Building an email list takes time and effort. Some say it’s the hardest work an online business does.

But the benefits are well worth it.

It’s an excellent way to gather and qualify leads and build relationships with your audience.

While it takes a bit of work, here are some ways to speed it up and grow your list faster.

1. Make Your Email Sign-up Forms Stand Out

Create sign-up forms that grab people’s attention and place your forms in a prominent spot on your site.

Design the form so it’s different from the rest of the page and surround it with benefit-laden calls-to-action telling people what they can expect from signing up.

Placement is also important for getting people’s attention.

Put your sign-up form multiple places on your website. Put it in a sidebar but also at the bottom, and add an exit pop-up to catch people before they leave.

2. Name and Email Address Only

Your form should have just two fields to fill in – name and email address.

Don’t ask for anything more than that.

This personal information is already a big ask and if you make it harder or more complicated to sign up, people just won’t do it.

3. Advertise Your Email List Everywhere

In addition to your site, tell people about your email list everywhere you talk to your audience.

Advertise it on social media (including your profile), email signature, marketing materials, and anywhere else people might potentially see it.

4. Emphasise the Benefits of Joining Your Email List

What unique value does your list offer?

Identify this and explain it everywhere you talk about your list.

Understand your target buyer well and offer them something irresistible.

Frame it in terms of how your email content will improve their life.

5. Use a Lead Magnet

You can entice more people to sign up by using a lead magnet.

This is a free piece of content that people can get in exchange for their name and email address.

The lead magnet also gives people a taste of the value they can expect from your list.

6. Offer a Content Upgrade

Another way to offer a taste of your list’s value is to offer a content upgrade.

Give people a blog post, podcast, or other free content that shows what they’ll be receiving from your list.

Then, tell them if they want more help with issues they’re facing, they can sign up here.

7. Market Your List Offline

Don’t forget to tell people you meet offline about your list as well.

If you have an offline store, advertise and tell customers personally.

Include it on offline marketing materials as well as online.

8. Monitor Your Marketing Results

Keep track of where the bulk of your new subscribers are coming from.

For example, if you find that your Facebook page is driving more traffic, focus your efforts there.

You may also try other social media sites to see if you get similar results.

Alternatively, if you find that some marketing channel isn’t sending new subscribers, drop it and try another.

This is how you discover what works best for your market.

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