Email marketing helps you not only to build a relationship with your customers, but gives you a proven opportunity to nurture leads and convert them into returning customers. No matter what type of business you have, an email list is an important element of a successful marketing strategy you need to utilise. With that list, you can share your journey, promote your business, and showcase your products, all whilst turning your target audience into paying customers.

There are many kinds of entry points that will let you effectively begin collecting emails and build that list for your business. This blog will walk you through the different ways you can build an email list, thereby strengthening all of your emailing marketing campaigns down the line. Read on to learn how.

Create a pop-ups

After a user spends a certain amount of time on your page, they can receive a pop-up relevant to the content on that page, or something that they would want based on their behaviour on your site. We highly recommend scroll pop-up (which appear after the user scrolls a certain percentage down the page) or exit pop-ups (which appear when a user begins to leave the page).

Think about it - most people don’t visit a new website and think, “Huh... I need the email sign-up form, where is it?” Often you need your target audience to feel invested in your content before you present them with a request for their personal detail like their email. So to build your emailing list you might want to reach out to visitors, on particular pages of your website, with surveys related to that specific content. This is another great option if you opt towards pop-ups on your site. I’m, personally, more willing to answer an “A, B or C” survey question if I’m invested in the content or the business as I feel it's a fair trade. Give it a try!

Create landing pages

Every person who visits your website has a different want or need, so the more landing pages you can create to answer each person’s individual concerns, the more sign-ups you’ll likely gain. Think of it like a restaurant menu - the more you can offer to cater for a variety of different preferences and allergens etc, the more customers you’ll bring in to the restaurant. Someone could be looking for the best gluten-free pizza option, while someone else might just want a good old steak and chips.

Businesses see a 55% increase in leads when they increase the number of landing pages, from 10 to 15! That is an incredible statistic you cannot ignore. So for those of you with only one or two landing pages, get to work on at least 12 or 14 more... you don't want to fall behind your competitors now, do you?

Pitch your email newsletter

Just because you don't have a long list of email subscribers, that doesn’t mean you don't have a good size network. If you have a fan base on Facebook, a following on Instagram, or businesses you communicate with via email - why not use those loyal connections to build an email list?

You might want to try pitching an email newsletter on your business’ Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts, from any social media accounts your business has. The people who follow you on those platforms already know they like you and what you have to offer, but they aren’t necessarily the same people who receive your regular newsletter - so give them the option.

In the case you’re not comfortable with pitching your email newsletter on social media, or for those of you who don't necessarily have a large following on any of your social media accounts, you could also include a link in your email signature. Just remember you communicate daily with a diverse group of people via email, and when they get value, they will want the option to click a link and explore your business in more depth.

Create personalised CTAs for each blog or landing page

HubSpot has found personalised call to actions (CTA) have a 42% higher view-to-submission rate than calls-to-action that are the same for all visitors. Another statistic you cannot ignore! And it makes sense: the people who visit your blog post or web page are looking for something specific, so a CTA needs to meet those needs and wants. For instance, if you’ve high traffic visiting your “How to Save Money Like a Pro” blog, why not entice those people to subscribe to your email list by including a simple CTA like this: “Click here to download our eGuide on How to Save Money Like a Pro.”

Of course these CTAs can only work if you have the tools and resources to create that content in the first place, but that process doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. NOTE: If you offer content directly related to your audience’s needs and wants, your email newsletter won’t feel like gimmicky. Instead, it will feel helpful and valuable - the key aspects for ensuring customers keep returning to your business.

Describe value in your CTA

This leads nicely onto my next point. To optimise sign-ups, you don’t really want to be use the terminology like sign up or subscribe. We associate those terms with junk emails, right? Instead, you want to outline the value you offer upfront and personal by using words like Download, Exclusive, Access and Limited Edition.

For example, you might write, “Download our exclusive eGuide today,” and include an email subscription form there. This makes it clear the value your audience will gain from providing their email address. Be descriptive and see the increase in sales that convert!

Encourage everyone to sign up immediately

You want to strategically place personalised CTAs where it counts, on landing pages and blog posts. But what about the visitors who want to sign up immediately? If your newsletter is primarily specific to one or two topics, it’s relatively easy to create a personalised CTA. You simply have to come up with a CTA that mirrors your newsletter’s purpose. For example, you can try something on the lines of “Want free marketing tips? Sign up for our weekly newsletter!” Straight to the point and clear as to what you offer and what they will gain from providing you with their email address.