How to Build an Email List from Scratch - 5 Top Strategies
Welcome back to our newsletter where we share the ins and outs of effective email marketing.
This time, let's talk about building an email list that actually brings results.
Before we dive in, there's one thing you should know: the process of building an email list is neither easy nor quick. So if you're serious about building a list of qualified leads worth nurturing, your two most important tools should be consistent effort and patience.
That said, here are our 5 proven list-building strategies.
1. Set Up a Sign-Up Form They Can't Ignore
- Your Home page is a great way to start building an email list. Offer a valuable incentive in exchange for your visitor’s email address. Some popular options include ebooks, cheat sheets, and discounts.
- Invite your website visitors to sign up for a newsletter or receive exclusive offers through the footer area.
*Pro tip: if you use Shopify, the platform offers the option to include a newsletter sign-up in its default footer design.
- Pop-up forms appear in the middle of the browser window, inevitably capturing your visitor's attention. You can trigger your pop-up by the number of scrolls or the time spent on the website (e.g. after 5 seconds). Alternatively, activate it based on a visitor's behavior (Exit Intent).
- Unlike a regular pop-up, a Welcome Mat covers the entire screen, making your CTA impossible to miss. To proceed to the website, your visitors will either close that welcome screen or complete your Call-to-Action—extending their time on your website and making engagement unavoidable.
2. A/B Test Your Sign-up Forms
Once you’ve launched a sign-up form, your work just begins. It's crucial to test different sign-up combinations and offers to ensure consistently high conversions.
*Pro tip: if you use Klaviyo for email marketing, check out our step-by-step guide on how to split test sign-up forms.
3. Leverage In-Store Check-Out
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If you have physical retail locations, Klaviyo recommends using integrations like Lightspeed, Square, or Shopify POS to capture email addresses for receipts, allowing you to segment those customers based on their geographic location.
This method not only helps expand your list but also contributes to building an omnichannel strategy.
*Pro tip: want to see examples of omnichannel strategies done right? Check out our podcast.
4. Leverage Your Social Media Presence
However impressive, your social following is not the most reliable measure of success. A contest campaign is a great way to turn followers into email subscribers whose data you actually own.
To run your contest, make an eye-catching post showcasing your prize and encouraging people to subscribe to your email list as a requirement for entry.
5. Focus on Community-Building
If your brand caters to a niche audience, you may benefit from establishing a presence in a relevant community or building your own through messenger apps like Discord, Slack, and Signal.
Keep in mind that this strategy takes time, so if you're looking for immediate results, this may not be the right move for your brand.
*Pro-tip: want more info on how to build a community? Check out this blog post.
OUR STUDY GUIDE:
Learn more about this one as well as many other super interesting topics from our podcast, the Flowium YouTube Channel, and the Flowium Blog.
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Best,
The Email Einsteins at Flowium