After reading last week’s blog post about why it’s important to build an email list, you’ve now committed to creating an email list to keep in touch with your clients because you understand that business is about building relationships. You also understand that your email list is your ‘inventory’; it’s your data bank of prospects that you will turn into clients.
So what’s the next step? I can hear your questions and concerns popping up — is building & growing an email list going to be expensive? how much time will this take? will I get results? I get it — you already wear lots of hats but let me ask you this…. how much is a new customer worth? A customer who hears from you on a regular basis and who now knows, likes and trusts you. So let’s get to it and let’s keep it simple!
Here are the basics that you will need:
- A simple webpage/site or a lead page is the starting point. All of your marketing material should direct/send your prospects to this ‘page’. You can do this very simply by having a SIMPLE website or just a webpage or by using other programs such as lead pages.
- Next – you need a way of GATHERING email addresses! Often that includes an ‘opt-in’ box on your website (that’s a form as you see here on my website). This form is connected to an email service.
- You need is the EMAIL service. I use a company called ‘Mail Chimp’ but there are lots of other companies too — constant contact, etc. When you are first starting out, a ‘free’ service works just fine!!! There are many other mail servicers — many costing larger monthly fees.
- You want your prospects to leave their information and usually for this to happen you need a REASON for them to leave their name & email addresses on your website — that’s often called a lead magnet! A lead magnet could take the form of anything such as video, checklist, ebook or report. The important thing to remember is ‘what type of client’ do you want to leave their name & information. Your lead magnet should attract your Perfect Client and must be something that makes your Perfect Client want to leave their name & email address!
- Okay — now you are starting to build your list, WHAT do you send to your prospects and HOW often do you send out an email? Your prospects want valuable content! What would your Perfect Client consider ‘valuable’?? If you are just starting out, connecting with your prospects on a regular monthly basis is okay; but you should aim to increase that to several times a month. (You’ll notice that I send out a blog & newsletter every Sunday afternoon!)
There you have it — the five basics that you need to start growing your ever important email list. If you’d like more information on any of these points, let’s talk! I love chatting with professionals who are building a serious business. Go here to schedule some time!
Have an awesome week … remember Aristotle said… “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act but a habit”.
