Email is still one of the most cost-effective ways to get in front of consumers. Businesses can use long- or short-form content along with graphics to get their message across. But it’s common for business owners to forget about their stagnant email list for weeks or months. It’s also common for consumers to ignore the many emails they get on a daily basis. Now, you have to figure out how to grow your email list. To get it back up to speed and stand out in the eyes of your customers, it may be time to switch up your strategy.
Use Your Website to Get Subscribers
Your website is an important tool for getting subscribers, so consider the following action steps.
Call to Actions in Your Blog
People are interested in home furnishings, and you can help them with your blog! Whether they’re trying to figure out the best way to clean their sofa or they want to know the benefits of microfiber, you can use a call to action to get people to sign up for your emails. Tie in your post with your request whenever possible. If you write an article about scoring the best deals on furniture, mention you offer exclusive sales — but only via your email list. Then give them a handy link so they can sign up immediately.
Collect Emails through Website Popups
A website popup puts your request front and center on your website. It also highlights the key benefits of what they’ll get if they choose to get your emails. Popups can be funny, serious, or informative. Ensure the request matches the tone of your overall marketing, and remember your digital etiquette. Very few people want to click onto a site only to be asked immediately for their email address. Only request their address when they are actively engaging with your content.
Email List Building from the Footer Signups
People start to scroll down websites quickly these days. This is true even before the page fully loads! That’s why so many companies include a footer signup at the bottom of their pages. A footer signup is usually located near the copyright information or additional navigational tools. About 25% of the top marketers will employ this tactic because it gets results. People often scroll down to get general contact information or just to see the general layout of the site.
Engage with Potential Followers on Social Media
When considering how to grow your email list, you have to be ready to use social media. You can’t just post great content on social media and then ask people to sign up. You have to be willing to engage with your audience. This can be done by talking to people on your own site, or by finding related sites that your potential customers would find relevant. Ask questions to people and then implement changes based on feedback. Give them an easy way to click through to your website and share their email address.
For example, say the trending topic of the day on Twitter is about a celebrity’s new sofa. You now have an opportunity to insert yourself into the conversation by making a witty joke or interesting comment. Or you can go onto local social media websites (e.g., NextDoor, Craigslist, etc.) to talk to people on discussion boards. Business owners might be surprised at how many social media platforms feature discussions entirely devoted to furniture-related topics. It’s a great place to promote your company and ask people to sign up for additional info.
How to Grow Your Email List at the Checkout Counter
Face-to-face interactions these days are more important than ever. Every time a person deals with a poorly trained or bored sales associate, it makes them wish they’d ordered online. But you have an incredible opportunity to talk to people after they’ve already purchased something from you! Customers want to be complimented on their choice or given advice about the product. It’s these types of interactions that make it far easier for people to connect with your brand.
Much like website popups, employees need to be careful of how they ask for the address. Customers don’t want to be told the price and then asked for something in return. Only ask for the email address after you’ve established some type of rapport with them. From there, you can gauge whether or not they’re likely to give their information.
Leverage Your Influencers
Influencers change people’s behaviors just by giving their opinion. Most brands have influencers, whether they’re aware of them or not. They don’t even have to be big-name celebrities to be helpful to you. You can identify influencers by checking out their social media followers and general impact. The good news is that influencers aren’t always interested in money to help out a business — especially if they’re already passionate about your brand. (Though they probably wouldn’t say no to a new piece of furniture.)
Contact those who love your brand or introduce influences to your products to get started. When searching for how to grow your email list, this strategy can truly pay off in spades. Maximize your impact by tailoring each campaign to each influencer’s audience. So if your influencer has a mostly millennial audience with moderate incomes, you might want to have them promote sales or new environmentally-friendly products.
Purchased Lists
When looking for how to grow your email list, one of the first things you might consider is email lists for sale. Buying a list from one of the many purveyors on the internet has some big risks and challenges. It makes sense in that you would instantly boost your numbers. But consider the potential pitfalls of doing this:
- Email addresses may be woefully out of date
- The recipients may have no interest in home furnishings of any kind
- Your reputation may suffer
- Content will likely end up in Spam folders
- Competitors may be using the exact same lists
Personalization is the wave of the future. Buying lists is a means of giving generic content to random people. You may even end up in legal trouble if you violate anti-spam laws. When making a list of the best ways for how to grow your email list, lists aren’t as good as getting organic signups via social media or your website.
MicroD has been helping professionals in home furnishings navigate an ever-changing digital world. We’d be happy to give you the tips you need for how to grow your email list! Looking for more list building ideas? Sign up for our newsletter to get tips about email marketing. If you have any questions about how to use technology to get more eyes on your emails, then give us a call today! We have the advice on email marketing and know-how to make the most of your resources so you get the followers you want as quickly as possible.