Building an Email List from Scratch
Posted by Allison Semancik on Wed, Oct 07, 2009
When you are a small business just starting out, everything you do for your 
business seems like an uphill climb. There is so much to do - marketing, sales, operations, accounting - and you are working with a tight budget.
When it comes to marketing, a lot of new small businesses are looking for low cost effective strategies and most turn to email marketing. And why not? It costs pennies to send email and you can see near instant results. The only problem most new businesses run into is that they do not have an email list.
So How Do You Build an Email List?
Building an email list can be done, but it does take some time. One way to start is to create an email newsletter with useful information for your target market. Once you've come up with some content for your newsletters, try some of the following tactics to get people to join your list:
1. On your website, have a form to allow people to sign up to receive your newsletter. Make sure you give them a reason to sign up - tell them the great information they will get in the newsletter.
2. After someone purchases, ask them if they would like to receive your newsletter.
3. In your newsletter, remind readers to forward your newsletter onto people they think would be interested. You can get them to sign up as well.
4. If your business has a physical location, put out signup sheet for your newsletter. Make sure you print a copy of your newsletter and display it so people can see the good content your newsletter will provide them.
Your most important goal is to provide information that your target market is craving. You'll gain a following in no time if you offer something of value to your readers.
Once your readers come to trust you and your information, you'll start to convert them to buyers. The bonus is that you will also strengthen the bonds you have with your current buyers, so you can convert them to repeat buyers. All in all - it's a win-win situation!
Photo: orangeacid