“The money is in the list. Grow Your List, Grow Your Business” – T. Renee’ Smith
The truth is your email list is your #1 asset for community building and making money online. Here’s why:
When someone signs up for your e-mail list that is a huge sign of trust. People are already overwhelmed with too much e-mail in their inbox. The fact that they want to receive information from you opens the possibility of them working with you or buying from you in the future.
People are not going to view your website daily or weekly but they do check their e-mail many times a day.
The people making money online use email marketing as one of their key strategies to reach their target audience. Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, your personal blog and other online assets are awesome ways to engage your customers. However, when you want to translate prospects into customers you need to have a strong e-mail list.
Listed below are five key things to help you grow your e-mail list.
Have a clear brand
One of the most important things when you are looking to build your e-mail list is to have a clear distinctive brand message that people can connect to. People have to understand who you are, what you do, how you can help them, and why they should care.
Clearly communicate how you help your readers. Your blog posts should always provide value to the reader. They should walk away saying “Wow that was really a great article, I can apply what she said or I can really relate to that.”
It is worth repeating – make sure your brand message is crystal clear.
Write high-value and useful content
Find your true authentic voice and be vulnerable.
Emotionally connect to people by discussing personal experiences and stories that are relevant to the products and services you offer.
Always provide at least one-valuable solution to a problem that your audience is experiencing.
Stick to your schedule. If you are going to blog weekly make sure you adhere to that, be dependable.
The more you write, the better you will get. Practice! Practice! Practice.
Write guest blog post
Pitch you work to various online blog sites. Come up with a catchy and strong headline and then share an article that will really help readers.
Make sure that you are posting on sites that are related to your industry. For instance if you are a business coach for women entrepreneurs pick sites that have those readers.
Start off small and then grow. Before you go to Huffington Post write for some smaller blogs first and then expand.
Send a sample e-mail article first to the blog that you want to write for and then pitch your idea for a guest blog post.
Customize your writing to fit the audience of the site you are guest posting on.
Create genuine connections
Post thank you notes to people who comment on your posts.
Link to other sites in you post.
Send a follow up e-mail or text to let people know you mentioned them in your post.
Create a network of like-minded entrepreneurs to support and encourage each other.
Interview people for your site and ask for guest posts.