Tips to Building an Email List

One question that we get consistently is this: How do I build an e-mail list?

The first thing you can do is ask. If you have a brick and mortar location, put out a tabletop display that says: “Join our email list.” Let customers know that joining a mailing list will keep them up-to-date on the latest news and specials.

Many people today are protective of their email addresses for fear of being bombarded with spam. However, as a small business, you already have a level of trust with your customers that is very difficult for a large chain store or business to replicate.

Even with a more devoted customer base than a large-scale business, some businesses equate asking for email addresses from customers with begging customers for loyalty. Many stores ask each time someone is at the checkout line for an email address, making customers feel overwhelmed or harassed. 

By using a tabletop display, customers can choose to receive emails at their own leisure. Offering your customers a discounted or free service or product in exchange for their email addresses has been a successful method for many of our clients in the past. A restaurant can give away a percent off of lunch, a retail store can give away a coupon with each sign-up. Choose something you are comfortable with in exchange for a customer’s information. What you give can be small in comparison to the ability of marketing to your customer on an ongoing basis.