Building your email list is the most important way to grow your community online.
I learned a really interesting lesson this past weekend. Community is so important in life, and it’s how you connect with people that makes all the difference, especially as you build your email list!
We had a reunion of sorts this past weekend of some fellow co-workers from my career when I worked at the Royal Bank of Canada. We were a small group, 9 of us showed up for this event; we worked together at one branch back in 1990 to about 1995. It was a great night! So much fun, laughs and memories.
None of us work there still, actually only one of us works at any bank. We’ve all moved on. Several of us are close friends, some occasional friends and some we only connect on Facebook or when we have a night like this. (The last and first one we ever did was in 2015).
But we all connected, and have stayed connected and created our own little community. Yes, we have a Facebook group where we share occasional news. Facebook is definitely an easy way to do that. More importantly, those little “hits of each other” help us remember our connections from way back when.
Community is important for life, growth and the future… and for marketing a business online too!
Building a community online for your business is all about building connections, whether it’s on Facebook, Instagram or on your email list.
And, honestly the email list is THE most important one you should be building. This is the list of people that you own and control.
You can have those contacts on Facebook, Instagram and other social media channels… but those contacts are owned by those channels.
That is the big difference between your community on social media and on your email marketing list.
Getting people on your email list who are potential clients, leads, or prospects – that needs to be one of your top marketing activities. First you build your email marketing list and then you must make sure you continue to email them!
And, as with my Bank friends, my community from more than 25 years ago, staying connected makes all the difference!
Keeping people in your circle keeps your name top of mind with them. You nurture them, and they see and hear you, knowing you are there and why. That is why list building is something you always want to focus on. Getting new names on that list!
And the best way to list build is by having a lead magnet. Something free that your ideal client would want. Something that helps them solve a problem.
Something that appeals to them so much that they will hand over their name and email address.
That lead magnet is critical to your entire lead generation strategy. It’s that “something” people want. And you will grow that email list faster when you have something like this to offer people to get on your email marketing list.
Marketing for people to “get your newsletter” will not work the same.
Know why?
People don’t want another email! Their inboxes are too full already. Email is out of control.
Admit it. You’ve said these very words yourself. “I don’t want another email!”
… but, think about the last time you got a freebie from someone when you gave them your name and email. They had that “something” to help you.
People DO want that, and they know it means more emails but it’s worth it.
This is why I sent you an article a couple of days ago about people not wanting your newsletter. Most people do NOT want it at first if that is all you have to entice them to subscribe to your email list.
And yes, the idea is that once they get your newsletter many will LOVE it – especially if they get value from it.
The issue is how you word your marketing and Calls to Action for people to get on your email list in the first place.
What does your Signup form look like?
Check this image below… which one would you choose first?
If the person choosing is your ideal client, and they want that marketing guide to save time, they will choose the one on the right over the generic one on the left.
If your email signup looks like the form on the left, generic and for the news only, I would consider doing a test with a lead magnet to see if your email list starts to grow more than it is now.
My experience with clients is that this is exactly what happens – faster growth!
That is why you need a lead magnet and one that people want. To grow your email list. It’s that second part of the statement that is always tricky: having a lead magnet people want.
Without that lead magnet, you will have a harder time building your online community.
So you need to get your lead magnet created or optimize one you have already.
Then you add this to your ongoing marketing content and pepper Calls to Action for your lead magnet all over … and that is how you get that email list growing.
Check out what the other marketing foundations are by reviewing this free Marketing Foundations checklist.
Stop Struggling and Start Thriving! My passion is helping to guide people just like you, private practice and service-based business owners, who are often frustrated with all their wasted time spent on marketing that gets you nowhere. You can learn strategies to attract a steady flow of clients and build a thriving and profitable practice. Get started with some of the free resources on my Pepper It Marketing website, especially this Guide to Streamline your Marketing. I also offer several self-study training programs to help you attract more clients so you can Build a rewarding and profitable private practice and still have time to LIVE your LIFE!