Email marketing is as relevant today as it was when it started 40 years ago. Only now, it’s even more effective because savvy marketers have added automation to their email campaign strategy.

Email marketing automation uses predefined guidelines to send personalized email messages to members of your audience based on the specific actions they take, like purchasing products and services, subscribing to your blog, reaching reward status, and others. More complex than drip email, automation is a great tool to engage leads even further because you’re sending the right kind of email to the right recipients when it is most meaningful to them.

Automation Helps Grow Your Email List

Your email list is your golden ticket for connection. Why? Because it contains the contact information of people who have already opted to receive content and updates about your business by email.

Over time, though, your email marketing database will degrade. As your contacts change, abandon their email addresses for whatever reasons, or unsubscribe to your email communication altogether, you’re charged with the continuous management of this worthy asset. When you consistently add fresh contact information to your email list, you’re more likely to continue growing your business through lead generation. Automation can quicken the process and make it more effective.

Once you set it up, automation helps you find your audience and engage your customers while it runs in the background without constant attention. It easily integrates with other marketing strategies so you can:

• Improve customer engagement and retention
• Increase efficiency while saving tons of time
• Segment your customers for personalization
• Streamline customer service
• Improve retention rate
• Increase conversions
• Nurture leads as well as existing customers
• Test and optimize your campaigns
• Track and analyze results

The use of automation in your email campaign strategy is what sets your business apart from all the rest that use email in their marketing. Now you’ll be the one who can customize every recipient’s customer journey at scale. Your audience will feel like they matter, and when they’re more engaged, they convert.

11 Easy Ways to Grow Your Email List

1. Make your email content unique every time.

Unique content helps retain current email subscribers. If your email content is valuable to them as well as informative and entertaining, you’re more likely to inspire them to share your emails with others. Your business could gain exposure while getting more email subscribers.

2. Add share buttons to your emails.

Calls-to-action such as “Email to a Friend” provide an instant reason to share your good news. You’ll indirectly gain access to recipients' contacts and possibly expand your contact list. Always include a “Subscribe” button at the end of your emails, so it’s easy for the new recipients to opt in if they choose.

3. Use buyer personas to segment your email list.

When you offer different types of email subscriptions that cater to specific interests with targeted content, people are more likely to subscribe to one of them. Email campaign strategies that use segmentation could see up to a 760% increase in revenue.

4. Use an old email list to reinvigorate subscribers.

Create a new and fun opt-in message and send it to old subscribers. This could encourage them to opt in again if they’re interested. You should remove anyone who doesn’t respond. This way, you’ll know that your emails are being opened by engaged subscribers who are more likely to share your emails with potential leads outside your current database.

5. Make employee email signatures work for you.

Adding an opt-in link to your company email signature is an easy way for recipients to sign up for your mailing list without too much fuss. Direct them to a special landing page on your website that’s customized for them.

6. Use a new offer to entice subscribers.

Create a new offer for a valuable asset like an eBook. Direct interested people to a landing page where they provide their email address to download it for free. You’ll have a new email and they’ll have something they want for free.

7. Create a sign-up for an online tool or resource.

When you offer something that will make a person’s life easier, they usually have no problem using their email address to sign up for it. They get to use it for free while you can add their email address to your list.

8. Create a “bonus content” offer.

Bonus content has recently garnered a huge cache, especially when a potential lead already enjoys the content they’ve been exposed to. For instance, if they’re reading a blog post about a topic they’re interested in, the offer of additional content with more advanced tips or in-depth information could be worth submitting their email address for access to it. Again, a win-win situation.

9. Add a QR code to your marketing collateral.

A QR code on your print marketing or even social media posts allows people to get more information instantly. Create the code so it requires an email address to access additional content to grow your list.

10. Host a webinar.

Webinars are not only the perfect opportunity to show off your subject matter expertise to thought leaders in your industry, but your guests will need to register for your online event with an email address. They get to know your business up close and personal, and you have a way to nurture new leads.

11. Don’t forget old-school options.

Asking for an email address in person never goes out of style. Collect them at trade shows, in-store, and at seminars or other in-person events. Remember to send a welcome email to each new contact later on and encourage opt-in.

11outof11 Knows Email Marketing Automation

When you’re ready to deploy email marketing automation to help grow your business, connect with 11outof11. Request a complimentary call with an 11outof11 expert. Contact us to learn more.