10 creative ways to grow an email list with minimum costs

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If you are in the online business niche you have probably heard the saying “ The money is in the list”, which refers to the relationship between growing an email list and long term internet marketing success. Whoever said that is absolutely right!

Email marketing is one of the most effective marketing channels, it generates as much as a 4000 % return on investment (ROI). That means on average, every dollar that businesses spend on their email marketing efforts becomes $40 in income.

That’s why in this post I’m going to share the most creative ways to grow an email list and ensure that you have a large audience of subscribers eager to hear what you have to say and likely to make purchases and contribute to your business growth.

Let’s get started

What is an email list

An email list, also called a mailing list or subscribers list,is a collection of email addresses from people who have signed up to receive emails from a business, organization, or individual.

These people are typically interested in the content or offerings of the sender and have opted in to receive updates, promotions, or other communications.

Email lists can be segmented into different groups according to demographics, interests, or purchasing behavior. Resulting in more relevant and effective marketing campaigns.

The primary goal of building an email list is to increase the number of possible leads. That way, when the time comes, you can turn them into loyal consumers.

Why you should grow an email list

You may be surprised to learn how beneficial developing an email list can be, especially if you’re just getting started in your online journey .In fact, for most online business owners, their email list is their most valued possession.

The more subscribers you have, the more opportunities you have to book services, sell products, and earn money through affiliate links and display ads.

Here are the major benefits of building your own email list:

Direct and Personalized Communication

Email allows for a more personal connection with your audience. Through targeted campaigns and informative content, you can build trust and rapport with potential and existing customers.

Owning your audience

Unlike social media platforms where algorithms can limit your reach, an email list gives you direct access to your audience’s inboxes. This allows for more control over communication and marketing efforts.

It’s affordable.

The effectiveness of digital ads is declining as their prices are skyrocketing. In comparison, sending out regular emails to your email list is far less expensive

Targeted audience

your email list is filled with contacts that want to hear from you.Use that to your advantage by sending the most compelling content.

Its trackable

Using email marketing you can track your results like open rates, click-through rates, etc. So, you can find out what subject lines are working , if your audience prefers images or textual content in newsletters, etc.

What makes a good quality email list

Before diving into list-building ways, it’s important to understand what makes a good email list in the first place.

A good quality email list goes beyond just having a large number of subscribers. Here are some key characteristics that define a high-quality list:

Permission-based: This is the foundation of any good email list. Subscribers should have willingly opted in to receive emails from you, demonstrating their interest in your content or offerings.
Targeted audience: Having subscribers relevant to your business is crucial. A smaller list of highly interested individuals is more valuable than a large list of generic contacts.
Clean and accurate: A clean email list consists of valid, active email addresses. Regularly cleaning the list by removing invalid or inactive email addresses helps maintain deliverability rates and ensures that messages reach the intended recipients’ inboxes.
Segmentable: A well-organized list allows you to segment subscribers based on interests, demographics, or behavior. This enables sending targeted and personalized emails that resonate better.
Growing: A healthy list should show steady growth through organic signups. Focus on providing valuable content and incentives to attract new, relevant subscribers.
Easy to unsubscribe: Always include a clear and functional unsubscribe option in your emails. It’s better to have a clean list of engaged subscribers than holding onto uninterested ones.

10 creative ways to grow an email list

Whether you’re starting from scratch, or just looking to get new ideas for your email marketing campaign – here are 10 creative ways to grow and expand your email list.

1. Create a lead magnet

A lead magnet free gifts you offer in exchange for someone’s contact information, most commonly their email address. They act like little incentives to entice people into joining your email list.

The offer could be a free ebook, a discount on your products or services, or anything else that would be of value to your target audience.

This is a great way to grow your email list because it provides value to your audience and encourages them to sign up.

2. popup forms

Popup email signup forms are little windows that appear on your website designed to capture the email address.

They typically contain a short form with an email address field and a call to action (CTA) button like “Subscribe” or “Get My Free Ebook.”

The idea is to grab your attention while you’re browsing a website and convince you to sign up for their email list in exchange for something valuable, like a discount code, free downloadable content, or exclusive access to information.

One key tip I can give straight away is that you must have user experience in mind when creating your pop-up forms. This ensures that your pop-ups are relevant and well-timed.

3. Sign up forms

Signup forms, also known as email opt-in forms or web forms, are essentially short online questionnaires placed strategically on websites or landing pages. Their primary function is to collect email addresses from visitors who are interested in receiving email communications from a business or organization. There are lots of tools where you can create sign up forms, I personally use Systeme.io to create them.

4.. Create a blog to grow an email list.

Starting a blog is a great way to boost your online presence. It can improve your search engine ranking, making you easier to find, while simultaneously building brand awareness and trust. Plus, you can collect email addresses to connect directly with your audience and deliver valuable content straight to their inboxes.

I have written a separate guide that shows you how to start a blog in 20 minutes, click here to read it.

5. Encourage your email subscribers to forward and share your content.

Include “Email to a Friend” and social media sharing buttons into your promotional emails. You can increase the size of your contact list by doing this and gaining access to the networks, friends, and coworkers of the recipients. Include a simple text-based link for “Subscribe” at the bottom of your emails so that recipients of forwarded emails may also quickly opt-in.

6. Promote signups on social media platforms

Promote your newsletter on all of your social media and email platforms to expand your email list. Include a link to your signup page in posts on social media.Another option is to host giveaways or contests on social media to attract followers.

Adding an email signup CTA in your bio can also help grow your email list. That way, every time someone checks out your bio, you have the opportunity to gain a new subscriber.

7. Segment your email list

Email list segmentation is a powerful tool for marketers. It involves dividing your email list into targeted groups based on specific criteria. This allows you to send more relevant emails to each group, which can lead to higher open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.

You can divide your list into groups based on factors like gender, age, or region. Also, you may divide your list up according to interests, such sports, travel, or fashion.

8 . A/B test your signup forms

If you’re unsure what will work to grow your email list, consider A/B testing your signup form. This means creating two different versions of your form and seeing which one performs better.

A/B test different aspects of your signup form with different versions of the same content. This includes the call-to-action text, the color of the gated offer, and even where these sign-up forms are placed on your website. Sometimes a small change can drive hundreds more conversions.

9. Host a webinar

Webinars are a great way to talk about your industry with thought leaders and reach a potential audience for your presentation.

Since audiences typically register for webinars by email, you have their email addresses to add to your list for follow-up after they sign up.

10. Track and Analyze your Results

Regularly monitor your email marketing metrics to see what’s working and what’s not. Use this data to refine your strategies and optimize your email list growth efforts.

Track metrics like source of signup( website forms, social media, etc.), opent rates, click through rates and subscribers growth rate.

Growing an email list is a journey, not a destination. By consistently tracking and analyzing results, you can make data-driven decisions, refine your email marketing strategy, and ensure your list continues to flourish.

Creative ways to grow an email list: Conclusion

Email lists for marketing purposes are essential for any business to have. They are a great way to communicate with your customers and subscribers. For revenue growth, they are an indispensable tool.

I hope this list helped you come up with some new ideas for growing your email list. As you can see, there are plenty of affordable and creative ways to grow and increase the size of your email list.

It’s important to continue learning and refining your strategies, and, of course, using the right tools to implement those ideas.