In 2017 there is a huge amount of information online about how to grow your email list and start a business. While educating yourself on one-off strategies can be helpful, what you actually need is to plan to grow your email list, especially if you are starting you email list from scratch. Having a plan can help you feel more secure in your efforts.

So, today I’m going to share a step-by-step list-building plan to help you grow your email list even if you’re starting from the beginning. This blog post goes hand in hand with my free guide and work book that is printable and will help you create an email list action plan.

STEP 1: Create a Clean Well Designed website or conversion Page

You may not need the most designed, or customized website at first; and by experience, I see a lot of people get stuck on this step. The most important factor in this step is that the website is professional and allows for a clear message to be sent to you target audience. The most important factor for this task is that your website or conversion page makes it easy to grow your email list.

Once you have the first step completed you have laid the foundation for what I called the 6 Basic Elements to creating an email list and your more than welcome to follow along with the process found in the free download.

Basic Element 1: Place your Opt-In and subscribe areas everywhere

Most email providers will have ways for you to embedded a subscribe form into you website. I tend to recommend mailchimp or AWeber as I feel these providers make the process easy for most people to complete. AWeber even provided tutorial videos.  and if DIY is not your cup of Tea; Avid Digital Works is more than happy to customize this process for you.

I would say add 3-5 opt-in areas to your website; Where some may notice your sign up others may miss it;

 

Basic Element 2: Optimize Your websites Content to boost your opt-in rates

Sounds easy enough right? In truth this may be the most important and the most involved step. What search engines love the most is content and what you need to ask yourself when developing the content for your webpage or for your opt-in incentive is… does your content solve your audience’s problem?  Or what is the problem you are trying to solve for your audience?

You are the expert in your own area and your content should reflect that; In essence your content is what will be drawing in your customers; when they are searching for the answer to their problem your goal is to make sure they land on your conversation page or website.

Basic Element 3: Research popular blogs and discover what your audience desperately wants

If you want subscribers fast you have to know what their interests are. You know what problems your readers are trying to solve, you can boost results from your marketing content efforts. Most entrepreneurs skip this step in their content creation processes and wonder why they receive lack luster results. Using simple competitive research methods, gather research from the biggest blogs or websites within your niche market. Find out what the most popular content is and use this information as a tool to grab the attention of your target audience.  If you have downloaded your free guide/workbook I have included a workshop section that will help you with your competitor research.

Basic Element 4: Guest posting

One great way to drive traffic back to your website is to start guest posting. During your competitive research if you have come  popular blogs that allow guest posting take advantage. The goal is to drive readers from your guest post to your website.

Once again referring back to the free download tool I have included a workshop that will help you write a email template that will allow you to introduce yourself as a guest blogger.

Basic Element 5: Create an irresistable landing page with opt-in Incentives

Back to the basics add creative incentive pieces relevant to your topic and remember your audience is looking to you to be the expert.

An opt-in incentive is an incentive to encourage someone to join your list and they give your reader extra value! Partner an incentive with a great landing page and you have a win-win

Here are a few examples of things you could offer:

Worksheets
Checklists
Printables
Video training or tutorials
E-books
Guides
Each of the incentives above is designed to offer free, additional value to your audience

So, if you do all of the above, you should start to notice an increase in email subscribers.

Certainly, there are a lot of great strategies you can do to be more promotional about growing your list but there’s a lot you can accomplish with the elements presented above.