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What is the best way of building an email list through your website?

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Givers get more.

You see information is now free. And anyone can find anything they want.

So if you are going to give something away in exchange for an email address it better be good. Real good!

A simple e-book isn’t enough anymore.

Give something of extreme value, for FREE.

Deliver a gold nugget up front and prospects will be blown away by your generosity. It is the best way to start a relationship. The key is to ensure it is useful to the prospect.

That is why I recorded my book as an audiobook which I give away 100% free of charge here.

In exchange, I ask for one tiny bit of information – your email address.

Asking too much up front can come across way too hot and heavy. Kind of like asking to “Marry Me” on a first date. People get turned off.

Once you enter your email address you get instant access to the audio book. In addition, an email autoresponder directs them direct to the files.

Happy days!

Since launching my book in October 2014, I have had thousands of people opt in to my list.

And from this list, we have generated stacks of project work.

I consider this a success as I had always struggled building a list previously. And in hindsight, the reason was that I wasn’t dangling a good enough of a carrot for people to part with their email address.

So what ever you offer in exchange for an email opt in, make it of extreme value.

There are many of items you can give away for free which may already exist in your business:

  • White papers
  • First two chapters of a book
  • Video training course
  • 20-minute phone or skype call
  • ‘7 mistakes’ article
  • DVD
  • PDF downloads
  • Keynote presentation video or slides
  • Trial software
  • An e-book

Try a few different offers and see what gets prospects interested.

Remember, this is the first step in your sales funnel.

Even though this gift is given away freely, there should still be a clear call to action as to what the next step is.

What are the other products or services on offer that dive into the greater detail of your products and services? There should be an obvious path for the prospect to follow.

How to automate this

Placement of your offer on your website is key.

The offer should be front and centre and ideally placed in the header of your website. It should contain:

  1. a headline
  2. a sub headline
  3. an opt-in box to enter your email address
  4. submit button (make the button text about the prospect), for example instead of ‘submit’ use ‘send me my book’.

Once the form is submitted, the prospect should immediately receive the promised item right away via email. This will be automated through your email marketing tool using an autoresponder. If the prospect is not contacted right away, this email will get lost in the clutter and forgotten about. A strong, powerful list is one which is full of ‘double opt-in’s’ (a process where they must confirm via email a second time that they want to receive your correspondence).

Protect this list like a little kitten

This list of prospects should be protected at all times. It should be loved and nurtured. Don’t go pushing out your marketing every week. Instead, deliver value. Send the compelling, educational content you have been creating.

Ask them what their problems are. Their fears, needs, wants and desires. When a prospect is ready to purchase, it is much easier to sell to people who have been receiving follow up communication.

About the author
Jon Hollenberg
With over 20 years experience within the web industry, Jon is an expert in online marketing and online growth strategies. Over the last ten years he has worked with iconic brands such as Qantas, Jeep and the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary plus hundreds of other businesses Australia wide. Jon is a published author of "Love at first site - How to build the website of your dreams".
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