How To Build An Email List
Email Marketing Lesson: How To Build An Email List, Part One Of
Two
By Joan Pasay
So why do so many people cry and pull their hair out when it
comes to building an email list? It’s really simple – they don’t
know how to do it.
Before you start building an email list you need to know one
thing.
What I’m about to tell you is so paramount you will want to
stop reading this email and get a post-it note and pen ready so
you can write it down.
What is this one thing that is so important?
If you have your post-it note and pen ready I will tell you!
Hmm, I sense someone is still looking for their post-it notes
in their desk.
Ok, now we are ready…
The one thing you need to know before you start building an
email list is:
****People like to be asked before you put them on a list****
I know it is not much of a novel concept but some people don’t
seem to understand why this is important. Here are a few
reasons:
-People don’t like getting emails unannounced (if a person does
notask for something, then gets it, he/she won’t expect it. The
email will be a surprise. People don’t like surprises unless it
is a new car.)
-People will stay on an email list longer if they actually
decided to go on the list in the first place.
So asking people to join is key. In the industry, it’s called
Permission Email Marketing or Opt-in Email Marketing.
Sounds pretty simple.
When you start building your email list you have to ask people
to join (or rather, you would be wise to ask people to join).
It’s up to you.
Lots of companies don’t ask people to join their email lists. I
experience these types of emails everyday and always treat them
the same – I delete them before I read them.
So let’s talk about your email list.
-How will you ask people to join?
-Are you operating online? If so, what tools can you use on
your
website?
-Are you operating offline? If so, what tools can you use at
your place of business?
Here are some suggestions that will help point you in the right
direction:
1. Ensure you are clear about the frequency of your
e-newsletters.
For example: If your e-newsletter will be weekly, say so. If
you intend to send five emails a day make sure your signups
understand this.
2. Once the above is covered, clearly ask people to join your
list.
and
3. Don’t ask people to un-join your list if they don’t want to
join.
Un-join?
If you are wondering if un-join is a word, it isn’t.
Today I’ll let you know what the concept of unjoining means and
how it will get you in trouble with your customers.
So, what does it mean to ‘unjoin’ a list before you join it?
Here are two real life examples I came across the other day
from two very large companies who should know better (I will
leave the guilty parties unnamed).
Real life example one – From a large multinational car company
website:
I do not wish to receive
( ) ABC Company special events and promotions
( ) ABC Company Retailer promotions
( ) Marketing Surveys
Do you see where this company is requiring the customer to
unjoin the list before they even joined?
If the customer did not check the boxes above they would be put
on three email lists! I call this reverse permission email
marketing and I think it stinks.
Real life example two – From a large national
telecommunications company website:
(x)Yes, I want to receive via e-mail, information and special
offers on products and services from XYZ Company and its
affiliates.
Whoops, this company has already checked the box for the
customer! This is a sneaky way to get more email addresses on
your Email marketing list. Lots of people don’t notice the
pre-checked box and submit the form with the box checked.
The result?
Email marketing messages flooding an unsuspecting customer’s
inbox.
Did the customer ask to be added to the list?
No.
They were tricked into being put on the Email marketing list.
Now, I know all of readers of this article would never do this
to your sacred customers. Why would you?
*****It just ticks people off and you are getting customers on
your Email list who really don’t want to be a part of it*****
So how do you really ask customers to be on your list?
You ask people to join and let them join if they want to.
Don’t:
-trick people into joining by pre-checking boxes
-ask people to say which newsletters they DON’T want to receive
Here are some ethical ways to ask:
Offline businesses:
-use a blank check box on a paper form that you are using to
gather information
-use a blank check box on a paper “customer profile” form
-use a blank checkbox on a paper contest entry form
-use a signup sheet at your cash register and get the customer
to signup on the spot
Online businesses:
-use an email newsletter signup form on your website
-ask the question (with an unchecked check box) when your
customer is paying for their order online
-ask the question (with an unchecked check box) when your
customer is placing a customer service request
Here is my three-step Email list building recipe:
1. Always ask your customer’s permission to add them to your
Email marketing list.
2. Be thankful for the email addresses you get on your Email
marketing list.
3. Know that the customers on your Email marketing list really
want to hear from you and will respond when you email them.
About the Author: Brought to you by the — Email Marketing
Club: The only place on the Internet where Email Marketing is
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Copyright 2005 – Joan Pasay
Source: http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=17125&ca=Marketing
