Hiya! I’m glad you’re here again, because I really want to help you get a solid mailing list together – it’s a REALLY important thing to have in your business. If you think you don’t need one, think again – read Part 1 of ‘Get Yourself a Mailing List’ here, and find out why. {Part 1 also talks about what sorts of things you should be including in your newsletters. And it’s not all about you.}

So, no more chit-chat; let’s get stuck in.

 

How do you build your list?

Choose an email marketing service provider

Mailchimp or Aweber are by far the most commonly used, but there are many many others too. They offer lots of great tools for statistics and analysis, and if you’re starting small and/or you’re on a budget, Mailchimp is free for the first 2000 subscribers. However, if you upgrade to their paid service, they also offer lots of add-ons and extra tools which are useful. Aweber also offers a free 30 day trial.

ALWAYS use a double opt-in (this where people give you the email address, which then gets an email from the service asking them to confirm their subscription) – this helps to filter out dodgy spambots (double opt-ins are standard for Aweber and Mailchimp). It also confirms that the person is obviously seriously interested in what you have to say, if they have to work to get the information.

 

Make sure your opt-in forms are visible.

Um… perhaps a better word than ‘visible’ would be OBVIOUS. Don’t hide them away in tiny writing at the bottom of your page; be proud of what you have to offer! Good places to put them include the top of your sidebar, along the very top of your page (you can do this with the free Hello Bar), and very definitely include an opt-in form on your About page. You can even add in a pop-up – they are THE most effective way to build your list quickly (and p.s. they don’t have to be yukky. I use the free ITRO pop-up plugin for WordPress and I’ve found it great. You can set how big it is, how quickly it appears, and how frequently it appears for people who return to your site).  Another useful and obvious place to put your sign-up link is in your signature at the bottom of your email.

 

Keep it clean.

Another important thing to remember is to avoid clutter on your webpage. When people are confronted with too much choice, they tend to avoid decisions and just walk away… and by default they’ve just made a choice to take the NO option. Do you want that?  Think about how you react when you see a messy page! Look at your own page/s critically and make it easy for your audience to find what they want; you’ll be rewarded.

 

Give them a reason to subscribe

You might feel entirely comfortable with simply offering updates on new products. Some people go a bit extra and offer special discounts for subscribers. Sometimes, however, this alone might not be quite enough to entice people to give you their email address.

Especially if you’re offering services such as consultancy or coaching, it’s best if you offer something special and useful.  Think about what would be most helpful to your customers – a free e-book, a discount voucher, a list of resources, the latest market report, a printable – anything that suits. For instance, if you’re a portrait photographer, offer them a bunch of tips on how to prepare for the shoot – how to choose an ideal venue, what kind of overall feel they want, what clothes look best in photos etc. Don’t offer them a free recipe book because it’s nothing to do with what they’ve come to you for. People love free stuff, but only if it fits their specific interests at the time.

 

How often should you send?

That depends on what you’ve got to say and what you can manage, but most recommendations I’ve seen are for at least once per month, and probably every two weeks is better. If you send TOO frequently, you’ll end up with your subscribers getting bored and ignoring you – or worse, unsubscribing (unless of course you’re Seth Godin); and if you send something only once a year, people will have forgotten who you are… and probably unsubscribe as well. Whatever frequency you choose, be reasonably consistent with it too.

 

OK, so you want to get serious about getting a list

There is tons of great information out there. I am the queen of Google – I know. But I would suggest you start with these people –

• I love Natalie Lussier! If you get onto her 30 day List Building Challenge, you won’t look back. She’s got tons of fabulous info, including a great Facebook group that she pops into fairly frequently.
• As I mentioned in Part 1, Derek Halpern is also fab with the info on mailing lists. And he’s expert on the psychology of marketing, so he’s got some great info on what sorts of things you should include on your opt-in forms, and what to include in your newsletters.
• And lastly, I love this idea of swapping skills for exposure to build your list, from Ben Settle on Copyblogger. It’s all about making connections – and I know that some of you might not feel confident enough to do this, but always keep in mind that those people that you look up too and admire – they’re real, and they started where you are now. Reach out, and you never know where it might get you!

 

 

Your newsletter is all about sharing with your customers, your audience. When you build up a relationship with them by being generous with quality information, they will reward you with loyalty, and they will reward you with glowing testimonials. And that’s how word spreads.

 

Have you got any burning questions about how to set up in Mailchimp or Aweber? Or you need help putting together your opt-in form? Anything else? Let me know in the comments below, and I’ll find you an answer!

 

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oh, and p.s. – you can join my email list here. I’ll be sending something to your inbox shortly. Spread the love!

Julie X