The Magic of Building a Big Email List

Once you have some traffic coming in, and you’ve developed a strategy to grow that traffic, you need to take the next important step. You need to start building a mailing list.

TIP: You should have multiple lists. At a minimum, you should have a customer mailing list (those who’ve actually purchased something from you) and a prospect mailing list (those who’ve joined your newsletter list and are still kicking the tires a bit, so to speak).

Sometimes new store owners put this task on the back burner, but that’s a big mistake. That’s because a well-built and well-cared-for list will become your BIGGEST asset. You own it. It’s yours. And you’ll quickly discover that a big list will become your biggest source of revenue.

Consider this…

Even if all your traffic sources dried up tomorrow, such as if the search engines dumped your pages or social media changed their rules, you’d still make money as long as you maintained your list.

And even if your inventory was destroyed in a freak act of nature, you can still make money –any time you want—as long as you maintain your mailing list.

Plus, here’s something else you’ll want to consider…

If you’re not building a mailing list, then up to 99% of your traffic is going to come to your store, hit the back button without buying anything, and NEVER return. Ever.

Oh sure, some of these visitors have every intention of returning. Maybe they even bookmark your store. But the moment they leave, they’re going to forget about you. Visiting your store again is somewhere on their to-do list below re-grouting the tub. In other words, it ain’t gonna happen.

But get these prospects on a mailing list instead, and you can remind them to come back to your store. You can entice them with coupons and other incentives to make that first purchase. And you can build a relationship with them, which will turn them into loyal, lifelong customers.

So, what you need to do is make every effort to capture your visitors’ email addresses so that you can follow up, close the sale, boost your conversions and grow this valuable asset (your mailing list). Here’s how to do it…

Step 1: Get Email Marketing Software

Here you have two choices: you can use a third-party email service provider (ESP), or you can host and manage your own mailing list.

We suggest you use a third-party service. That’s because a reputable third-party service works hand-in-hand with ISPs and email providers to ensure your emails land in your subscribers’ inboxes. If you took this task on yourself, you’d hardly have time to run your store.

Step 2: Set Up an Autoresponder

Once you’ve selected a service provider, then follow their documentation to set up your autoresponder. This is quick and should just take a couple minutes.

Once it’s set up, you’re going to want to load your autoresponder with an initial series of messages to build relationships with your new subscribers and start generating sales.

Let me give you examples of the types of messages you might send out:

·         Limited-time coupon series. Here you offer new customers a coupon for a discount off their first purchase. You can then send out a series of three to five emails reminding them to take advantage of the offer, plus you can point the towards some of your most popular products.

·         Informational series. Here’s where you send out a “how to” or tips series. For example, let’s suppose you sell grilling supplies. You can send out a series showing people how to grill various meats to perfection, and then promote your grilling supplies from within these emails.

·         Product series. Here you send out a series of product reviews to showcase your most popular products.

·         Case studies. If you’re selling products that produce some sort of results for people, then you can send out a series of case studies to show how well these products work. For example, if you’re selling gardening supplies, then you can send out case studies for items such as seeds, fertilizers and organic pest control sprays.

In other words, create an initial series to build trust with your new subscribers and generate sales. Then move onto the next step…

Step 3: Create an Incentive to Join

Merely promoting a “free newsletter” isn’t going to create any big rush to join your mailing list. That’s why you need to give your prospects a GOOD reason to join.

Here are two good reasons:

·         Give new customers a discount coupon for their first purchase in exchange for joining your list. (E.G., “Join now to get 20% off your first order!”)

·         Offer customers a gift for joining your list. This gift might come in the form of a report, app, video or other valuable product that’s easy for you to distribute automatically. For example, if you sell home improvement equipment, then you might offer a free video series that teaches people how to do common home-improvement tasks (such as refinishing kitchen cabinets).

Step 4: Promote Your Opt-In Form

Now you’re ready to start building your list. The next step is to incorporate your opt-in form around your store and website. In every instance, be sure to include the benefits of joining your list, along with a call to action.

Here’s where to put your form:

·         Create a lead page. This is a standalone page whose sole purpose it is to entice prospects to join your mailing list. Instead of sending traffic to your storefront, you may consider utilizing a two-step marketing strategy and sending traffic to your lead page instead.

·         Use a lightbox pop up. You can set this pop up to appear shortly after people first arrive at your store-font or on a specific product page. This works particularly well if you’re offering a discount coupon off their first purchase.

·         Insert forms on your blog. If you have a blog, then there are several places you can either insert opt-in forms directly, or insert links to your lead page.

Specifically:

-      The sidebar of your blog.

-      The header or footer of your blog.

-      In the navigation menu (link to your lead page).

-      At the end of articles.

-      Direct calls to action within the articles themselves.

·         Install an exit redirect. Don’t let exiting visitors leave without giving them one last chance to join your list.

·         On your other platforms. Be sure to put opt-in forms or links to your lead pages on your social media platforms, as well as in any content you distribute (such as videos on YouTube).

Quick Recap

You now have a step-by-step blueprint in hand for getting your email capture system up and running.