There are 3 main reasons that people decide to join an email list.
Most people are wary of giving out their email address for fear that their inbox will get flooded with unwanted emails. Even if your e-newsletter does not fall under the legal definition of spam, if it’s irrelevant to your subscribers, it won’t help to market your business or build your brand’s good will.
3 reasons why people join your email list
- To get discounts. People want to get discounts on your products or services. This could mean sending out coupons, offering special discounts or notifying them of sales. It is more effective to offer something unique to email subscribers rather than just tell them about a sale that is available to everyone. Special discounts and coupons should included in the email marketing strategy of businesses in the retail arena such as stores, online stores, restaurants, etc.
- To get exclusive information or offers. Not every business discounts their product, but getting insider information can be valuable too. For example, a theater may announce tickets for a show or give early bird online sales access to people who are on the email list. Offering reports, tips or other valuable information to people on your list is another good offer. This is an effective strategy for people in consulting types of businesses such as CPAs, chiropractors, tradespeople, etc. These tips and reports can be a way to show expertise and build trust all while giving the reader valuable information.
- Because they want to stay in touch with your organization. Some organizations have people who truly want to stay in touch with them and keep up-to-date on events and news of the organization. Non-profits, schools, and some small businesses fall into this category.
Unfortunately, far too many businesses and organization think that people are joining only because they want to stay in touch (reason #3). They over-estimate the value of this type of content with their readers. Put yourself in your readers’ shoes and think about what information or offers you can send them that will be valuable.