You should think of your mailing list as your core digital asset. No matter what happens to any of today’s most popular social media platforms in the future, you’ll always have access to your own list.
All it takes is one bad change on a social platform to nullify years of hard work building your brand there. Focus your energy on your mailing list to avoid wasting time.
This guide explains how you can get more subscribers on your mailing list.
The Value Proposition
The first step is to set up a plan. Your earliest decisions as an email marketer will have a permanent impact on your future results. Therefore it is crucial to come up with a good plan for your list before you start it.
Pick a schedule, a format, and a topic. You can focus on your own business with your newsletter, but you do not have to. Another option is to create a newsletter that is interesting and relates to your brand, but doesn’t specifically focus on it.
For example, imagine an author who starts a newsletter to recommend books to people. They can easily recommend their own books and articles whenever one comes out, but it needs not be the focus of the newsletter.
Schedule and format are the easier part to plan. Go once a week, twice a month, or once a month depending on your preference. Identify your favorite 3-5 mailing list newsletters that you receive and use them as examples to come up with your own format. After all of that, you can save your plan and refer back to it often.
Getting Subscribers
The next step is to get people to join your list. There are several ways to do this. Start by defining your budget and the time per week you can spend on the list. The less money you have, the more time you’ll need to spend. You can even build a list for free if you are willing to work a lot.
Use social media to create content about your brand and your niche. Mention your mailing list every few days on these platforms, using all available tools to help people sign up. If you can shout out your list twice per week, you’ll gain a steady stream of new followers.
Pay for advertisements wherever you can reach your target demographic. A/B test your ads so you know which ones get the most value per dollar. Facebook and Google are the two best places to start advertising your newsletter.
Don’t forget about the physical world. Put up flyers in the local coffee shops and even sponsor local events. There are many ways to reach large audiences when you seek out the undiscovered opportunities all around you.
Slow and Steady Marketing
Mailing lists are the most durable form of marketing for your brand. You’ll be able to maintain your list for decades if you are good to your audience and keep your content relevant.
Keep trying to build your list. Aim for small goals such as a few hundred subscribers to start, then grow towards the thousands and beyond. If you work hard and keep the mailing list as a high priority for your business, you can achieve amazing things as a digital marketer.
