*Disclaimer! This post contains affiliate links
Hi guys! For those who are new to my blog (welcome by the way), I have spent 10 months updating my blog. Everything it was missing for 6 years, it now has. An absolute nightmare that should have been done sooner, but here we are. A daunting part was setting up an email list – and building it. I have only been doing this for 3 months (with some trial and error) but am now consistently growing. Here is how to build an email list fast and a 50% off Flodesk discount code to get you started.
Build a following
The first part of perfecting your email list is to build a support network. Whether it is through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest – start getting to know people. Mutual respect for anothers’ content will really help to build a loyal following.
Make it Easy for Followers To Sign Up
You want it to be easy right? Obviously you do not want your site to look like a walking ad, but several locations to opt in makes it easy for readers to sign up. The number one place for this is your sidebar, but you can also add a form into your footer, mid way through posts and at the end of posts. Popups have a love hate relationship with many. Should you chose to add a popup, make sure the reader has read some of your content before offering a sign up choice. This increases the likelihood of them signing up. Make the forms look different, even offer incentives. Give them a reason to sign up!
Consider using social media (I find Twitter and Pinterest work especially well) to share your incentives. This is an easy way of extending your reach.
*Tip – readers like exclusives. They want to be special, important, VIP. Offer opt-in forms that give them access to something.
Create a Secure Site
This may not seem like an absolute must, but it is. When dealing with someones elses data, you have to offer some form of security. You can get free SSL certficates (through a plugin), or there are paid subscriptions. Eitherway, ensure you have this before you gain emails.
Create An Incentive
As I noted, you need to create a reason to sign up. No one is handing over their email for nothing in return. Whether it is post updates, exclusive content, freebies – let them know what you are offering. In terms of creating freebies, they are a great way for your readers to know what you are about. Think about being in a supermarket and staff offering samples of new items. Freebies are just like that. Hold their attention and keep on your list by using this.
Get access to your 50% off Flodesk Discount Code!
Free Content Does Not Always Lead To Sales
Offering free stuff will always be easier than get people to spend their money. Always. Building a following is just as important as selling, if not more. If you don’t have trust, and try to upsell immediately – not only will you get no sales, but more than likely push your readers away. Offer regular exclusive content and freebies to keep them hooked while you create ways to monetise.
Set Up A Sequence
What is a sequence do you ask? You know when you subscribe to an email, and over the first few days, they pop you emails? That’s a sequence. I have 3 introductory emails where they get to know me and understand why their subscription is valued. Should they make it to the end of the sequence without unsubscribing, they get access to all my freebies. That’s how I keep my subscribers loyal. This way I can fish out those that just wanted the initial freebie and those that want more. Note – unsubscribers are normal, They just are – don’t take it personally, we have all done it.
Related: 6 Years of Amateur Blogging – What Was My 2020 Blogging Income?
Landing Pages
When creating an email list, what you never want is a list of pages linking to all that you offer. That’s when landing pages come in. These are external web pages that can link to your opt in form. This is the best resort when directing readers from social media and especially Pinterest – which can be funny with what you upload.
CHECK OUT MY LANDING PAGE HERE (A 5 Minute Guide To Updating Old Posts and Boosting Your Traffic)
Setting Up With Your Email Marketing Platform
This is something you need to establish early on because the longer you leave it, the more difficult it will be to transfer. I started with Mailchimp (it was the provider I had heard of) but switched to Flodesk not so long ago. Here’s a comparison of them both:
Pros of Mailchimp:
- perfect for those starting out – they have a buffer before they start charging
- Great integration with wordpress and woocommerce
- easy to understand analytics
Cons of Mailchimp:
- forms and builders are not as pretty as alternatives (however, it is functional)
- clunky interface which requires thorough research to understand
- harder to segment and separate spam followers from genuine ones
Pros of Flodesk:
- Beautiful Graphics and forms
- very easy to use and navigate
- free trial and flat-fee after that for unlimited subscribers
Cons of Flodesk:
- Not as recognised as competitors
- In beta so still a tad limited
- difficult to stand out as it is becoming increasingly popular
Related: Creating Pins That Convert: Why it is Important To Have “Pin Aesthetic”
Due to the clunky interface, Mailchimp was just not for me. Although I was getting conversions, it was from my landing page on Twitter rather than my site. Flodesk allows for increased flexibility in terms of design and emails that catch readers attention. I literally switched over from Mailchimp to new provider Flodesk, set up a sequence, 3 opt-in forms and 2 landing pages in 5 hours. The transition was so easy, and Flodesk offered a step by step guide. You can get 50% off FOREVER with this Flodesk Discount Code.
Do you enjoy email marketing?
Check out Kayleigh’s guide to Affiliate Marketing, where she breaks down how to make money from email marketing without having any products.
