For a new business, a steady stream of leads is the cornerstone to increasing sales and driving business growth. That’s why a new business should consider building an email list of customers and prospects.
From utilizing social media to creating content and offering incentives, businesses can develop an extensive, engaged email list that will help them further their reach and build their brand.
Need to quickly build a list of potential customers interested in your business and ready to engage with your content? Let’s discuss some of the best and most effective ways for a new business to grow its email list.
1. Networking at Trade Shows and Conferences
Networking at trade shows and conferences can be an excellent way to grow your business and even your email list. At these events, you’ll have the opportunity to meet other professionals and learn more about their businesses. It’s a great strategy to meet potential customers, collaborate with industry peers, and obtain prospective clients’ contact information.
Networking at trade shows and conferences allows you to collect the contact information of the people you meet and add them to your list. You can then send the prospects newsletters, promotional offers, and other updates to keep them informed.
The best part, you can use a trade show or conference to launch or test new products and services and introduce new people to your brand. By networking and making connections, you can build relationships that can ultimately help your business grow.
2. Creating Valuable, Engaging Content
Creating valuable content is essential if you want to grow your email list. As the saying goes, “content is king.” So, produce new content regularly, such as blog posts, videos, and podcasts.
That said, your content must be well-researched, informative, and engaging. It should be updated regularly to ensure it is relevant to your audience. Moreover, it would help if you used visuals such as images or videos to make your content more appealing.
Such a plan not only helps keep your audience engaged but also boosts your content’s ranking on search engines. Another thing, consider utilizing various channels like social media, webinars, or email to promote your content and reach a broader audience.
By creating high-quality content and regularly updating it, you can attract more readers and grow your email list.
3. Offering Customer Incentives
Offering customer incentives is a great way to encourage loyalty and attract new customers. It’s also a powerful tool for growing your email list, as many customers are more likely to sign up for newsletters if there’s something in it for them. When it comes to customer incentives, there are a few things to keep in mind:
• First, ensure the incentive is relevant to your company and your customers. This could be a discount on their next purchase, free shipping, or even a gift.
• Second, clearly communicate the incentive and how your customers can take advantage of it. This could be through email, social media, or on your website.
• Finally, make sure your incentive sticks out. For instance, if you’re offering a discount, be sure it’s higher than the competitors’. If you’re offering a gift, see to it that it’s something your customers will actually use.
By offering exclusive deals or discounts, you can entice customers to sign up and stay current on all your latest news and promotions. It’s a surefire way to grow your business.
4. Partnering with Complementary Brands
Partnering with complementary brands is a great way to grow your email list and reach a broader audience. Be sure to connect with brands that share your target market, interests and values, or even those in the same industry. Likewise, consider brands that share similar goals, such as a commitment to sustainability or a focus on customer support.
Once you’ve identified a few brands that fit the bill, you can propose a collaboration. You could cross-promote, for example, or run a joint giveaway. Collaborating with other brands will help you reach new customers, gain exposure, and boost your credibility.
Remember, you should ensure that the brands you partner with are a good fit for your company. And don’t forget to be active on social media since that’s where many collaborations happen.
5. Train and Leverage the Sales Team
As a business owner, you should invest time to train your team not only on your products and services but also on how to nurture their leads. The goal here is to ensure that everyone on your team is up to date on the latest information and can provide the best possible service to your customers. Investing in training can help you build relationships with your customers by teaching your team how to use effective communication techniques and continue the relationship even if a sale is not made immediately.
A sales team that’s well-versed in communication skills and strategies will allow you to stay connected with your leads and customers.
Convert Early-Stage Prospects Into Sales-Ready Leads
When creating and growing an email list, there are some important things to remember. As a new business, it is essential to avoid any mistakes that could potentially harm your brand’s reputation:
• First, be sure to obtain permission from your email list subscribers before sending them any messages. This will demonstrate that you respect their privacy and are not part of any spam activities.
• Don’t buy a list of emails from a third party. The emails on these lists are often outdated, and you won’t get the results you’re hoping for.
• Don’t send out too many emails. Your subscribers should not feel bombarded by your emails—else they may opt to unsubscribe. It is essential to create an email schedule that works for your list and stick to it.
• Be sure to craft and deliver relevant content to your list.
• Avoid using language that could be considered too “salesy,” or that could turn off your subscribers.
Finally, don’t forget to include a call to action in every email. On this point, offer your potential customers an easy way to take action and convert, whether following a link to your website or signing up for a free trial.
With these tips, you’ll be on your way to building a successful email list. However, if you find yourself frustrated or just too busy to implement an email strategy, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for a consultation.