In this post, I’ll show you how to start an email list for free! In the past I was struggling with finding a good platform that offer cheap or even free email marketing tools. But luckily, now there are way more ways to start for free!
In today’s digital world dominated by social media and attention-grabbing advertisements, it's common to underestimate the effectiveness of a simple yet potent tool: the email list. But if you don’t utilize email marketing for your business, you are missing out on a huge opportunity!
An email list holds the potential to significantly elevate your business.
In this guide, we'll talk about why having an email list is essential for business growth, how to initiate your email marketing endeavors without spending a dime, and straightforward tips to nurture and expand your email list successfully.
WHY email marketing IS CRUCIAL for your business:
1. Direct access to your audience.
Unlike social media platforms, where your message can easily get lost in the noise, an email lands directly in your subscribers' inboxes, offering a more intimate and personalized form of communication.
2. Building relationships.
Email allows you to nurture relationships with your audience over time. By consistently providing value and engaging content, you can establish trust and loyalty, turning subscribers into loyal customers.
3. Ownership and control.
On social media platforms you are always at the mercy of ever-changing algorithms or policies, but your email list is a digital asset that you own and control. This gives you the power to reach your audience whenever you choose, without worrying about platform changes.
4. High conversion rates.
Studies consistently show that email marketing outperforms many other marketing channels in terms of conversion rates. With a targeted and engaged email list, you have a captive audience primed for conversion.
HOW to start an EMAIL LIST for free
Launching your email marketing journey without breaking the bank is not only possible but also crucial for small businesses and startups aiming to establish a robust online presence. Let's delve deeper into each step to ensure you kickstart your email marketing efforts effectively and efficiently.
First of all, you should choose an email marketing platform:
Selecting the right email marketing platform is the cornerstone of your email marketing strategy. The most popular platform are Mailchimp, Convertkit, MailerLite, Brevo and a few more that offer free plans for beginners.
But the problem with these platforms is that as soon as your email list start growing, you have to pay for a plan - which often becomes more and more expensive as your number of subscribers grows.
I personally think that it is very discouraging - you work hard to grown your list, but the more you grow it the more expensive the maintenance of your list becomes. And, to be honest with you, having thousands of subscribers doesn’t guarantee that you going to make enough sales from it to cover your email platform fees. In the beginning, when you test out your marketing campaigns and build experience in it, it’s better to keep the cost to the minimum.
That’s why I recommend using System.io (which is completely free up to 2000 subscribers, and after 10,000 you pay a fixed price of $97 a month and you can grow your audience as big as you’d like).
Another amazing platform is Flodesk which will be perfect when your email list is big enough and brings you some sales. Then you can get a Flodesk plan for a fixed price of $35/month and it will stay fixed no matter how many subscribers you have.
This is really the best platform to grow your list! Follow this link to sign up and get 50% off your first year with Flodesk.
Unfortunately, they don’t have a free plan, that’s why I would personally start with a free System.io plan to gain some experience with email marketing and start growing your list from scratch, and then move to Flodesk.
Second, start creating valuable content.
Content is king in the world of email marketing. Your subscribers are more likely to engage with your emails if they provide value and relevance.
Craft compelling subject lines that grab attention and entice recipients to open your emails.
Tailor your content to address the needs, pain points, and interests of your audience.
Experiment with different content formats, such as newsletters, blog roundups, or curated resources, to keep your subscribers engaged and eager for more.
Third, automate your email workflows.
Automation is a game-changer in email marketing, allowing you to streamline your processes and deliver timely, relevant messages to your subscribers.
Set up automated email workflows to welcome new subscribers, nurture leads, re-engage inactive subscribers, and recover abandoned carts.
By automating repetitive tasks, you can save time and resources while delivering a seamless experience to your audience.
HOW to grow your EMAIL LIST fast
Now when your email campaigns are set and running, it’s time to work on growing your email list. Here are some actionable tips to help you get a lot of subscribers:
Create good lead magnets (freebies):
Offer valuable incentives such as ebooks, planners, templates and other digital products (our predesigned Branding Kits include over 200 ebook & workbook templates that you can use to create stunning lead magnets. Check it out!). Or provide subscribers with exclusive content, sneak peeks, or early access to new products, services or discounts in exchange for email signups. For example, a digital marketing agency could offer a free guide on "10 Proven Strategies to Boost Your Online Presence" in return for email addresses.
Optimize website opt-in forms:
Place opt-in forms strategically on your website, ensuring they are visible and easy to use.
Consider using pop-ups, slide-ins, or sticky bars to capture visitors' attention without being intrusive.
Offer a clear value proposition and compelling call-to-action to encourage signups.
Promote your lead magnets on social media platforms:
My favorite platform for promoting my list is Pinterest, because it’s free, easy-to-use, you don’t need to show your face there, and with the right strategy - it’s easy to get a lot of traffic from the platform. But you can choose Instagram or Facebook as well as your blog.
Host webinars or virtual events:
Organize webinars or live events on topics relevant to your audience's interests.
Require attendees to register with their email addresses to access the event.
Use the event as an opportunity to showcase your expertise and provide value, thereby incentivizing signups.
In conclusion, building and growing an email list for your business doesn't have to break the bank. By recognizing the importance of email marketing, leveraging free tools and strategies, and consistently providing value to your subscribers, you can harness the power of email to drive growth and success for your business.
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Let me know if you want me to cover one of these topics in more depth, and I’ll make sure to create a blog post about it in the future.
Are you ready to bring your business to the next level? Get a full rebranding of your business with our premade Branding Kits that includes everything from logos and business cards to flyers, brochures, ebooks, webinar slides and so much more!
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