Are you struggling to get more email subscribers?
Are your current email subscribers not engaging with your content?
In this step-by-step guide, I’ll show you my EXACT process for getting a massive (engaged) email following.
Hi, I’m AJ, and after selling my digital agency (for a multiple seven-figure exit) I acquired SBB to help fellow entrepreneurs on their journeys.
Are you ready to blow up your subscriber list?
Let’s nerd out and dive in!
Key Takeaways
- Writing an engaged newsletter is the most important step of building your list
- Stop trying to sell your subscribers something every week, instead build out engaging content
- Make sure you've got several areas throughout your site for subs to sign up
- My favorite ways to get subscribers are through social and content marketing (SEO)
Benefits of Having Engaged Email Subscribers
Engaged newsletter subscribers will:
- Regularly interact with your content, boosting your open and click rates.
- Be more likely to share your newsletter with their networks, expanding your reach.
- Act as brand advocates, recommending your product or service within their circles.
- Be more inclined to make purchases and remain loyal to your brand.
- Help to create a sense of community around your brand.
Why Do Most People Fail at Building an Email List?
Most entrepreneurs I work with fail at growing their subscribers because:
- Their content is terrible, OR it’s too salesy (check out last week’s issue of the BFG).
- They don’t have the right kinds of pages to sign up.
- They aren’t consistently trying to grow their email list within their marketing channels.
Let’s fix that, shall we?
How to Get More Email Subscribers Step by Step
Here’s my step-by-step playbook for growing a massive (and engaged) subscriber list.
Step 1: Have Engaging (Good) Content
To attract and retain a captive audience, your newsletter must deliver value.
Ensure your content is informative, interesting, helpful, and relevant to your target audience.
This should be steps 1, 2, and 3. But we’re not here to talk about this today.
Step 2: Have a Dedicated Newsletter Sign-up Page
This seems like a no-brainer but is often overlooked.
Your website should have a readily accessible and eye-catching sign-up page where visitors can quickly and easily subscribe to your newsletter.
Make the sign-up process simple and fast – the less friction, the better.
My newsletter sign-up page consists of:
- A signup form at the top explaining what a new subscriber will get (and the community they are joining).
- Reviews from my subscriber base (social proof is king, right?).
- Old newsletters I’ve put out (I want to show that I’m providing value before they even sign up).
Step 3: Create Several Places Throughout Your Site to Sign Up
Don’t limit your sign-up opportunities to just one page.
Scatter sign-up forms throughout your website – in your blog posts, footer section, product pages, etc.
Make sure they’re visible and appealing.
Here are a few areas I have our signup form throughout my site (without being too invasive).
On the right-hand side of every blog post
Step 4: Create Targeted Lead Magnets
After you’ve laid the foundation by providing several areas for new subs to sign up, it’s time to set up some lead magnets.
Lead magnets are free resources or incentives you provide in exchange for a visitor’s email address.
Templates, on-demand videos, online training, etc.
The key is to make your lead magnet so irresistible that visitors wouldn’t think twice about giving you their email address.
I think they explain it pretty well:
Step 5: Start Getting Active on Social Media
Don’t underestimate the power of social media.
Use your social channels to promote your newsletter and lead magnets.
Engage with your followers, join relevant conversations, and share snippets of your newsletter content to pique interest.
I believe the best social is done in-house by the business owner.
There are large brands (Wendy’s, McDonalds, etc.) that have pretty solid social followings.
SMB owners aren’t going to attract that much attention through their brand’s Twitter/Facebook page.
Instead, YOU (the business owner) should be actively publishing (engaging) content on YOUR social media and building a following.
This has a massive impact for several reasons:
- People connect with people, not faceless brands; your personal touch can make your audience feel more connected and engaged.
- Secondly, as the owner, you deeply understand your business’s reputation, brand vision, and values that can be authentically communicated on social media.
- Thirdly, personal branding is powerful; it aids in establishing trust, demonstrating your expertise, and enhancing your business’s reputation.
- Finally, your presence on social media can (and will) attract the type of email subscribers you’re looking for.
Remember, when writing social content, spend 80% of your time writing thought-provoking, helpful/valuable content and 20% asking people to sign up for your newsletter.
Step 6: Use Content Marketing
I put this step last because it takes the longest to work (but could have the most significant impact).
Here’s how it works.
- Build out a blog on your site if you don’t already have one
- Start writing informative and valuable blogs that relate to your industry. Use SEO best practices to make your content discoverable.
- Create a content calendar and commit to regular posting. Consistent, quality content is key.
- Within your blog posts, include a call to action encouraging readers to subscribe to your newsletter for more content.
- Promote your blog posts on your social media channels and encourage your followers to share your posts. The more your content is shared, the more potential for new subscribers.
Content marketing is an effective tool for building your subscriber list because it positions you as an authority in your industry.
It also provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate the value of your content directly to potential subscribers.
It’s a longer-term strategy, but your email list will grow as your content library grows.
Step 7: Encourage Email Sharing
The BEST form of marketing is (and will always be) word of mouth.
When you create something of value, people will naturally share it with their friends and family.
If you’ve made it this far, you could practice this right now (and copy this playbook for your newsletter).
Step 1: Please forward this newsletter to a friend/colleague
Step 2: Send them over to my sign-up page when and if you discuss it further
Now Go Get More Email Subscribers!
By following this six-step playbook, you’ll be on your way to building a robust and engaged email newsletter subscriber list.
Remember, the key is to provide constant value and make it easy for your audience to engage with you.
Happy newslettering!