How To Build And Grow Your Email List
(And Why You Need One)
If Instagram was wiped from the face of the earth today, what would happen to the community you’ve worked so hard to build?
Let’s be real. We don’t see Instagram going anywhere anytime soon. But this is still a valid (and scary) question.
We don’t own our social media accounts which means Instagram or Facebook can vanish from the internet tomorrow and leave us with two options: 1) somehow, someway find our old community members or 2) build a new one from scratch. Who wants that?
This is one of the reasons why it’s important for business owners, bloggers, freelancers - basically anyone with a social media presence - to build and grow their email list TODAY!
Below, we’re sharing the major reasons why you need an email list for your business and 3 action steps you can take to grow your list in your sleep.
Why should I have an email list?
The people who sign up for your email list found you through your website or blog and maybe even double opted in into your list. They signed up because they’re highly interested in what you have to offer and they see you as an authority in your niche.
As long as you show up in their inbox consistently and provide VALUE, your email list subscribers will most likely pay you back by buying your offers. Over and over again.
The best and most important thing about having an email list is owning it. Unlike your Facebook and Instagram accounts which can shut down at any given moment, you own your email list. This means that you’ll always have a community regardless of what other social media platforms choose to do.
Now that you understand the importance of building an email list, let’s talk about the steps you can take to build and grow your list fast!
Create an irresistible opt-in freebie.
Our inboxes are crowded, so why would I opt-in to receive emails without getting something of value in return?
An opt-in freebie is the gift you give your email subscribers in exchange for their email. Give them something they want, and you’ll have an email list in no time!
Pro tip: Make sure that your opt-in freebie is relevant to your niche and solves one of your ideal clients’ pain points.
Some freebie ideas you could offer are:
Ebooks
Templates
Email courses
Checklists
Resource library
Tutorials
Free consultations
PDF Guides
Webinars
They’re SO many ideas for you to choose from, and we recommend doing research on your competitors to see what type of freebie’s they’re offering for ideas and inspiration. You can also find ideas on Pinterest or simply ask your audience what they would like!
Choose an email service provider.
In order to get your opt-in freebie in the hands (or in this case, inbox) of your subscriber, you need to have an email service provider. Essentially, they’re going to be the middleman between you and your email list.
This is where you’ll set up your email sequences, design, and on-brand newsletter, and send personalized emails to your subscribers.
If you want beautiful, modern, clean, and super customizable email designs, Flodesk will be your new bff.
Flodesk is the email service provider that we use and absolutely love. Currently, Flodesk is priced at $38/month which includes unlimited subscribers, access to every feature, and a bill that will never increase!
What differentiates Flodesk from other email service providers is that you won’t need to pay more as you grow your list. Also, your subscribers will only be counted once even if they sign up through two separate forms.
The best part? Flodesk is currently in its beta stage which means you can get 50% off your membership, lowering your monthly payment to $19/month! This coupon code is limited time only so be sure to take advantage of it now!
Provide value to your list.
If you want your emails to convert and your subscribers to buy from your emails, you need to provide value in their inbox consistently.
You can share your best tips, provide tangible action steps that will get them closer to their goals, or send weekly motivational emails. Whatever your thing is, you want to do it on a consistent basis.
When creating emails, ask yourself: “What is the goal of this email? How do I want them to feel when they read it? What do I want them to do after reading it?”
Do you want them to feel motivated to work towards their goals? Do you want them to read your newest blog post or check out your recent podcast episode?
Get clear on these questions and deliver value in your emails. Don’t forget to add a strong call to action in your email so your reader is clear on what action to take next!
recap…
Building an email list is like building a community of only your #1 fans who want to learn more from you, consume all of your content, and be the first to know about your launches. The longer you have your list, the more you can nurture your subscribers (pssst, start your list today!).
Now that you know where and how to start building your email list, you have some biz homework to do 📝
What brilliant freebie ideas do you have? Share them with us in the comments?
