How To Build A List Of Eager Email Subscribers

How To Build A List Of Eager Email Subscribers


Every online business strives to provide great service among their customers to build satisfaction, 'buzz' and returning traffic. As each customer becomes satisifed with the particular products or services they get, there is a great chance they will become return customers and buy again. Better yet, they will recommend you to other people who could generate more business for you and your site.

Now, consider the effects if, as customers arrive at your site, you are able to have them 'opt-in' for email marketing, whether by direct subscription to your newsletter, or by offering the a free service in return for their email address. You could offer promotional newsletters, catalogs or articles that could keep customers updated about your site or your particular market niche. The point is you send these promotional materials via e-mail to the members of your mailing list at regular intervals. Therefore you remain regularly 'in front' of your past customers.

Email is obviously free and if you can create your own newsletters yourself you can also save money there. For an example of a free eMail marketing software tool, see http://www.glockeasymail.com/.

What are the benefits?

a) With an opt-in subscriber list, you can be pretty sure that what you are sending out is received, viewed and read by the subscribers and not simply being deleted. They have signed up for service and have consented to receive it. But to be ethical, you MUST always include an "Unsubscribe" link in any newsletter.

b) An an HTML document, your email can be uploaded to your website where it becomes - in itself - a searchable item by the search engines and therefore part of your internet 'real estate'.

c) Email campaigns (if sensibly conducted) are a constant reminder to your subscribers about your products, new products or services as well as any promotions and special deals you are having. There is also the large chance - if your content is compelling enough, that emails will be forwarded to other potential customers as part of a nautral "have you seen this?" type conversation that goes on by email.

d) Because of the above benefits, Email is now the marketing method of choice for a number of industries - for example the Hotel and accommodation industry.

Here are some tips to help you build a list of eager subscribers.

1) Make your promotional materials interesting and fun. Try to use creativity but do not get over-arty. Remember your email has to go to people with a variety of email packages and many of them (Outlook 2007 being a major offender) are primitive.

2) Build your content around what your product or service is about without overselling it. The newsletter should have interesting headlines and some "thought teasers" - but a good tip is to leave an article with a "cliff hanger" that then hyperlinks top a continuation article on your website. So you're not only getting in front of people with copelling content: you;re driving them onto your site and gaining reputation!

3) Try to research what people are looking for, thi way, you'll remain a step ahead of them all the time and you will become their source of new tidings. If you are aware of a statistics provider for your industry, subscribe to THEIR newsletter and pull out highlights of what is going on for YOUR customers (do not, for goodness sake copy. That is called copyright theft). People will become eager to receive what you are sending them because you will always have fresh and new things to share with them and you will also save them the pain of looking up relevant content themselves.

4) Write good articles that can be very informational but light at the same time. If your subscribers enjoy your articles, they will go to your site by clicking the links in your newsletters to read some more. You can provide articles that can really "connect". Be diverse in your articles. Put in something humorous, then put something informational, then put something that has both. Vary the content. And as mentioned, do not forget that every item of HTML uploaded and properly optimised also becomes a piece of internet real estate for you - to become part of the organic search engine rankings about you.


So: what remains? Maybe you are wary about this because you don’t like writing or feel you have nothing to say. This is no problem, there are professional and experienced article writers that can do the job for you for minimal fees. They know what they are doing and can provide your newsletter content. It is a business call, but potentially the money you pay for your articles will be recompensed more than adequately by the many sign-ups and the potential profits that you will get. But equally, why not HAVE A GO at writing yourself? You may be surprised. If your business is your passion (if it is not then, er...) you will always find somethign to write about. Do what is meaningful to you! That way it comes from the heart.

Over time, consider creating and sending an E-book to your customers about anything that is related to your business or site. Use your knowledge and expertise in your chosen field to help other people who are similarly interested. Offer an e-book for free. ("My first five years as an underwater basket weaver".) You can write about anything informational and helpful to your subscribers. For example; you can do manuals and guides about your specialist field. Such an e-book could become a reference for many people.

Share your e-book with everyone, even other sites; just make sure that they don’t change the links in the e-book that will lead people to your site. If you want, you can always get some people to write it for you just like your articles. Your investment once again will be covered by the great marketing this will generate.

Add e-coupons in your newsletters that will attract people to special discounts on your site (again, get that click-through going!). Put a control number in your e-coupon so that they can only be used once. When people get discounts in your newsletters, they will be eager to receive them again in anticipation of what you may promote next.

If your subscribers can get benefits from your newsletters, they will be very eager to receive them. Just one last word of warning. Don’t flood your mailing list with mails and end up really annoying them. Be sensible, be measured and you will really reap rewards.

About the Author: Richard Martin of Briquesetclics is a Certified Management Consultant and Accredited Internet Marketing Consultant of 20 years experience in IT. Briquesetclics offers exquisite eBusiness solutions, website design and Internet Marketing with English to French Translation to expat and French Comunities in Southwest France. He serves the Limousin, Poitou-Charentes and Aquitaine regions and the cities of Limoges, Poitiers, Bergerac, Perigueux, Angouleme, Cognac, Bordeaux, Niort.

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