Email marketing is great for generating repeat business. Past customers have already demonstrated a demand for your product or service, and have committed to your brand.
If your email list isn’t actively growing, it’s dying. On average an email list will decay about 22.5% per year or, in other words, your email list of 1,000 contacts will be down to 600 valid email addresses after just 2 years! While this figure may seem high, this is perfectly normal for several reasons, from unsubscribing or changing of email addresses.
For this reason, it is important to maintain a health email list in order to have successful email campaigns. The best way to do this is by consistently collecting new email addresses from customers and leads. Here’s a few ways to collect new email addresses:
1. Collect Emails from Your Social Following
Turn social fans and followers into future customers
We all know the benefits of connecting with current and potential customers on social media, but did you know you can use your existing page to collect email addresses?
Platforms like Facebook have ads that can promote your business and collect email addresses! Customers never have to leave Facebook and you get the emails added directly to your database, allowing you to share information and offers directly to their mailbox. One of our auto wash customers in Florida has found immense success growing his email database via social, with over 1,500 emails collected in the past year!
2. Web Forms
Turn website traffic into email subscribers
The easiest (and most automated) way to collect new email addresses for your database is through a website form. Website visitors, especially those who may not be quite ready to make a purchase, will enter their email to gain more information about their company before they decide to buy. This form will automatically add subscribers to your list and even send them a welcome email confirming that their subscription was successful!
This method of email collection is not only easy, it works! After adding an email collection form to their website, one of our customers gains 300-400 new subscribers on average each month!
To gain extra traction and collect additional email addresses, consider running a Facebook ad campaign that drives to a landing page with submission information. Moving Targets helps several of our clients develop and execute this simple yet effective technique!
It is important to nurture these leads and keep your brand top of mind so that when the customer is ready to make a purchase you’re the company they come to.
3. Collection Cards/Lists
Generate an email list with no technology required
For business owners that prefer a more traditional way of collecting emails, we recommend starting a collection list at your register. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy – a sheet of notebook paper and a pen is all you need to start collecting email addresses.
If you’re looking for an upgraded experience, designed collection cards can convey your branding and a bit of information about what customers can expect from your emails as well as instructions for joining your list.
These cards are great to have at your front desk, give to prospective customers when doing an in-person quote or even tuck inside a bill presenter when you give the check to a customer at your restaurant.
If you have an email marketing program with us we’ll even handle the data entry for you. All you have to do is scan your lists or cards, take a photo or drop them in the mail to us and we’ll handle the rest 100% free of charge!
Ready to adopt one of these winning strategies? Speak with a marketing consultant today to learn about how our email marketing programs can help your business succeed.
