6 Simple Hacks For Growing Your Email List Through Content & Copy

The inbox is a sacred place, baby.

At least, that’s what Litmus’ Justine Jordan would say, and with over 3.6 billion email accounts online, it would be extremely hard to find anyone who disagrees.

In Inbound Marketing, being granted an email address by a member of your audience is like being invited into their home; the promised land; or the after-party at the Oscars.

It is a privilege and an act of trust that makes almost every inbound activity possible, but, unfortunately, it isn’t an easy thing to get out of people.

 With that in mind, here are 6 simple hacks to make increasing the size of your email list a bit easier, through skillful copywriting and premium content.

1. Make it an Option on Every Form

When it comes to getting more contacts for your email list, the more places you include the option, the more people you will ultimately reach and possibly convert.

A subtle, yet effect way to start is by placing a simple subscription check-box at the bottom of all of your forms (i.e. Contact Us, A Consultation Request, Premium Offer, etc.)

Take this example from one of IMPACT’s landing pages. At the very bottom of the form we include a small check-box that says “Subscribe Me to the IMPACT blog.”

By including this as a secondary “add-on” to another offer, we make the subscription seem like a smaller commitment or “risk”. By comparison, we remove a great deal of the friction associated with subscribing and in turn, make people more likely to check yes.

2. Create an Email Course

Creating an educational course is a great way to grow your email list, while also engaging and nurturing your audience further down the funnel. For example, take IMPACT Client, Yottaa’s, 5-Day Mobile Optimization Course.

In exchange for their email address, contacts who enroll, have an automated message delivered to their inbox with a variety of learning materials once a day, for 5-days. The information is detailed, informative, and most importantly, free.

With this approach, people get to benefit from having insightful, expert guidance sent directly to them, while Yottaa is granted permission to contact them personally through their email inbox. It’s a win-win (and not to mention, hassle-free, with the help of a workflow.)

Usually, it is also easy to put together a course by reformatting and repurposing existing materials on a single subject matter. so sort through your resources and explore what you can come up with. Common course materials include:

• Reading Materials (Whitepapers, eBooks, PDFs)
• Lecture or Demonstration Videos
• Diagrams
• Charts and Graphs
• Printable Worksheets

3. Make Them An Offer They Can’t Refuse

No matter what you’re trying to get someone to do, it’s always easier to convince them when you sweeten the deal. In other words, make your audience an offer they can’t refuse.

Incentive the action of sharing their email address by offering something free in exchange like CopyHackers does below.

Depending on your means or business, consider giving your audience:

• Popular Premium Offers
• Product Discounts
• A Free Month of Service
• Free Swag (i.e. a t-shirt, pen, hat, etc.)

Bonuses like these not only add greater value to the exchange of information, but also “delight” your audience and endear them to your brand.

4. Include it in Your Email Signature

Alongside your phone number and social media links, include a link to your organization’s dedicated blog subscription page in your personal email signature (and encourage your peers to do the same.)

Doing this will get a link and form in front of every single person you contact, including many who may not be subscribed to your organization or even be aware of its offering.

The more people you reach with your landing page, the more opportunities you have to earn a new email address and engaged subscriber.

5. Go Towards the Light(box)

Much like a landing page, a lightbox isolates your audience with your form, keeping their focus on a single task at hand.

To grow your email list, try including one on your website calling visitors to join, like our Marketing Director, John Bonini does here:

The lightbox can’t be missed. It captures the reader’s attention immediately and with the help of platforms like PicReel and Bounce Exchange you can explore a variety of timing and trigger options.

Test trigger options like “on-exit” (which makes the lightbox appear when the user’s cursor moves towards the close button) to see which variation will deliver the best conversions from your audience.

6. Capitalize on Word-Of-Mouth

Arguably, nothing speaks more highly of your brand than social proof or referrals. When someone recommends a product or brand to their loved ones they are, in a many ways, putting their reputation and people’s trust in them on the line.

Capitalize on the power of this trust by encouraging your readers to forward your emails to others.

Unbounce does a perfect job of this in a recent email by urging readers to share both in the copy and in their footer with a dedicated “Forward to a Friend” link. 

By including both pieces, Unbounce not only plants the idea of sharing in the reader’s head, but also gives them a convenient way to take action immediately, making them more inclined to do.

Once shared, your message’s reach will not only be expanded to a new audience, but be more likely to be trusted.