Email is a core component of many companies' marketing strategies, and its success depends on how effectively you can grow and maintain your subscriber list. The more people who opt in to receive your business's newsletters and marketing messages, the greater the number of potential leads you're reaching every time you send a campaign.
To help, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council share some creative and effective strategies to help small businesses gain (and keep) email subscribers.
What's one creative tactic a small business can leverage to gain more subscribers on their email list? Why is this effective?
1. Align Your Value Proposition With Your Email Offer
Aligning your product’s core value proposition with your email offer is an effective way to significantly grow your list. If your product or service is aligned with content, then the ask is on-brand and relevant. However, if your core value proposition is not content related, it may feel spammy or unnatural to promote your email list. To overcome this, connect your company’s value to the content offer. —Nick Chasinov, Teknicks
2. Offer a First-Order Discount
Offer a first order discount for email subscribers only. This is effective because everyone wants a good deal and a large percentage of your customers will be first-time visitors to the site if you are running any sort of paid acquisition strategy. —Josh Weiss, Reggie
3. Express the Desire to Keep in Touch
Be honest with people about adding them to your email list. Be genuine about your desire to keep in touch. Often, I'll meet people and have a genuine curiosity to learn more about them, but am limited with time, so I'll say, "I wish I could spend more time with you. Are you cool if I add you on social media and keep in touch via our newsletters?" Most of the time, they'll say yes. —Givelle Lamano, Lamano Law Office
4. Give Subscribers Early Access
Early access to new products or services, along with coupons and discounted offers, are tempting reasons to subscribe to a business email list. Owners and marketers can segment audiences separately, ensuring that regular newsletters don't overwhelm prospects who are particularly interested in new deals. —Mario Peshev, DevriX
5. Offer a Free Trial or Sample
Any type of incentive can make it more attractive for people to sign up to an email list. One of the best ways is if you can offer a discount or free trial on a product. If it's software, for example, offer a free trial. For physical products, it might be a free sample. Offering a financial benefit may work better than a free e-book, which is very common by now. —Kalin Kassabov, ProTexting
6. Create Gated Content
Adding gated content to your blog or website can be an effective way to gain more email subscribers because you’re offering valuable content in exchange for contact information. To be effective, make it easy for visitors to sign up and access it, and be sure to offer relevant and valuable content to potential subscribers. —Abhijeet Kaldate, Astra WordPress Theme
7. Run a Contest or Giveaway
A very good way of growing your email list is to run contests or giveaways. People love freebies and they won't mind exchanging their email addresses for them. All you need to do is announce an interesting prize and ask your participants to submit their email addresses to enter the giveaway. The results will blow your mind. —Andrew Munro, AffiliateWP
8. Gamify Your Email Subscription Process
One creative tactic a small business can leverage to gain more subscribers on their email list is gamification. It's a wonderful way to capture people's attention and encourage them to opt in. It also helps you drive their interest and motivate them to interact with your business. —Josh Kohlbach, Wholesale Suite
9. Leverage Pinterest
Small businesses can use Pinterest to gain more followers on their email list. This strategy entails pinning an item from their website to a board, which automatically links back to the business website. It is effective because it increases targeted traffic and potential conversions for the small business. —Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC
10. Make It Personal
Business leaders across all industries can leverage the power of personalization to grow their email lists. Research shows that the majority of people prefer to engage with brands that offer personalized content and offers. If you want users to sign up, encourage them to select their preferences so they only receive relevant emails that connect to their specific goals and pain points. —John Turner, SeedProd LLC
