How to Boost Your Email Marketing Database

As a marketer it is important to continually grow your email marketing database. Email is one of the most effective marketing channels for conversion, once you have a prospect on your list, it is a cost effective way to market and generate sales. But also it is key to remember, peoples email addresses often change, or they simply move from one company to another. It’s important in your email marketing strategy to cover not only acquisition of new emails but also maintenance and list cleaning. After all, you may have a list of 100,000 but if 50% of them continually bounce or are not engaging, it’s not as useful as a fully engaged list.   

Here’s some simple ways to boost your email marketing database:

Write engaging content

It may sound simple but it’s easy to get wrong. Make sure you are writing engaging content that’s tailored to your audience. If they are getting bored of your content, then they will unsubscribe or just ignore your emails, it’s as simple as that. Tell a story and make it visual, did you know 65% of people are visual learners? Get creative with your copy and imagery, just remember to always test your email creative before you send and trial A/B testing to see which emails get the best open and click through rates.

Sharable Links

Encourage sharing by including sharable links in your emails such as “Share with a friend”, this way it can reach their friends and others in their network. You could do the same with “Share on Facebook”. If you are going to do this, don’t forget to include a subscribe link in your email, so those that have been forwarded the email can easily subscribe to your emails.

Segment your emails by buying personas

It is important to understand your customers as they are more likely to open, click through and convert from emails that are more specific to their interests. Create multiple segments that target buying behaviours, demographics and email behaviour and try specific email copy and creative for these lists. For example, you could send emails to customers who have bought x and not y. Customers who have become VIPS because they have spend over x amount, providing them with an exclusive offer.

Promote an online contest

Why not promote an online contest where they have to sign up with their email? A free entry for them in exchange for their information. Or make sure on your competition entry forms, you include opt-in check boxes which are GDPR compliant.

Guest blog with some of your partners

Are you working with other brands or companies? Why not write a blog for their page and include a call to action within the blog? Another opportunity to increase your database and you already know that they are interested in your product so it is a win-win.

Ensure ‘Sign up’ call to actions on your website

Whether it is on your homepage, within your footer ensure you have a clear call to action on your website to sign up to your newsletter. Some brands offer incentives for sign up, such as 10% off first order or entry into a competition. If you have an eCommerce site, ensure you have a tick box option in the checkout process, as customers are in the buying cycle they are more likely to subscribe to your newsletter at this point.

If you need more help growing your email marketing database feel free to get in touch.