Even if you don’t have a single subscriber

Or have any idea where to start

What you’ll learn about in this article:

Pop-ups

Value-packed call to action

Offer incentives

Opt-in at checkout

Utilizing Social Media

Why Email?

Email marketing remains relevant and vital to anyone looking to grow their business in 2024.

Based on data from Business Insider, 34% of Americans check their email throughout the day, with some people checking it up to 20x before the day is through. 

Pair that with the numbers suggesting email marketing has an ROI between 36-48%, and you have a serious business tool for growth at your disposal. 

All of this to say, the demise of email has been greatly exaggerated. 

And there’s no reason why you can’t begin utilizing your own list to: 

• Educate
• Provide value
• Promote offers to your clients

With it, you can grow your business in an organic, effective way. 

“So, how do I tap into that? I don’t even have a list…and I’m not sure where to start.”

Collecting your first few emails is simpler than you think, and what’s better, there are multiple ways to do so. 

Here are (5) tried and true methods to get started, and grow your list into something that’ll do some heavy lifting for your business. 

A Quick Note About Permission

Before we get started, let’s cover something important.

Whatever method you choose to implement, it’s important to remember your list should consist of people who have knowingly and willingly given consent to receive emails from you.

Nobody likes spam, so keeping this in mind is crucial when you’re starting to build your list. It’ll ensure you’re following marketing compliance guidelines, as well as maintaining a positive reputation. 

Good? Alright, let’s get going. 

Website Pop-Ups

There’s no doubt you’ve seen these when visiting a website. After that first scroll, or after 10-15 seconds, you see a pop up on your screen asking you to “sign up”, or “subscribe”.

Now, a word to the wise on these. They do have the potential to be bothersome to a visitor if done incorrectly. They can feel intrusive, and interrupt a user’s experience on your website. 

The key is to configure them based on user behavior, so you’re delivering the right value at the right time. 

Examples include: 

• Exit pop-ups, which appear when a user decides to exit the page

• Scroll pop-ups, which appear after the user scrolls down a certain percentage of the page
• Pop-ups for returning visitors only 

There are other examples, but the key takeaway to remember is this:

If you provide a relevant offer, at the appropriate time during the user experience, pop-ups can be an effective way to gather subscribers. Rather than feeling intrusive, they’ll feel helpful and offer value to your website visitor. 

Value-Packed Call to Action

Here are a few words or phrases you typically find on a CTA button just as you’re about to enter your email for something. 

“Subscribe”

“Click here”

“Join My List”

“Sign Up”

These are okay, and sometimes they work, but there’s a way to make these more effective. 

Communicate the value your visitors are getting when they subscribe to your list. 

Let’s say for instance you own a marketing agency, and your lead magnet (or offer) is a guide called “Top 10 Marketing Trends of 2024”. The key is to identify the benefits your guide has to offer, and make sure your visitor knows they’re getting serious value when they sign up to get it. 

A few examples of a value-packed call to action could be: 

“Grow My Business This Year”

“Transform My Business”

“I Want To Be A Better Marketer”

“Download My Exclusive Guide”

Your website visitors need to know your offer isn’t readily available anywhere else, and that it’s only available by signing up to your list. 

They also need to know signing up is a wise choice, and by doing so they’re going to receive valuable information that will make their life better in some capacity. 

Offer Incentives

Sometimes it’s best not to overthink it. Humans respond to incentives, and at times we all need a little push to take action. One of the simplest ways to gather an email is by offering a simple incentive.

• Discount at purchase
• Free shipping
• Another exclusive offer of your choice

These typically work best when they’re time-sensitive and conditional, so that visitors see it’s in their best interest to sign up as soon as possible. 

Opt-In at Checkout

Another simple way to start building your list is to have an opt-in at time of checkout.

Maybe you’ve seen it before? 

You’re just about to checkout, and you see a small checkbox on your screen asking if you’d like to receive emails, updates, special offers, etc. These are simple to add to any website, and are a good way to start gathering emails of people who are interested in staying connected with your business.

Bonus: This works in-person at retail shops as well. Simply have a stack of opt-in cards ready near the register, or ask on a receipt if they’d like to sign up for email updates. 

Utilize Social Media

Even if you don’t have a list of subscribers, you can still utilize your social media presence to promote your offer. If you have a following on X, LinkedIn, or a page on Facebook, why not utilize your existing network and presence to start building a list? 

Here’s maybe the coolest thing about it;  You’re putting your offer in front of people who already follow you and are interested in what you do. Now, the same people who follow you on social media may not be the ones who subscribe to emails, but at least they have an option to stay in touch in a way that works for them. 

Wrap Up

If you’re starting your email list from scratch, it can seem like a monumental task to start. Using the methods above, you can start cultivating your own list – one packed with value that attracts long-term followers and customers.

Best Wishes,

Nathan Keech | Owner, KreativHQ