How To Build An Email List

Posted by Nathan Sloan in Featured How To, How To

So you would like to know how to build an email list? Well you are in very good hands.

Over the last two years I have build up an email list of over 6000 people and have been able to get up to a 15% conversion rate from emails that I have sent out to my readers (that’s over 1,400% more than the Internet conversion average).

In this post I will be sharing with you the very best strategies for building your own large responsive email list.

The first step is to have a clear goal of what it is we are actually trying to do. We will be looking at the fundamental step (which most people miss) that you need to make sure you have in place before doing anything, followed by the ‘how to’ steps. I hope you find this valuable.

1. The Goal
The goal for email marketing is to build a permission based asset. There are two ways you can market to people. By interrupting them ie TV, Radio, Magazines etc. This is where you sending out your message to a large amount of people, interrupting them and hoping some of them will buy. These people do not know you and they did not ask to be contacted.

The other form of marketing is by permission based marketing. This is where you are contacting people who know, like and trust you. They have given you permission to contact them and they are expecting your emails. This is the goal for email marketing and why it is so effective.

2. Be Somebody Worth Following
This is the fundamental step that most people miss. People would like to build a big email list and use tricks and manipulation to get people to subscribe. The same people are left scratching their heads to why people do not stick around and they struggle.

Remember This: If you want to build a big email list and have lots of people follow you then be someone worth following. This means actually having a solid reason why people should first join your list and then why people should keep subscribed. How are you going to make this persons life better? Why would it be insane for them not to be on your email list?

3. Your Email Provider
Ok, so you have a have a big reason why people should join and have a lot of value that you can offer people, you now need a way to deliver that message. You need a good email marketing company. I have used a few of the best ones around over the years and I personally prefer and use Aweber. It’s very simple to use. You get an easy reporting system to see what is working and what isn’t and it is very fairly priced. Aweber is what I am using on this website.

4. The Different Types of Email Forms
You now need a way to get the name and email address of the visitors who visit your website. The most popular methods are through an optin form which can be placed in your side bar, within or below your posts. The other popular method is by using a pop up which pops in front of the users screen. Aweber has videos showing exactly how each of these are made and how to easily add them to your website.

5. Your Incentive
The next step is to create an incentive for joining your email list. This can be a video, mind map, updates, a free report, mini course etc. With your incentive it just needs to be valuable to your reader. Is their life going to better off for reading your give away? A great place to get ideas for creating your incentive is to look inside a busy forum. Look for the popular problem threads and then craft the perfect solution for your audience.

6. Build A Permission Based Asset
Remember this is the ultimate goal and is what you are aiming to do. You want to build a following of people who know, like and trust you. People who are anticipating your emails. People will know that when they get an email from you it will be relevant, valuable and personal to them. It’s about build a solid relationship with your crowd. If you would like to more on this subject then by far the best course I have done on how to build a relationship with your audience was the Autoresponder Madness course.

Top Tips

1. Don’t ask for too much
A big mistake many businesses make is asking for too much too soon. You only need their first name and email to begin building the relationship. You do not need their address, sex, how you found them etc.

2. Place Your Optin Form Below Your Posts
One of the best places to put your email forms are below your posts. This is because you have just made a solid impact with your reader and have just left them wanting to know more, when your email form appears they are twice as likely to join. Another great place to add your email form is your About Us page.

3. Avoid Popups
In general you should avoid popups. Yes they will give you the best conversion rate, however it’s a bit like walking in to a shop and someone throwing an offer in your face. I prefer to offer some valuable content and then give them access for more.

Questions?
I hope you found this post valuable. Email marketing is still one of the very best marketing channels and always will be. You just need to treat people with respect and actually send valuable email to people and you will get great results. If you would like to ask me anything then simply send me a message on my contact form.

Resources Mentioned
Aweber – Email Marketing Company
Autoresponder Madness – Email Marketing Course

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Nathan Sloan

CEO at IM to Freedom

Nathan has been online marketing for over 4 years. He became financially free in 2012 and has since created over 2 Million pounds in sales for his clients. He lives with his girlfriend in London.

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Tags: aweber email marketing company, email marketing tips and tricks, How To Build An Email List, how to use opt in forms