Email marketing is a powerful tool for startups, especially those looking to engage potential customers. One of the great things about email marketing is the ROI—after all, $40 for every dollar spent is a very fruitful profit margin.
That being said, building a robust email list early on is crucial, especially for long-term growth. Email marketing can help you build your brand and bring it straight to your customer’s attention through their inbox. Unlike social media posts that depend on an algorithm, email marketing fosters a one-on-one relationship through content that calls for immediate attention and engagement.
Let’s see how you can take the first step towards engaging with your audience and getting more revenue for less cost through your email list.
1. Use Forms for Your Blog or Website
Your website has a certain number of visitors each day, also called your “website traffic.” The same goes for your blog—this one’s called “blog traffic.”
Website and blog traffic contain valuable leads. Not leveraging those leads is like leaving money on the table, as they’re already interested in your brand and willing to explore.
Here’s how to benefit from incoming traffic:
- Use signup forms: Add signup forms at key touchpoints of your website or blog. The header or footer, a dedicated product page, or even as a “wall” that keeps users from acquiring valuable pieces of content, like a free guide, or an e-book. Create as little friction as possible by allowing users to sign up without ever leaving the page they’re on.
- Add pop-ups: Pop-ups can be intrusive if not used correctly. Make sure they’re triggered by a user’s action—for example use a pop-up when they’re about to hit the “back” button or close your page altogether. Don’t forget to offer something valuable, like a discount or a lead magnet in exchange for a user’s email.
- Create lead magnets: Don’t expect new email list signups without offering something first. A whitepaper, a discount code, free templates, anything your audience will find valuable can be a lead magnet. Just make sure the content is relevant to your target audience, to motivate them.
Signup forms, pop-ups and lead magnets are among the most common lead generation methods for your blog or website. And a great first step towards growing your list. But to keep the conversation with your leads going, you need to create a more holistic approach.
A comprehensive email marketing strategy for your blog will help you build a strong relationship with your audience, engage your leads with content, distribute said content, and establish you as authority in your niche.
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2. Collaborate With Like-Minded Startups
Partnering with startups or entrepreneurs that are close to your niche can help accelerate your email list growth, as you’ll be able to reach a wider audience that is relevant to yours.
One of the first things to do would be to gain exposure and establish yourself as authority through mutual content exchanges on other startup and entrepreneur blogs. Build your mailing list by using your author bio or a clever CTA to offer a valuable resource in exchange for emails.
That way, you’ll collect blog traffic that is valuable for your business, and you’ll get more exposure than before.
Another way to bring in more leads through like-minded startups is through cross-promotion. If you’re a SaaS business, for example, and your product is perfect for eCommerce, collaborate with an eCommerce store to promote your product’s use.
This is a mutually beneficial tactic, as it’s a great lead-gen hack for the eCommerce store you’ll be collaborating with. The eCommerce store will be creating a co-branded campaign to show its products to a wider audience, while you’ll be targeting your preferred audience of decision-makers, power users, and people who look for an eCommerce solution for their business.
Don’t forget to create a landing page to promote this marketing collaboration—and make it shareable as well. Offer a small incentive for users who urge their peers to sign up, and you’ll see your leads booming.
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3. Create Beautiful Landing Pages
Landing pages aim to convert visitors into subscribers. This means that they should be optimized for that purpose from the get-go.
Craft a dedicated landing page for each marketing action that aims to bring in more valuable email list leads. Your landing page should be distraction-free, with a clear CTA that promotes your action.
Try to incorporate content like customer testimonials, statistics, or specific use cases—if the page calls for this type of content. Testimonials and real-life success stories will help you grab users’ attention. Use them as a motivator to encourage new signups.
After all, people are more likely to trust you when they see others having a good experience with your brand.
Lastly, never forget to A/B test your content—yes, even on your landing page. Create variations of your headline by transforming data into content, think of variations of your CTA button, and develop a couple of different visuals. Small tweaks can impact your conversions and help you create a landing page that is the most effective for gathering those email signups you’re after.
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4. Create a Referral Program
Your existing subscribers are an untapped goldmine. They’re already familiar with your content and can be used as “social proof” when bringing in more leads. This is why creating a referral program makes sense when you’re trying to expand your email list.
Remember how we talked about offering existing users an incentive in exchange for promoting your business to their peers? This is what makes a huge difference. People love being brand ambassadors and promoting useful things to others, but incentives call for a more methodical approach.
Your first step should be to group your users into two segments: active and inactive. Your second step would be to create a referral program with different objectives for each of your segments.
Encourage active subscribers to share your newsletter or your offers in exchange for a discount or a free product if they refer a friend who subscribes as well. Offering a small “Welcome” discount to new referrals is also a nice touch, as they’ll be encouraged to complete a purchase and bring in their peers, resulting in your business getting word-of-mouth recognition.
For your inactive subscribers, offer incentives that will get them to interact with your brand once more. For example, a “We Missed You” campaign with a discount or free shipping should do the trick. You can also add in something extra for those who complete a purchase, like a small gift, to further rekindle your relationship. And don’t forget to let them know of your referral bonus.
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5. Leverage Social Media
While the ever-changing algorithm can make it harder for people to see your posts, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use your social media channels to bring in more email list leads.
They offer a direct way to drive new subscribers to your email list. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to run lead-gen campaigns and collect email addresses from your followers.
Just run a contest, craft a dedicated landing page as we mentioned before, and announce that the winners will be informed via their email inboxes. Offer something valuable in exchange—a free product trial if you’re a SaaS company, or perhaps a mystery box of products if you’re an eCommerce store. A big offer that won’t break your marketing budget can work wonders.
The key here is to offer an exciting prize that will be niche enough so that you won’t attract an audience that is solely interested in freebies. Your offer should be something of true value to those who will be part of your audience down the line.
Another idea would be to create a shareable email. Create your email content and add social sharing buttons to your email. After that, encourage your subscribers to share it on their social media profiles. This is quite useful if you’re producing content related to facts and figures.
This might not bring immediate email list signups, but it’s a way for your brand and content to gain exposure.
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Simplify Email List Growth
Building a valuable email list is key for startups aiming for sustainable growth. By leveraging your blog and website, refining your landing pages, and fostering meaningful collaborations with like-minded businesses and your own audience, you can attract valuable email list leads.
Since there is no cookie-cutter solution, one of the best things you can do is experiment with different strategies, track your results, and refine your approach as your list grows.
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