If you are managing and developing an online store, you are probably constructing a mailing list. If you are paying attention, something that marketers often overlook will likely be evident to you.
Not all tactics for assembling a mailing list will be beneficial for e-commerce stores.
Yes, composing contributions for other blogs and generating attractive incentives are some of the most useful ways for building a mailing list. However, how much of the available time do active online merchants have to dedicate to these tasks?
It is accurate that you are not required to utilize 100+ procedures to increase your email list. You have to have a few techniques that you can learn and gradually develop throughout the period.
And that’s what you’ll learn today.
In our new guide, you’ll find all the information you need to successfully take your email list to the next level and build a financial return on it. We’ll give you tips on how to expand, monitor, and monetize your list of contacts.
Let’s get started.
What Is an Email List?
A roster of email addresses that you have the authority to distribute marketing emails to is known as an email list. In most cases, these addresses are logged in an email service provider.
Users may choose to opt into an e-commerce email list for several reasons, including but not limited to:
- Learning more about a company;
- Receiving relevant offers;
- Getting updates about product launches;
- Claiming a discount code;
- Getting access to a lead magnet;
- And more.
Are you wondering what the advantage of having an email list is to a e-commerce marketer?
Why Build an Email List?
Is it because everybody’s doing it?
The answer is both yes and no—for at least tpowo reasons:
Not everybody is doing it right. Doing something different is vital if everyone else is doing the same thing in order to be noticed. It is essential to create a mailing list since not every individual visiting your website is willing to make a purchase.
Prospects can be at a range of levels in the purchaser’s cycle. Some individuals have extensive knowledge about your products, while others are only familiar with your business today.
By carefully dividing your email list into quality leads, you can use successful strategies to convince each individual in each part of the purchasing cycle.
Moreover, you can set up a system to transform subscribers into purchasers and purchasers into steady customers.
There are numerous approaches to carry out things incorrectly, yet there is a select few to do it correctly.
How to Build an Email List from Scratch
There are countless ways to build an email list.
Analyzing more than one billion user experiences has revealed that some popups work more effectively than others.
Taking this into account, these are the 15 techniques being employed by innovative e-commerce companies presently to build lists.
Step 1. Get an Email Marketing Tool
Prior to beginning the designing of your mailing list, consider signing up with a program such as ActiveCampaign, Campaign Monitor, or Mailchimp that specializes in email marketing. These pieces of software are not only great for constructing and transmitting emails to customers but also for compiling and managing your mailing list. I assure you, you’ll regret it if you attempt to record all this data on an Excel spreadsheet. The beginning overhead for these tools is quite low – and each of them have complimentary plans or trials that make it uncomplicated to commence.
Once you select a device, it would be a good idea to learn how it functions. Every platform has some distinctions, but initial steps to take might include…
- Create Your First List(s) – You can organize the emails you collect into groups called “lists.” To start out, you may want to create a “Master” list where you can put all email addresses, a “Customers” list for people who have already bought from you, and a “Prospects” list for people who have shown interest but haven’t yet made a purchase.
- Import Any Existing Contacts – If you already have some emails that you want to add to your new database, now would be the time to do so. You can set up your existing email contacts in a spreadsheet to import them all in one go. Remember, these are folks who need to have expressly agreed to receive emails from you per privacy laws.
- Set Up Tags/Segments – As email addresses come in, you’ll be able to tag leads based on how they entered your database, and send segmented emails to more specific groups of customers or prospects. To start out, you may want to create tags for segments like “Landing Page Leads,” “Newsletter Sign-up Leads,” and other entry points so you know who signed up where.
- Create an Email Template – These email marketing tools aren’t just for organizing your list—they’re also for sending emails. Get familiar with the different templates, and try designing and sending out a test email from your business.
Bonus! Unbounce integrates seamlessly with ActiveCampaign, Campaign Monitor, and Mailchimp. You will be capable of creating pages that acquire contact information from visitors, popups, and sticky bars that will transfer the contact data into your assigned email program.
Step 2. Create an Offer You Can Exchange for Email Addresses
Now that you possess a resource to get contacts, the next action–and possibly the most crucial element of this whole procedure–is to identify how to ultimately convince potential clients to truly supply you with their emails.
The customary way of doing things here is to include a “Subscribe” icon on the main page or blog of your website and encourage visitors to fill in their email address. Have you ever completed one of those surveys, simply for the sake of doing so? No, thanks. Most individuals do not fill out the form due to there not being a good reason to give away their email address.
An individual’s email address is a private form of contact information. Many people will not simply submit their text onto any random website without consideration. You need to provide something truly worthwhile as a trade.
It would be beneficial to allocate sufficient time to contemplate potential offerings that may entice visitors to provide their email address right away. Having an effective plan is essential to speeding up the process of creating an email list.
Are you curious about what techniques are usually employed by other marketers to acquire email addresses from visitors? Commonly, the following methods are utilized…
Offer a Coupon or Discount Code
One of the simplest methods to get a customer’s email address for ecommerce is to provide them a voucher or discount in exchange. The most basic solution is generally the most costly too. Receive a $10 deduction from the initial transaction or obtain free transporting, these are effective incentives for prospective customers… you have to ensure that the currency spent for gaining each e-mail contact is accounted for.
Offer a Free Tool or Resource
One option for creating an email list quickly (especially if you’re in the software as a service industry) is to make a complimentary resource available and use a form to protect it. The essential point to remember is that your offering must be something of benefit to your audience, and this must link to what your business has knowledge on and is proficient in. For instance, if you own an internet pet store, you might produce a complimentary guide concentrating on the subject of “Discovering the Perfect Lead for Your Furry Companion”. Alternatively, if you operate a hair salon, you may create a guide entitled “The Best Ways To Style Your Hair in the House” for customers that are self-isolating due to the pandemic.
Run a Sweepstakes, Giveaway, or Contest
People love free stuff. Sweepstakes, giveaways, and contests captivate our subconscious. (“Why yes, I do want a chance to win a lifetime supply of mayonnaise. Where do I sign up?”) You could even consider setting up ongoing sweepstakes like this one from Fat Stone Farm to collect customer emails on a weekly basis.
Set Up an Email Newsletter
I stated before that nobody joins an email list for no particular reason, but they would if there was an enticing explanation for doing so. You can provide a bulletin as a way for people to learn about your newest goods or catalogue material based on what might be pertinent to them in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This tactic is especially useful in the B2B market, where a newsletter can be employed to detail the experiences of other buyers in dealing with the emergency.
At the end of the day, it is your decision to select the method that is most appropriate for your enterprise. You may want to try mixing the two methods to expedite the formation of your list. For instance, this baby food brand was able to attract 14,000+ email subscribers within a span of less than 12 months by employing both promo codes and a free guidebook. Check out various ideas for bringing in business, for example, organizing no-cost webinars, providing ready-made templates, setting up quizzes, and having available digital aids.
A warning—take measures to be cautious with any emails amassed for activities other than promotional (e.g., when someone places a purchase on your website). In order to be allowed to send promotional emails to your visitors, you must seek explicit permission due to rules like GDPR.
Step 3. Exclude Existing Subscribers from Email Popups
Let’s be clear: Nobody desires to be asked by a brand to become an active subscriber to a mailing list they have already subscribed to.
However, multiple e-commerce vendors will re-target visitors who have already been to their site- even with their contact details.
It would be unwise to initiate a new relationship from that point.
Don’t show newsletter popups to any of your current email subscribers; stand out from the crowd by making this exception. Next, initiate a campaign that encourages customers to explore a renowned product page, take part in a giveaway, or complete any other action that propels them further through your funnel.
For instance, an apparel store could greet regular customers by displaying a popup window asking them to check out the most recent products.
Step 4. Model This Black Friday Marketing Strategy for Your Next Holiday Campaign
It is widely known that Black Friday is the most profitable and busiest time of the year for retailers.
A study has found that the typical adult spends around $483.18 on Black Friday. That’s a great deal of money to take advantage of during the festive period.
Online stores often create immense excitement leading up to the well-anticipated day.
And it makes sense:
Creating an air of excitement for the prospects by letting them know what kind of savings they will benefit from increases their chances of making a bigger purchase on the key day.
Bellroy, a company that produces leather items, holds a remarkable Black Friday event each November and it can be a useful tool for increasing the number of subscribers.
Here’s how it works:
At first, a Facebook lead ad is produced that allures people to a Black Friday deal that is for subscribers only. When you click the link listed in the advertisement, it will bring you to a special page on the Bellroy website that advises you to go ahead and put yourself on the list. Above the sign-up form is text meant to intrigue and entice you about a 24-hour-only deal. Here’s an excerpt:
This approach is beneficial for all festive occasions such as Cyber Monday, Independence Day, and Christmas Eve.
Just remember to deliver on the big day. Nobody wishes to be cheated out of getting a good deal.
Step 5. What You Can Learn About List Building from a Fashion Brand
It is plausible to suppose that any individual attempting to get in contact with you is already a member.
But let’s be honest, that isn’t always the case.
I often suggest adding an email collection form to the contact page of a website; it is a great way to build a list.
Cotton Bureau provides an impeccable example of what is referred to as “generating contacts through a web page.”
Upon visiting the contact page, the expected input fields such as “Name,” “Email,” and “Subject” can be found.
Not everyone will subscribe, of course. After all, that wouldn’t be realistic. It is worth experimenting to see if list building that requires minimal effort has any positive benefits.
Step 6. Use Quizzes to Get Targeted Subscribers
Retailers are increasingly taking advantage of a list building strategy which has proven to be highly successful.
And that’s using quizzes and surveys.
Fabletics have become the latest brand to utilise questionnaires to extend their subscriber list.
Once they finished the survey, theybeg you to provide your email address in return for a “special deal”.
And it’s super-effective for three reasons:
- They’re creating hyper-targeted user segments. Yes, there are more questions, and Fabletics are likely to collect fewer leads. But the leads they do get are likely to be of a higher quality. Plus, they’re easier to market to, given the information Fabletics already have. (For example, they ask for the user’s size, body type, and more).
- They personalize the user experience for return visitors. If you’ve ever been asked to join an email list that you’re already on, you know that it’s annoying and hinders the reading experience. Fabletics know that, too. That’s why they only show the final page to returning visitors that have completed the survey but have NOT entered their email.
- Their copy is ultra-unique and super-specific. Unlike Fabletics’ competitors that invite visitors to “Subscribe for Exclusive Offers,” Fabletics specify their offer in concrete terms (“2 leggings for $24”), offer free shipping, and even attach a dollar amount value to their offer (“$99 value”).
If you don’t utilize persuasive quizzes for the purpose of generating leads, you’re passing up a great opportunity. If the brands mentioned above are anything to indicate, they are very successful.
Conclusion
This is the ultimate instruction set for increasing your e-commerce listing.
Completing this guide has been an educational experience for us, and we trust that you also gleaned valuable insights from it.
Related posts:
