6 Smart Ways to Grow Your Email or SMS List on a Budget
One of the most powerful ways to grow your customer base is through email and SMS marketing campaigns. However, many small businesses face challenges due to limited budgets and resources, making it difficult to grow subscriber lists. The good news is that there are tried-and-tested methods to systematically expand your contacts. Here are some creative solutions to help you grow your subscriber list and generate strong conversions.
1. Develop Good Content
It all starts on your website. If you can create and share valuable content that resonates with your audience, they will naturally want more and opt-in to receive updates. By offering excellent content in the form of guides and advice, you can entice readers to fill out a form in exchange for this information. They get free insights, and you get their email addresses—it's a win-win situation.
2. Create Call-to-Actions in Your Marketing Material
In every blog post you write, include a call to action (CTA). A CTA guides your customers on what to do next, such as "Sign up for this free service here..." A good CTA directs readers to a landing page on your website where they can subscribe to your mailing list. For SMS campaigns, find other ways to encourage customers to visit your website and connect with your business.
3. Consider Adding an Opt-in Pop-Up on Your Landing Page
When visitors arrive at your website, a pop-up should prompt them to sign up for your newsletter. If you don't have this feature, you're missing out on countless leads. You can easily implement this by purchasing a plugin or tool that enables pop-ups on your site, syncing with your database to automate the process.
4. Make Content Shareable
Increase your contact lists by allowing existing subscribers to share your content easily. Adding “send to a friend” or “share on social” links to your articles can encourage readers to share content that resonates with them. This can be powerful, as people are more likely to engage with something recommended by a friend rather than a stranger, leading to valuable referrals for your business.
5. Create Effective Referral Programs
Did you know that over 75% of people are more likely to use a product or service that they've heard about from a friend or family member? This makes referral marketing a highly effective tool. Encourage your existing customers to share their positive experiences about your business on social media.
6. Gifts and Giveaways
People love freebies. Giveaways and contests can generate up to 5.8% more engagement and convert up to 34% of leads. The primary costs are what you give away and the campaign itself, often yielding a high return on investment. You can leverage giveaways by requiring participants to like your page and share it with friends. Over 62% of users will share your contest with friends for additional entries, boosting your reach.
The Bottom Line
Having thousands of followers on social media is great, but what if you were hacked tomorrow and lost all those followers? In an ideal world, it wouldn't matter if you also had a solid database of SMS and email contacts to rely on. These contacts are vital links to your customers, so consistent engagement is crucial for building strong email and SMS lists. With these six strategies, you will be well on your way to generating robust subscriber lists, regardless of your budget.
