Qualitative email list is the milestone in email marketing performance. Gathering subscribers does not stop with sending the first email campaign. Building, restoring and updating email list should be on the regular to-do list of every email marketing practitioner.

1. How to guide
NOVEMBER 2011
Best Practices in email marketing
18 tiPs for email list Building
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2. 18 Tips for Email lisT Building 2
18 tiPs for email list Building
Successful email marketing requires more than writing a few paragraphs of copy and sending it out to your distribution list.
Email campaigns can be complex, require careful strategic thought, planning and testing and the right follow up. We hope
these tips help you get started building your lists and increasing your subscriptions.
1. get Permission 4. Place your weB sign uP forms on
multiPle Pages of your site
You could put together the most compelling email
marketing campaign, but it won’t matter if you do not have You want to capture the attention of the visitor when
a permission-based email marketing list. There are several they are actively engaged in the content, so place your
ways to get permission including asking for it at on and web sign up forms on multiple pages of your site. This
offline events and using web forms as often as possible to will ensure I visitor sees the form during their site visit.
build your lists. You can build lists by adding links in your It will also ensure they see the form regardless of their
newsletters, including links in your email signatures and point of entry to your website.
using forward to a friend and social media capabilities.
Permission based email marketing equals trust from your 5. use comPelling coPywriting to
email recipients. outline tHe Benefits of suBscriBing
2. make Privacy a Priority To attract people to give you something as valuable
as their contact information, you must offer them
No one likes spam, except spammers. Make sure it is compelling content. If you create content or deliver
obvious to potential subscribers that you have a anti- content that is irrelevant to their needs, they will not
spam policy and follow email marketing, survey and event remain on your mailing list for long. Develop content
marketing best practices. Your Email Service Provider people can share, that solves a problem, that contains
(ESP) should be a member in good standing with the original research or frequently asked questions. You can
Email Sender Provider Coalition (ESPC) and the Messaging also create a content series that keeps people coming
Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG). Both of these back for more information.
organizations fight the threat of spam while protecting the
delivery of legitimate email.
3. give your weB sign uP forms Priority
Placement on your weBsite
Priority placement of your web sign up forms make the form
easy to find and complete. You don’t want your web visitor
to leave the page of content just to sign up to receive some-
thing from you. Make it simple and relevant to the content
they are viewing. This may seem like common sense, but
look around the web and you will find examples of sign up
forms that are difficult to locate or drive people away from
the content they came to see on the site.
© Mailigen Ltd. All rights reserved 11/2011. Mailigen Email Marketing Solutions Phone: (+1) 718 303 1864

3. 18 Tips for Email lisT Building 3
6. Provide an incentive for 10. add suBscriPtion cHeckBox to
signing uP co-registration forms
In building lists marketers often refer to the incentives as Co-registration is a process of using someone else’s email
“assets”. Assets can include unique research, web seminars, list to grow your list members. It usually includes partner-
podcasts, survey results or a coupon for something valu- ship between two websites, when a visitor registers for a
able you offer. For these premium assets, require list sign newsletter on the original site the confirmation can in-
up in order to receive the “gated” asset. This will help you clude an offer to sign up for newsletters from partnering
significantly increase your subscriptions and use this as an sites. You can find co-registration partnerships by using
opportunity to qualify the sign ups as legitimate leads or list brokers. Co-register programs are a good way to build
content consumers. Send the leads to your sales team and email marketing lists but people tend to unsubscribe
keep engaging with the content consumers. They may from these email programs faster. It’s important to have
eventually become a sales lead. specific plans set up around keeping these registrants en-
gaged.
7. ask offline customers to
suBscriBe 11. ask for signuP during (and after)
online events or weBinars
Build up your email list with offline customers by gathering
customer email information at the register or on the phone. Another great way to ramp up your email marketing lists
Ask them if they would like to sign up for your mailing list is to include sign up forms during and after online events
and offer them an incentive to sign up for email alerts, like by using events as a prospecting tool. Because events
monthly coupons or discounts for subscribers. You can also generate targeted traffic, they are a highly effective tool
leverage their purchasing information to create a loyalty for building lists. Webinars that offer compelling content
program, with a goal to get more opt-ins to your email mar- create some of the most highly segmented email market-
keting program. ing lists due to the specialized interest represented.
8. disPlay your weBsite domain on all 12. let users manage tHeir Preferences
your Printed materials
Giving subscribers control over their own email prefer-
This is an easy one, but it is surprising how many people for- ences reduces the amount of subscribers who complete-
get to include this basic information on their printed mate- ly unsubscribe by allowing them to opt out of some email
rials. When you include your domain make sure you have a messaging. Putting preference controls in the hands of
web sign up form on the landing page.
subscribers gives subscribers a sense of trust and comfort
and they are more likely to remain on your mailing list.
9. sHare your exPertise By answering
questions in online forums
Answering questions related to your products, service and
industry in online forums is a great way to promote your
company and employees as thought leaders and subject
matter experts. When answering, include a link to your sign
up form. This is particularly valuable when you are answer-
ing specific product related questions and forum members
are looking for how to obtain additional information.
© Mailigen Ltd. All rights reserved 11/2011. Mailigen Email Marketing Solutions Phone: (+1) 718 303 1864

4. 18 Tips for Email lisT Building 4
13. send welcome messages immediately 16. encourage emPloyees to use sign uP
after confirmation links in tHeir email signatures
Send your new subscribers automated welcome messages If you use email signatures then you should include links
directly following their confirmed subscription. Thank them to the web sign up form in your email signature. This is an
for signing up to be a part of your messaging or newsletter easy way for the entire company to encourage customers
and communicate the timing and frequency of your email to sign up and join your email list.
communication. Provide them with tips for interacting with
your company and product information. Also, provide them 17. encourage suBscriBers to sHare your
with contact information and handles for your social net- email or emBedded articles
works.
Include social sharing in your email campaigns to enable
sharing within social networks where your subscribers
14. Promote your suBscriPtion Benefits in
are most likely to be active. Make sure you include some
your Blog
simple triggers like “Share This Email” with a short URL to
Use your blog as a platform to share deeper content relat- your targeted landing page. Also, keep it simple. Most
ed to the benefits of subscribing to your email list. Remind people will share content if the content is creative and
them you value their subscription and discuss how you use easy to share. Another tip to increase sharing: provide an
email marketing lists to communicate. You can also use incentive to share through some type of reward.
your blog to relay the importance of privacy and commu-
nicate your privacy policy in a more conversational manner. 18. use social media to Promote your
email or sign uP form
15. include links in your corPorate Press
Social media is an important component of your email
releases
list building efforts. Use social media capabilities to
Always include contact information in your press releases encourage sharing, which encourages list sign ups and
along with the opportunity to subscribe to your email list. to spread the message regarding the benefits of joining
Media is no longer just reporters, it includes forum mem- your email list. Use sign up forms on social media sites or
bers, bloggers and consultants voicing opinions about your post links to your web sign up forms.
products and services. Give them an opportunity to sign up
and receive updates from you rather than go hunting for
them.
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© Mailigen Ltd. All rights reserved 11/2011. Mailigen Email Marketing Solutions Phone: (+1) 718 303 1864

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