10 Evergreen Smart Ways to Grow Your Newsletter List

Posted 5 years ago by Lina Vashurina, 붚죕쳔 Team

Search, social, PPC桂�� that�셲 all old hat. The most effective digital marketing channel today is桂also the桂oldest: email marketing.

Marketers as桂one of桂highest ROI marketing channels. say that the桂ROI from email is桂혫good혬 or桂혫excellent혬. Little wonder that plan to桂increase spending on桂email marketing in桂2017.

For online retailers, building email lists has clear benefits. For one, sending the桂newsletter gives you access to桂your customers�� most private communication channel桂�� their inbox. It桂is桂also cheaper than most channels. Once you�셶e acquired a桂subscriber, you can send them emails for桂pennies.

To桂run an桂email marketing campaign, you first need to桂capture emails. The rate at桂which you can convert visitors into subscribers will have a桂big impact on桂the桂success of桂your email campaigns.

In桂this article, we�셪l share actionable examples of桂how to桂build an桂email list and桂get maximum email subscribers for桂your store.

1.桂Offer Daily Deals via Email

Offering daily deals is桂a桂powerful tactic to桂get people to桂return to桂your site regularly. Customers enjoy the桂thrill of桂discovering a桂new product at桂a桂heavily discounted rate.

Instead of桂showing these deals on桂your site, you can push them via email. This gives customers an桂incentive to桂sign-up for桂your email list.

You can even do桂a桂hybrid model where you offer exclusive deals to桂email subscribers and桂push the桂rest to桂your website. Or桂you could give email subscribers early access to桂a桂deal.

The idea is桂to桂give email subscribers a桂tangible benefit for桂subscribing. If桂you consistently promote high-quality deals via email, you can even get additional subscribers for桂your email list from people recommending deals to桂their friends.

The perfect example of桂this tactic is桂the桂plethora of桂flash sales sites that popped up桂a桂few years ago. These sites, such as桂Gilt.com, BeyondTheRack.com, etc. would offer deals only to桂email subscribers.

TheClymb.com asks you to桂sign-up with a桂valid email just to桂see deal prices

CoffeeForLess has a桂daily deal available only to桂email subscribers

2.桂Offer Prizes and桂Coupons in桂Exchange for桂Emails

At桂its heart, email marketing depends on桂a桂mutually beneficial exchange: you give something valuable to桂visitors, visitors give you emails in桂return.

How likely people are to桂give their email addresses will depend on桂the桂value桂�� real or桂perceived桂�� of桂your offer.

As桂it桂turns out, offering prizes is桂an桂easy way to桂entice people to桂share their emails. Since prizes have a桂tangible benefit, your customers are likely to桂value them highly.

You can offer products, discounts and桂coupon codes as桂prizes. As桂long as桂customers perceive them to桂be桂valuable, you�셪l do桂well.

offers people $5桂off coupons if桂they sign-up via email

HockeyEmpire uses an桂innovative spinner to桂add some interactivity to桂their prize offer. Customers can 혫spin혬 the桂spinner and桂unlock a桂discount, but only after sharing their email

You can use apps like Signup Coupons to桂create such offers. For fancy interactive popups, like the桂one shown above, use Lucky Wheel. The interactivity can help increase conversions and桂generate new subscribers in桂your email list.

Omnisend also provides spin-to-win tools to桂incentivize website visitors to桂join your email list. Additionally, it桂offers other email list-building features like exit-intent popups, forms, and桂more.

3.桂Run Giveaways that Require Emails for桂Participation

Running giveaways is桂a桂time-tested tactic to桂spur audience interest and桂capture emails. Giveaways can be桂of桂two types:

Sweepstakes, where you choose winners at桂random from a桂list of桂participants.
Contests, where you pick participants based on桂some merit.

Businesses often use the桂terms interchangeably (�쐁ontest�� is桂far more popular) but legally, there is桂a桂clear distinction between them. Some sweepstakes might have to桂.

If桂you do桂decide to桂use giveaways, the桂process is桂simple:

Offer a桂prize, such as桂a桂product or桂a桂big discount coupon.
Ask each participant to桂share his email to桂enter the桂giveaway.
For even better results, give participants some incentive to桂share the桂giveaway with their friends (such as桂offering a桂higher chance of桂winning if桂they refer more people).

Data gathered by桂Privy shows that 혫enter to桂win혬 forms (i.e. contest forms) have a桂substantially higher conversion rate than conventional forms.

혫Enter to桂win혬 forms convert better than traditional forms

The Sweepstakes app in桂the桂붚죕쳔 store is桂a桂great tool for桂quickly creating giveaways.

4.桂Offer Discounts to桂Newsletter Subscribers

A桂lot of桂e-commerce stores run their own newsletters. More often than not, the桂sign-up link to桂the桂newsletter remains ignored in桂some forgotten corner of桂the桂website.

While some people might sign-up for桂your newsletter because they�셱e genuinely interested in桂the桂content, a桂majority care only for桂the桂deals. in桂a桂survey said that offers and桂discounts were their number one reason for桂subscribing to桂newsletters.

Therefore, focus on桂discounts in桂your newsletter subscription pop-ups to桂get more signups. You can offer a桂flat dollar amount off, exclusive deals or桂free shipping coupon codes.

gives visitors a桂number of桂reasons to桂sign-up for桂its newsletter

How much discounts/coupons you offer will depend on桂the桂lifetime value of桂each new subscription. If桂you can make $20桂in桂profit from each subscriber, giving away $5桂to桂get a桂sign-up is桂worth it.

If桂you�셱e using this tactic, you�셪l find these two 붚죕쳔 apps very helpful:

MailChimp email capture popup, for桂MailChimp customers.
Email Popup, for桂other email services (including MailChimp).

5.桂Create a桂Loyalty Program

Loyalty programs are powerful tools to桂lure customers back to桂your site.

Usually, loyalty programs offer customers some rewards or桂points for桂each action they perform on桂your site. Spending $100桂might earn the桂customer 10桂points. Referring a桂friend might earn 2桂points. Signing up桂for桂a桂newsletter gets them 1桂point, etc.

, an桂붚죕쳔 store, offers customers 1桂point for桂every $1桂they spend

The kicker, of桂course, is桂that you have to桂create an桂account to桂get these rewards. This way, you can get a桂new user and桂email.

Besides spending money, JustSaiyan also offers points for桂a桂number of桂actions

Once you accumulate enough points, you can exchange them for桂discount coupons

Loyalty programs are particularly effective for桂promoting repeat purchases and桂getting users to桂follow you on桂social media. If桂a桂customer is桂at桂200桂points and桂can get a桂reward at桂250桂points, it桂gives him an桂incentive to桂come back.

6.桂Create Multiple Sign-up Forms

One of桂the桂bigger mistakes you can make with email marketing is桂to桂use just a桂single sign-up form on桂your site.

No桂matter how well you�셶e optimized your site, a桂single sign-up form will get overlooked and桂ignored by桂your users.

Instead, try to桂create multiple sign-up forms and桂spread them throughout your site. Some popular locations to桂place sign-up forms are:

Top of桂the桂page in桂a桂혫hello bar혬
Sidebar
Bottom of桂the桂page in桂the桂footer
Bottom of桂site content
Top of桂site content
As桂exit popup
뇟넨桂넨농깎桂낌농깎낌곗늡넵넨.

Doing all of桂these, of桂course, would be桂overkill. But at桂the桂very least, you should have 2-3桂sign-up forms on桂your site.

has a桂newsletter sign-up form in桂the桂site footer

It桂also uses a桂popup box to桂get more subscribers on桂product pages

Keep in桂mind that adding too many sign-up forms can confuse visitors. There�셲 a桂혫just right혬 number and桂placement for桂sign-up forms. You�셪l have to桂test out different variations and桂know for桂yourself.

For 붚죕쳔 users, Privy and桂Exit Offer are two powerful tools for桂creating sign-up forms. You can also use MailChimp桂to create email sign-up forms at桂checkout.

7.桂Optimize Sign-up Forms

A桂marginal increase in桂your sign-up form conversion rate can lead to桂substantial long-term gains. A桂0.5% increase in桂conversion rate translates to桂3,000桂additional subscribers with a桂monthly traffic of桂50,000桂visitors.

Sign-up form optimization is桂usually focused on桂three things:

The design of桂the桂form, including number of桂form fields
The copy used in桂the桂form
The placement of桂the桂form

Adding simple social proof in桂the桂sign-up form copy桂�� as桂this example from shows桂�� can boost conversion rates

used a桂two-button opt-in form which improved sign-up rates nearly 5x

For , breaking down the桂sign-up process into two steps increased subscriptions by桂60%.

Optimizing sign-up forms is桂a桂broad topic that deserves a桂separate blog post. For starters, read this article to桂get a桂basic understanding of桂what makes a桂successful opt-in form. Then create some form variations and桂use A/B testing to桂find out what works, what doesn�셳.

However, unless you are experienced with conversion rate optimization, we桂recommend using the桂default designs. These are usually battle-tested and桂will at桂least yield an桂average, if桂not exceptional, conversion rate.

In桂our own tests, we桂found that the桂standard designs included in桂Sumo (our lead capture tool on桂this blog) outperformed tested variations.

8.桂Use Social Media to桂Capture Emails

Facebook and桂Twitter are two underlooked but powerful ways to桂increase your sign-ups.

Twitter offers to桂capture emails from interested users as桂they scroll your feed.

This shows how these cards can be桂used in桂an桂e-commerce setting.

The user clicks on桂a桂tweet to桂expand it桂and桂gets an桂option to桂혫join the桂club혬 with his email address to桂get more deals

Facebook�셲 email capture solution桂�� Facebook lead ads桂�� is桂even more powerful. It桂gives you an桂opportunity to桂grab emails right from within Facebook itself.

This image from AdRoll shows how lead ads work

Since Facebook pre-populates all fields with the桂user�셲 name and桂email, lead ads have a桂high conversion rate. If桂you have a桂strong presence on桂either Facebook or桂Twitter, consider this tactic to桂increase email signups.

9.桂Use Landing Pages

Conventional sign-up forms don�셳 give visitors enough information about your emails. They don�셳 know what the桂email will contain and桂its value proposition.

Given that in桂an桂average inbox are newsletters, your visitors are right in桂asking: why should they subscribe to桂you?

One way to桂underscore your newsletter�셲 value is桂to桂direct visitors to桂a桂dedicated landing page. This landing page can 혫sell혬 your newsletter to桂visitors, giving them an桂incentive to桂sign-up.

This is桂a桂common tactic in桂B2B markets, though it桂is桂equally helpful for桂retailers. A桂dedicated landing page gives you an桂opportunity to桂give visitors a桂preview of桂your content.

has an桂혫email deals혬 landing page where it桂shows all deals available on桂email

Frys has a桂basic landing page that shows some of桂the桂deals on桂offer over email. Again, the桂idea is桂to桂give visitors a桂preview of桂what�셲 on桂offer

10. Use Urgency and桂Scarcity

Urgency and桂scarcity are powerful tactics for桂motivating action. As桂Dr. Cialdini points out in桂Influence: The Psychology of桂Persuasion, the桂more scarce a桂person or桂thing is, the桂more value it桂has in桂our minds.

You can use this in桂your email marketing campaign by桂offering discounts or桂deals over email for桂a桂limited time (time-based scarcity) or桂limited quantity (quantity-based scarcity).

For example, Tradlands has a桂full-screen 혫welcome mat혬 offering a桂discount. The catch? There is桂a桂countdown timer showing that the桂offer is桂only available for桂a桂couple of桂minutes.

Tradlands has a桂full-screen 혫welcome mat혬 offering a桂discount with a桂countdown timer

This compels action by桂forcing visitors to桂take action immediately. If桂they delay the桂action, they stand to桂lose the桂deal.

붚죕쳔 customers can use the桂Timer Plus and桂Countdown Timer apps to桂create such time-limited scarcity.

Conclusion

Email marketing is桂one of桂the桂most effective channels for桂e-commerce stores. Getting more email sign-ups, however, can be桂a桂challenge.

By桂following a桂few simple tactics shared above, you�셪l see a桂drastic improvement in桂your email sign-up rate. Offering incentives such as桂daily deals, coupons and桂offers over email gets people interested. Using urgency, contests and桂giveaways pushes them to桂sign-up.

Try some of桂these tactics in桂your store to桂see an桂immediate boost in桂total email subscribers. Use the桂aforementioned apps to桂help you create these promotions.

桂

About The Author

Lina is a content creator at 붚죕쳔. She writes to inspire and educate readers on all things commerce. She loves to travel and runs marathons.

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