For some, email marketing is still the number one revenue generator, especially for those businesses who are primarily online. Having an email list can become one of your biggest assets and totally transform your business.

In this article we talk about how to get started with building a successful database of contacts and which marketing tools to use to start your first email campaigns.

Choosing an Email Marketing Platform

There are many email marketing platforms out there to choose from, so it is always good to do a bit of research to find the one that meets your needs when it comes to account features and pricing. One of our trusted favourites is Mailchimp. With Mailchimp you can import a list straight into the platform or manually add contacts one by one. There are templates to choose from or you can build your own from scratch. Mailchimp is also free to use if you are starting with a small email list and provides analytics so you can see how your campaigns are performing.

Building Your Email List

There are many ways you can start to build your database, below we have touched on some tips to consider. Before you begin, please ensure that you follow GDPR guidelines around handling of data.

Tip 1: Existing Business Contacts – review the contacts and customers you are already in communication with

Tip 2: Your Website – having a simple pop-up form on your website is a great way to gain new subscribers. New visitors will have the option to add their contact details when they visit and sign up to receive your email updates. In some instances, this can also sync directly with your email marketing platform to automatically add in new contacts for you, thus saving you valuable time.

Tip 3: Your Email Account - a great way to let everyone know that they can now subscribe to your email list is to add a link to subscribe within your email footer.

Tip 4: Sales Funnels & Social Media – creating a funnel and promoting this via Facebook Advertising or similar, is a great way of collecting email addresses and contact information.  The advert could be for example, a free downloadable guide or the chance to join a free webinar. It also connects you to your target audience who have already expressed an interest in your business.

Tip 5: Attending Events – attending events and networking is a great opportunity to swap business cards and make new contacts. If you are exhibiting at an event, having a prize draw on your stand that people can enter whilst also consenting to join your email list, is a great way to collect data.

Writing Email Content

Once you’re all set up with your list and marketing platform, the next step is to get clear on what content you’ll be emailing to your subscribers. Consider what types of emails you will send to your list to nurture those all-important relationships and provide value.

We suggest creating a simple plan of how often you will send your campaigns (weekly or monthly) and what type of content will be included. Remember that it doesn’t have to be a complicated piece of content, like a podcast, video or a really long blog. You could simply send out some tips, an offer, a piece of advice or a news story you can share that somehow provides value to your audience. It is important to keep things simple.

The most important step is to get started. Make it as simple as possible for yourself, stay consistent and before you know it, you will have built a list of hundreds of subscribers, potential customers and one of the most powerful and profitable assets for your business.