Simple and Effective Email List Building w/Project Socialize

Simple and Effective Email List Building

Many companies incorporate email marketing as a Social Media strategy in their strategic marketing plan. The foundation of an email marketing strategy is predicated by a distribution list containing people who have opted-in to receive your eNewsletter. However, building your email distribution list may feel like a daunting task. New email marketers and business owners not familiar with the “rules” of email marketing often use, unbeknownst to them, spam tactics in an attempt to quickly grow their email list. If you are thinking about using the following list building activities … PLEASE DON’T!

Do NOT download your entire email account from gmail, AOL, or Yahoo! into your new email database.
Do NOT copy the email address from your “friends” on Facebook, “followers” on Twitter, or “connections” on LinkedIn into your new email database.
Do NOT attend a networking event, collect business cards, and add the individuals into your new email database.

While each activity represents a relatively easy way to grow your email list, ALL of the above activities equal spam. The SPAM equation – sending unsolicited emails to people/companies without first obtaining their permission. These spam activities can get your email account shutdown or worse anger your new business leads.

Growing your email distribution list takes some effort and doesn’t happen overnight, but it can be a powerful lead generation tool.

Below are several simple, yet effective email list builders:

After speaking to a potential new customer, ASK if you can add them to your email distribution list, even if they don’t become a customer.
ASK your current clients if you can add them to your email distribution list.
If you are a guest speaker, bring an email sign-up sheet and ASK attendees to sign-up for your newsletter.
When conducting a giveaway or contest, include an email OPT-IN as part of the registration.
Include an email SIGN-UP on your website. The Home Page, Blog, and Contact Pages are great places.
When customizing your social media sites like Facebook, include an eNewsletter SIGN-UP.
If fans and followers ask industry specific questions, answer the question and offer them the opportunity to REGISTER for your email newsletter to receive additional industry specific information.

Rest assured, your email list will grow because of your efforts. Over time, your email list will grow because the recipients of your email list not only want to receive the content contained in your eNewsletter, but believe it is valuable content worth sharing with others.

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