Good morning and welcome back to my channel. Today, I want to discuss strategies to build your email list from scratch, step by step. We all know that email marketing is a powerful tool to move your audience along the marketing funnel, build trust, and ultimately, lead to a sale. But the success of your email marketing efforts depends on one very important asset – your email list. So, let’s dive into the strategies that will help you build a strong and engaged email list.
Step 1: Sign up to an Email Marketing Software
The first step is to sign up for an email marketing software. This may seem obvious, but it is a crucial first step. There are many options available, such as Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Omnisend, and Moosend, among others. You need to choose one that aligns with your budget and offers the features you want. For most of my ecommerce clients, I recommend Klaviyo. They have a free version until you reach 250 subscribers, making it a great platform that integrates directly with Shopify.
Having the right software in place allows you to collect and store customer data, as well as connect with your audience through email.
Step 2: Set up a First Order Email Discount Pop-Up
Next, you want to create a first order email discount pop-up. This is an essential feature for every ecommerce store. It’s a sign-up form that pops up when someone visits your store and offers an incentive, such as a first order discount or free shipping, in exchange for their email address. Here are some do’s and don’ts for setting this up:
- Do make sure that the email software you use is integrated with the ecommerce platform you’re using. This allows you to ask for people’s first names in the sign-up form, making it easy to personalize emails from the get-go.
- Do set up the pop-up to only show after people have been on the page or website for more than 6 seconds. We don’t want it to pop up immediately as this can be a little annoying.
- Don’t show the pop-up to all visitors. It should only show to new visitors, not existing subscribers, to avoid annoying current subscribers.
- Don’t forget about mobile optimization. Make sure the pop-up is mobile optimized for a seamless experience.
Step 3: Create a Compelling Automation Lead Magnet
To further incentivize people to sign up, you want to set up an email automation lead magnet. This is an automated email that sends offers or valuable content to people as soon as they subscribe. While the first order discount qualifies as a lead magnet, there are other ways to provide value to your target audience. Think about what other value you can offer them. For example, you could create an ebook, a PDF, a webinar, or a video tutorial.
Step 4: Implement Other Lead Magnets Specific to Your Audience
Think about other lead magnets you can create to provide value to your target audience. Some ideas include hosting a giveaway in collaboration with an influencer or brand within your niche, creating a training plan in the form of a PDF for a specific audience, or offering a video tutorial on how to achieve a specific outcome. The key is to offer something valuable in exchange for their email address.
Step 5: Create Converting Landing Pages
Create a converting landing page that clearly communicates the value of your lead magnet and invites people to sign up to access it. Make sure to include a strong headline, a clear call to action, social proof, and clear benefits. You can also use marketplace platforms like Gumroad or Amazon to promote your lead magnet and reach a wider audience.
Step 6: Leverage Social Media
Engaging with your email list doesn’t stop at the inbox. Engage with your audience on social media and promote your lead magnet. Include your lead magnet landing page link in the bio of all your social media accounts. Create content around the topic of your lead magnet and share it on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Add calls to action and link to your lead magnet wherever possible.
Step 7: Be Consistent and Add Value
Engaging with your email list and your audience on social media should be consistent. Two rules to follow are: be consistent and add value. Consistency and value will build trust and keep your audience engaged. Provide valuable content and resources, and interact with your email list and social media followers regularly. This long-term strategy will help you grow your email list over time.
Building your email list from scratch takes time and effort, but it’s a worthwhile investment. By following these steps and consistently providing value to your audience, you’ll create a strong and engaged email list that will lead to increased sales and business growth.
If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide to implementing email marketing in your ecommerce business, check out my guide to email marketing for ecommerce. The link is in the description of this video.
I hope that these strategies have been helpful and that they will help you on your journey to growing your email list. Please let me know what you think in the comments. If you have any more ideas or feedback or anything else you would like to learn about, feel free to reach out.
