Email list blog

Your email list is gold. Seriously. If social media went away or you end up in Facebook jail 😳, it could cut your line of communication with current and potential customers just … like … that. If you have an email list, however, your line of communication stays wide open.

When it comes to email lists, quality over quantity wins out, so don’t get too hung up on how big or small your list is. Check out 17 simple ways to build an email list starting right now.

1. Create an Irresistible Offer that Provides Value to your Lead

Your first step to building an email list is to create an irresistible offer they can download in exchange for giving their email to you. It can be a checklist, eBook, worksheet, video, or whatever is attractive to the audience you’re trying to attract. Be sure that it adds value and insights to your ideal customer.

Once you have an irresistible offer, then you can promote it to gather emails to build your list (using the other 16 ways on this list). 

2. Experiment with Pop-ups

Don’t read pop-up and freak out quite yet. While you may think pop-ups are annoying, marketing stats show that pop-ups on a website are still a highly effective way to build an email list. 

Experiment with your pop-ups to have them appear 7-10 seconds after they land on the page. Use an exit pop-up, so it only pops up when they leave your site. See if one type of pop-up collects more emails than the others. Be sure in your pop-up design that the user has an easy way to exit the pop-up without causing frustration.

3. Add a Scroll Box

A scroll box is similar to but different than a pop-up box. As visitors land on a page of your site, hopefully (fingers crossed), they scroll down as they read or search for more information. 

When they get to a certain point on the page, the scroll box scrolls up (some slide over from the side of the page) to offer them your irresistible complimentary offer and to collect their name and email (and any other info you’re trying to gather from them). It can be a less intrusive way to get them to join your email list than a straight pop-up. 

4. Use an Opt-in form 

Add a lead capture form from your 17hats account to your website and social media platforms. You can give away your valuable content as a free download in exchange for the information they provide on the form. The lead capture form on 17hats has an auto-response email feature so you can include your free download as a document or link in a follow-up email after they subscribe. (Genius!) 

5. Collect in Person

Ask to add them to add their email to your list during any in-person interactions you have with potential and current customers. Maybe they are shopping in your brick-and-mortar store or are attending a meeting with you at your office. 

Maybe you’re at a tradeshow. Perhaps you strike up a convo with a person sitting next to you on an airplane. Turn these connections (where appropriate) into email subscribers to build your email list. Let them know about the epic and exclusive content you share with your subscribers and ask to include them.

6. Add to Social Media Platforms 

Use call-to-action buttons on your social media platforms that link to a landing page or your 17hats lead capture form. They can sign up for your email list and, of course, your epic free content once they complete the form. 

7. Create Custom Landing Pages

Create custom landing pages that speak directly to each segment of your audience. You can even tailor your irresistible free content to match the audience. 

For example, maybe your travel business giveaway is a total and complete comprehensive packing list. Your packing list may look different for a mom than a single person for a vacation versus a business trip. Send audiences to your landing pages via email, social media posts, etc.  

8. Sign Them Up During Checkout

Add an option to your online shopping cart where customers can opt-in to your email list during the online checkout process. It can be as simple as a box they mark for you to add them to your list.

9. Run Opt-in Ad Campaigns

Run opt-in campaigns on social media and Google Ads. Promote your irresistible epic content in the ads. When they click on the ad, it sends them to your lead-capture form/landing page to sign up and download the content. 

10. Include in Social Media Posts

Create social media posts about your new free content. Encourage them to download the content. The link you include in the posts can go to your lead capture form/landing page so you receive their email in exchange for your content.

11. Add Sign-up to your Website Header 

You can add an opt-in bar that runs along the top or bottom of your website (header or footer). It can be a simple bar. Add the text with the title of your free opt-in offer and a box for them to type in their email.

12. Add to Email Signature Block

Add one simple line to your email signature block promoting your free download. The link sends them to your lead capture form so you can add them to your email list.

13. Write Guest Blog Posts 

Find blogs that have audiences of your ideal customers. Write informational blog posts that the audience members find helpful and useful. Include a call to action in the body of the blog post, at the end of the post, or in your author box that encourages them to give you their email address in exchange for a free download.

14. Add QR Codes to Marketing Materials

Add a QR code to your invoices, proposals, quotes, receipts, and all of your marketing materials that encourage prospects and customers to get on your email list. Entice them with your irresistible free offer. Tell them all the great things they have access to only if they are on your list.

15. Include In-line in Blog Posts 

Include an offer to download one of your free irresistible offers in the middle (or somewhere) in line with the body copy of the post so the content you give away matches the content of the blog. 

For example, if your blog post is about 100 ways to market your small business online, you may offer a free download of an eBook or checklist that covers the 100 ways.

16. Reach Out to Current/Past Customers

Simply ask your current and past customers if they would like to be added to your email list. While some will take a hard pass, but many will say yes! 

17. Encourage Share with a Friend

Encourage your list subscribers to share your emails, newsletters, and content with their friends. People on your list likely know more people that are interested in your content. Leverage this to get those like-minded people to be invited to subscribe to your email list by people they know.

An email list opens the line of communication between your business and your prospects and customers. When someone subscribes to your list, it’s because they are interested in your content, so once you use these ways to build an email list, use the list to communicate with your subscribers.