subject: Top 4 Reasons Your Email List Isn't Growing [print this page] Top 4 Reasons Your Email List Isn't Growing
Dear Business Owner:
I am sure somewhere along the way, someone told you about all the great
things email marketing can do for your business. So, you took their advice and
got to work crafting emails...
My question to you is: Do you belong to the category of people who have a few
subscribers here and there, but your list isn't really growing? Not to fret. You are
not alone. Luckily, there are a fewsimple things you can do NOWto rev up your
list-building engine and attract new subscribers. Keep onreading to find out why
your list isn't growing and what you can do to fix it.
1. Your form isn't on every page
Sounds like a no-brainer, doesn't it? So, why is this such an oversight for
so many companies? Here is your plan of action: Put your web form in an
easy-to-find, consistent spot on every single page of your site. Make sure
your form is above the fold - the section of your site that is visible without
scrolling. Always remember: when coming from Google, Facebook or a link
shared on a blog, visitors will rarely end up directly on your landing page.
Most likely they are directed to an article or a specific page on your site that
is more in line with what they are looking for.
2. Your offer isn't compelling
Take a look at your form. Do you request only a small amount of information or
do you ask for specifics? If you require too much, this can be seen as a barrier
to entry. No matter how much value you are providing to your subsribers, your
emails still take up real estate in their inboxes. Don't forget that they already
get a ton of emails daily. What you have to do is give your visitors a good
reason to subscribe. Clearly and concisely detail the benefits of signing up and
use bullet points and bold text to tell them why they are going to be better off
getting your correspondence. You may even offer them an incentive for filling
out your web form.
3. You aren't using social media
If you are on the fence about using popular services like Twitter and Facebook,
now is the time to test the waters. Social media instantly putsyou in the presence of thousands of potential subscribers who are already spending their time on these social networking sites. So, make sure you put a web form on your Facebok fan page and start posting your email newsletters to Facebook when you send them to existing subscribers. On Twitter, make sure you are automatically tweeting your newsletters when they go out. You may also occasionally tweet a link to a hosted web form so that interested followers can sign up for updates.
4. You don't encourage forwarding
As you may know, word-of-mouth is one of the oldest and most powerful means
of advertising, and email offers the perfect opportunity for suggesting it to your
subscribers. If they are enjoying your messages or articles, chances are they know others who would also benefit. Devote a section of your current newsletter toencourage subscribers to forward the message to their friends or partners. Then, nclude a link to your sign-up page or hosted web form so that new readers can sign up right from your email.
Thank you for taking the time to read the article.
