I posted a post recently about email newsletter marketing. I wanted to readdress the post, but specifically only discuss effective ways to acquire email addresses. I think this is a commonly asked about topic that required its own post.
Existing Associates - Tap your existing clients and network for emails. If you already have some kind of excel spreadsheet with all of your clients and vendors or if you are using more advanced CRM software start there. Compile your list from people you work with every day. Additionally the addresses of friends and family or the friends and family of your employees are other prime targets. Not only will your loved ones appreciate being notified of your company’s updates and progress, they have valuable connections that may require your services.
Networking Events - If you go to networking events ask everyone you meet if they would mine receiving your email newsletters. More often than not your list will grow incredibly fast once you start concentrating on it. Most of these suggestions involve events and people you attend and see every day.
Trade Show - Offer a free gift, guide, or consulting session to everyone who is willing to be added to your list. You’re at the trade show to network and market your products or services, acquiring a real qualified email address allows you to do that for a lifetime. This sounds like a lot of work - and it is - but it will pay off.
Your Office - have a pen and paper in your office with a short blurb about your email newsletter and a fish bowl. Any visitor that happens to walk in can then quickly jot down their information and sign-up right then and there!
Your Website - include a link or sign up form to your email newsletter on your website. You’re already spending time and money driving valuable traffic there anyway. YOU ARE SPENDING TIME AND MONEY DRIVING PEOPLE TO YOUR WEBSITE AREN’T YOU?! Leverage that traffic and make sure your email newsletter is easy to join.
DO NOT USE PAID LISTS – Paid lists or compiling randomly found email addresses from websites throughout the net - although allowed – will lead to nothing but trouble in all but the most lucky or extreme of cases. Simply put, do not solicit to anyone that you haven’t physically met or asked to a part of the newsletter – email marketing, when done right will take more time, but in the long run it will be more effective, have a higher return, and will keep you out of trouble.
As an internet professional, I often take my knowledge for granted. So I have taken the liberty of expressing some random thoughts that I have about internet marketing that upset me on a personal and business level…
Email marketing is one of the most powerful, effective ways to market your company and its products, but it’s often overlooked. My colleague