Growing A Mailing List For Free (well, Almost)
Whether you have a bricks and mortar business or run everything exclusively from the web, you need to have an email list. If you have ever wanted to start an email list but didnt know how to begin then read the following tips on how to grow a mail list for free.
(1) Ask for the Email Addresses of Your Customers
Put up a sign up form on every page on your website. Ask them for it when talk to them over the phone. Get their permission to add them to your list when they send emails to your office. Send postcards to old customers, asking them to go online and sign up. Send out business-reply cards and ask customers to update their profiles for your records (which should include their email addresses).
(2) Contact the Not Interested and the Not Yet Crowd
Send them printed samples of your newsletter asking them to sign up for it. Send out reminder post cards offering a discount on a product or service if they sign up for your newsletter. Keep sending post cards until you have that email address, and then keep reminding them how you can help solve their problems.
(3) Collect Business Cards
Always exchange business cards with people at face-to-face meetings, presentation or conferences. If you dont see an email address, ask How can I contact by email? Dont be like most people can come home with your pocket and purse full of cards only to dump them. Add them to your email list. Send them a personalized email mentioning where you got their card and ask them to sign up for your regular newsletter. Offer to do the same for them!
(4) Contact Former Associates and Co-Workers
Email everyone in your personal email contact list. Ask how they are doing, etc. and tell them, you are trying to build up your mailing list and would they be interested in signing up? Give them a link to a sample newsletter (with a sign up form prominently displayed). Be shameless!
(5) Bug Your Vendors
Contact all your vendors, suppliers and the family vet and your local M.D. Like with your personal list send them a personal note and ask if they would be interested in joining your email list. Surprising, more than you think would be willing to sign up.
(6) Piggyback on Other Newsletters
Contact other local businesses and sign up for their newsletters. Lurk for a few issues and then offer to write a guest column with a link back to your website or ask them about an ad swap, where you would give them a free ad in your newsletter if they would place on in theirs.
(7) Host a Bulletin Page
If the professional association, club or church group you belong to doesnt have a website of their own and is reluctant to setup one, then you can offer to host a single bulletin page on your website. You can then place a discrete link from the bulletin page to the rest of your website in exchange for this free service.
Of course you dont have to use all these techniques for building a mailing list, but you can pick the ones you like the most and implement them. Then just sit back and watch your mailing list grow!
(1) Ask for the Email Addresses of Your Customers
Put up a sign up form on every page on your website. Ask them for it when talk to them over the phone. Get their permission to add them to your list when they send emails to your office. Send postcards to old customers, asking them to go online and sign up. Send out business-reply cards and ask customers to update their profiles for your records (which should include their email addresses).
(2) Contact the Not Interested and the Not Yet Crowd
Send them printed samples of your newsletter asking them to sign up for it. Send out reminder post cards offering a discount on a product or service if they sign up for your newsletter. Keep sending post cards until you have that email address, and then keep reminding them how you can help solve their problems.
(3) Collect Business Cards
Always exchange business cards with people at face-to-face meetings, presentation or conferences. If you dont see an email address, ask How can I contact by email? Dont be like most people can come home with your pocket and purse full of cards only to dump them. Add them to your email list. Send them a personalized email mentioning where you got their card and ask them to sign up for your regular newsletter. Offer to do the same for them!
(4) Contact Former Associates and Co-Workers
Email everyone in your personal email contact list. Ask how they are doing, etc. and tell them, you are trying to build up your mailing list and would they be interested in signing up? Give them a link to a sample newsletter (with a sign up form prominently displayed). Be shameless!
(5) Bug Your Vendors
Contact all your vendors, suppliers and the family vet and your local M.D. Like with your personal list send them a personal note and ask if they would be interested in joining your email list. Surprising, more than you think would be willing to sign up.
(6) Piggyback on Other Newsletters
Contact other local businesses and sign up for their newsletters. Lurk for a few issues and then offer to write a guest column with a link back to your website or ask them about an ad swap, where you would give them a free ad in your newsletter if they would place on in theirs.
(7) Host a Bulletin Page
If the professional association, club or church group you belong to doesnt have a website of their own and is reluctant to setup one, then you can offer to host a single bulletin page on your website. You can then place a discrete link from the bulletin page to the rest of your website in exchange for this free service.
Of course you dont have to use all these techniques for building a mailing list, but you can pick the ones you like the most and implement them. Then just sit back and watch your mailing list grow!
