doesn’t matter whether you’re giving away free ebooks, courses, or other products; if they’re worth taking advantage of by others, they’ll be worth sharing with the people who subscribe to that list as well.
In addition to those free resources, I’ve also noticed that having a few $1-per-month auto-responder emails is a good idea too because it’s often fun receiving things like message art from fans (and maybe something more), which provides good incentives for subscribers motivated enough to hit “Send.”
As far as building rapport with other Facebook users “people who are interested in what [you do]” appearing publically offers opportunities beyond just being seen by potential customers/readers/followers. The live video broadcast will help build new relationships with others online and offline too through phone calls and face-to-face meetings later down the line so don’t underestimate its importance!
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6. Use Subscribe Link Plugin
If you’re not already using this method of growing your list, you need to be. A while back we published an article on how you can get more subscribers by making it extremely simple for people to subscribe. The plugin they use in that article is called the Subscribe Link Plugin and it was created by our friend Brian Gardner, the founder of StudioPress (the company behind Genesis Framework).
It allows people to subscribe to your blog via a link that’s included in their email signature…which means there’s no form for them to fill out. Watch his video below for a step-by-step tutorial: And let me tell you this plugin works. I would say it is one of the best ways to grow your email list organically if you have any sort of social presence online.
7. Ask People To Subscribe After They’ve Shared One Of Your Posts
Social Warfare is a simple plugin that adds a variety of useful social media sharing buttons to your blog posts. This makes it easy for readers to share your content on Facebook, Twitter, and their other social networks.
In addition, Social Warfare also lets you add a subscribe form after the content of your post. When people share one of your blog posts on social media, you can use this platform to ask them to subscribe to your email list.
8. Write Good Content To Grow Your Email List
Guest blogging is one of the best ways you can grow your email list. It might be time-consuming, but it’s worth it as long as you do this right. If you are wondering how guest blogging could help you get more subscribers, here is how:
Find a blog in your niche that accepts guest posts and write an exciting post for them. Make sure that there is a call-to-action at the end of the post so that visitors can sign up to your email list. Link to your blog in the post so that people will want to check out your site. This will help drive traffic from other sites to yours, and some of these visitors will become subscribers
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9. Use A Full-Screen Popup To Convert More Visitors Into Subscribers
Did you know that the pop-up form that appears when someone visits your website is a huge opportunity to convert more of them into subscribers? The pop-up form can be the most powerful marketing tool you have at your disposal.
And now, thanks to a site like ConvertKit, you can use affiliate marketing tools like pop-ups to help get more people onto your email list and increase sales. With ConvertKit’s free plan, you’ll get 10,000 subscribers simply by using their pop-ups.
10. Use Exit-Intent Popups To Convert Abandoning Visitors Into Subscribers.
If you don’t have a blog, the best way to build an email list is by adding a pop-up opt-in form to your website. An Exit-Intent popup is a special popup that is triggered when a visitor is about to leave your site.
This type of popup is shown only in mobile visitors and desktop visitors who use the Chrome browser. Exit-intent popups are quite effective as they help you convert abandoning visitors into subscribers. You can use such a tool as OptinMonster, which helps build an email list free.
11. Comment On Other Blogs In Your Niche And Ask Readers To Subscribe To Your Blog
Comments on other blogs show that you are an active individual and they may be tempted to subscribe to your blog. Commenting on blogs is a great way to network because people will see your name over and over again. You should comment on blogs in your niche. This will allow you to get more exposure and it will also help you build backlinks that are good for SEO
12. Add Subscribe Forms Above The Fold (ATF) In Your Blog Sidebar
You can easily increase your blog page views by asking your visitors to subscribe to your site when they are reading one of your blog posts. Make sure that you place the opt-in form at the top and bottom of every post.
Don’t forget to display an opt-in form in the footer of your website. You can make this part of a footer widget with WordPress themes or do this manually if you choose another platform. Also, if possible, increase the size of your email subscribe box and reduce the number of fields (we will discuss this more in-depth later).
13. Ask People To Subscribe To Your Site When They Are Reading One Of Your Blog Posts
You can also add a subscription box to the blog post. I don’t recommend this because you want users to focus more on reading your content, rather than being distracted by an email subscription box. But it may work for some users.
Just before the fold of the blog post, you can ask people to subscribe to your site so they can get updated when you publish new posts. Some people will do it because they have just enjoyed reading your post and would like to read more from you.
Ask people to subscribe at the end of every blog post. This is a good place for an email subscription box because at this point, most readers have finished reading your content, and if they enjoyed it, they will want more.
Add a subscription box to your homepage or landing page. You should not just tell visitors what you do; try as much as possible to make them take action immediately after visiting your site by asking them to sign up for updates through email
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14. Don’t Forget To Display An Opt-In Form In The Footer Of Your Website
With a larger screen size, the footer area of the website is a prominent position to gather more email subscribers. Most modern email opt-in forms are designed to look good when placed in such a location, so don’t be afraid to place them there.
But if you want to make sure that your form is visible, then place it above the fold and not too deep inside the footer area. This way, more people have a chance of seeing it and entering their contact details into your form. The copy on your form should include a clear call-to-action button that helps make the reader eager to submit their information.
15. Increase The Size Of Your Email Subscribe Box And Reduce The Number Of Fields
Increase the size of your email subscribe box and reduce the number of fields. You can increase conversions by making sure that it is super easy for people to sign up for your email list. Make sure you increase the size of your email subscribe box so that people can easily see where to type in their email addresses.
Also, if at all possible, remove any additional fields from your form (like name or country), because this will reduce the number of steps required for people to sign up. Just make sure you are using a double opt-in process, which means that you send a confirmation link to new subscribers so that they must confirm their subscription before joining your list (this reduces spam complaints).
Final Thoughts
Finally, as a final thought, if you want to create an email list so that you can build a lasting relationship with your readers and customers, there are several methods for doing so. Some are more effective than others, and some are more expensive than others.
Ultimately, it comes down to finding the one that works best for you. Most of these methods require some level of spending to succeed.
However, it is possible to build an email list without spending anything at all; you just have to be willing to put in the time and effort required. If you’re not sure where to start or how much work this will take on your part, don’t worry! I’ll show you exactly what needs to be done for your campaign to be successful.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to further explore the topic of building email lists and effective email marketing strategies:
How to Create an Email List Without Spending a Dime A LinkedIn article discussing methods to build an email list without financial investment.
List Building: 17 Untapped Ways to Grow Your Email List HubSpot’s blog post that provides 17 unique and untapped strategies for growing your email list.
How to Build an Email List: 21 Proven Methods WordStream’s comprehensive guide outlining 21 proven methods to effectively build an email list for your business.
People Also Ask
How Do I Get More Email Subscribers?
Set up an opt-in giveaway (this can be an ebook, a template, etc.). Contests and giveaways are effective for building your mailing list fast. Make sure the sign-up form is on every page of your website. Put your sign-up form in the footer of your site so people always see it when they visit any page of your site. Have a pop-up email sign-up form on your website that can be done with a plugin!
Can I Build An Email List Without A Website?
Yes, you can build an email list without a website. However, having one will make it easier for you to collect emails and drive traffic to your site.
How Do I Build An Email List From Scratch?
If you don’t already have any subscribers, here are a few things you can try: reach out to people that you know and ask them if they would like to join your mailing list; use social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter to share valuable content that will attract people who are interested in what your organization has to offer.
Create an incentive for signing up for your mailing lists such as access to members-only content or special discounts, and make sure it’s easy for people to sign up by using a call-to-action button on your website.
How Do I Get Emails Fast?
You should consider asking people who have expressed interest in what you have to offer if they would like to sign up for your mailing list. In addition, you should make sure it’s easy for new visitors on your website or social media channels (such as Instagram) to find out how they can stay connected with your organization by providing links back from those platforms.
What Is The Most Effective Way To Grow Your Email List?
To grow your email list, have a clear call to action in places that get high traffic, such as your website and social channels. Offer an incentive for signing up, like discounts or exclusive content, and make sure that you’re using a strong call-to-action phrase to encourage signups.
You can also reach out to influencers or other businesses with an audience similar to yours and ask them if they’d be willing to promote your opt-in offer on their site.
How Do I Grow My Email List On A Budget?
Try asking for referrals from those who are already on your list. If you have an incentivized referral program, even better! People will often refer someone in exchange for a free product or service. You could also try offering an incentive for subscribers who recruit others (for example: “invite ten people to join our mailing list and receive a gift!”).
How Do I Build A List Of Email Addresses?
Use software tools like Facebook Ads Manager or Google Adwords Editor to help identify relevant keywords you can use in the ads’ copy.
Remember: the more targeted these keywords are, the higher the click-through rate you’ll get! Don’t forget about SEO either; use keywords strategically throughout all content (including meta descriptions) so that Google can index it appropriately.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.
