See Andy's other stuff:

Contact Me >>

#2.19: The “Double Your Email List” Issue

1 > Put your email signature to work
2 > Partner up to share potential subscribers
3 > Barter ads to reach new subs — for free
4 > Add the subscribe option on every form

1 > Put your email signature to work

How many emails do you and your staff send out each day? Every communication with a prospect, customer, colleague, or friend is a golden opportunity to promote your lists. Create an email signature file for your staff that mentions your publications and directs them to your subscription form. Your subscriber numbers will start to skyrocket while your team is conducting business as usual. Your day-to-day emails represent high-level, personal communications; use those contacts to extend the relationship.

The lesson: Double the usefulness of your staff’s emails. Promote your newsletter in a signature file and send the email recipient directly to the subscription form.

2 > Partner up to share potential subscribers

Find a site whose product or service is a complement to yours and buddy up to promote the other company’s email list. Wherever you’ve got an opt-in for your own list, put a check box for your partner, who in turn will do the same for you. You’ll drive subscribers to each other’s lists without losing any readership. Chances are, your subscribers will appreciate the easy access to a helpful new publication through these co-registration deals. You can also engage in paid co-registration where you pay a few cents for every opt-in email address. We partner with a dozen or so lists. The list-building power magnifies as we all send subscribers to each other.

The lesson: Partner with complementing publishers to allow an easy subscribe method to your list. It’s a great way to build your list with qualified new subscribers you may never have met before.

3 > Barter ads to reach new subs — for free

Your best source of new subscribers is people who already read other email newsletters. So seek out list owners and trade ads in your newsletter for ads in theirs. Everyone’s willing to try out a free deal. Click rates on these ads are very high, and the costs are zilch. If you don’t have an ad-supported newsletter, barter contextual content in your newsletter to generate subscriptions and buzz. Most list owners are willing and eager to swap.

The lesson: Identify ezines that your readership would likely read and trade ads. Your best success can come from complementary newsletters. Moreover, the implied endorsement is worth a lot.

4 > Add the subscribe option on every form

Do you have a feedback form or an order form on your site? Is your newsletter subscription opt-in integrated into it? If not, it should be. Since you have the individual’s undivided attention while filling out a form, take advantage of the opportunity — especially when they’re likely giving their email address anyway. Proposing the opportunity to subscribe is quite convenient and there is the chance they may never have thought to subscribe otherwise.

The lesson: Never miss an opportunity to acquire a new subscriber. Provide every opportunity to subscribe to your newsletter.

[contact-form-7 id="27185" title="contact-form 3 TellAFriend-Post"]