Ready, Set, Grow: 6 Ways to Build Your Email Subscriber Base

One of the biggest challenges faced by email marketers is the ongoing deterioration of their email lists. People unsubscribe and change email addresses daily. It is the marketer’s responsibility to continually refresh the subscription list with new opt-ins in order to keep the total subscriber base on the rise.

There are many innovative ways to keep your subscriber list moving in the right direction. Here we’ll take a look at six of our favorite tactics:

Make it Easy to Sign Up. This may sound like a no-brainer, but if you want to increase email sign-ups, you need to make it easy for potential subscribers to actually sign up. People rarely scroll down an entire webpage, so don’t hide your sign-up entry point in your homepage footer. Test placement above the fold:  in the header, in a banner or even try a light box.

Be Social. Social Media channels are an excellent way to grow your subscriber base. Utilize your Facebook and Twitter channels to host contests through a platform like Offerpop. Contests and refer-a-friend programs work great in Social Media, especially if the prize or incentive is appealing to your target audience. Plus, be sure to have an email sign up capture on your social media pages.

A Referral is the Best Compliment. The best champion for your brand is a loyal customer, so who better to ask for a referral than them? Try reaching out to current valued clients via an email. You know they like your products or services – ask them to recommend your company to friends and family, and be sure to include all reasons why it is beneficial to receive your emailed offers.

Add Value. A strong tactic to increase your email base is through an added value offer, such as a white paper or webinar on a relevant topic, which is accessible only through providing a valid email address. To ensure the validity of the address, added value offers are a good place to incorporate a double-opt in.

Incentivize. Why should people sign up for your emails? If you don’t clearly communicate the benefits of your email program, no one will know. Explain what subscribers can expect from your emails – be it free content, special offers and/or fun contests.

A special incentive goes a LONG way with email acquisition. A percentage or dollar amount taken off their first purchase or free shipping (if you are an e-commerce business) can provide that push people sometimes need to sign up. Brick-and-mortar? You can always announce sales and special events to your email lists first. Exclusivity and added value are key drivers.

Keep Your Subscribers Engaged. You can build your lists all you want, but if your email content isn’t interesting and visually appealing, you aren’t creating share-able messaging. In fact, you run the risk of losing people entirely if they unsubscribe.

Frequency of messaging is just as important as content. Don’t bombard people with emails every day (unless they ask for it) and keep your messaging targeted and enticing.

There are a ton of email acquisition tactics that you can try, in addition to the ones listed above. Which ones have you tested or implemented? Do you have any success stories? Share them below.