Are you looking for simple, proven ways to grow your email list?

When most people talk about email marketing, they jump into email copy, catchy subject lines, open rates, and tracking unsubscribes.

But there is one crucial component to address: to send out email marketing campaigns, you first need a robust list of people to send them to!

Here’s six easy ways you can use today to start getting more email addresses…. for free!

1. Catch them when they’re leaving

Using a pop-up is an effective way of growing your email list. I’m sure you’ve all seen this method on an almost daily basis! However, have you heard about exit popups? These are triggered to appear as soon as visitors prepare to leave the webpage as a final attempt at converting visitors into customers; in essence, the digital version of someone stopping you at the shop door to say “Hey, before you go, why not take a peek at this?”.

While this strategy might sound intriguing and not so smart at first, there is a lot of data out there to prove that this works. This technology which was first developed by OptinMonster is now one of the most popular in the industry, and according to their official website, more than 700,000+ people rely on this method to get more subscribers every day. Worth a shot don’t you think?!

2. Add subscription forms to your website and blog

A web form a.k.a. a signup form is an HTML form that is installed on a website to enable visitors to sign up. There are different kinds of forms to choose from, e.g., a subscription form, download box, scroll form, fixed bar, lightbox, or an exit pop-up.

Add a fixed bar or a pop-up form to the highest converting pages like product page and about us. This way people who are interested in your offer might sign up and receive more relevant information.

To build a web form, you can either code it from scratch or use your list builder.

3. Create lead magnets

A lead magnet is something valuable for your target audience that you offer in exchange for contact information. The goal of the lead magnet is to incentivize subscription and maximize the number of targeted leads captured via a web form.

Lead magnet examples:

• Ebook
• Guide 
• Report  
• Checklist  
• Resource kit  
• Framework  
• Educational materials 

There are loads more examples and we will go into these in more details in an article soon, but the key point here is that if you want to grow your email list, you need to create content that your audience will want to trade their email addresses for.

4. Collect Emails at Offline Events

Your offline events are a great way to connect face to face with customers, provide them instant value and then ask for their email address. You can put up an iPad with a signup form that they themselves fill up or you can use a simple excel sheet where you record their details.

After you get their email address, don’t forget to send them a welcome email and remind them about signing up at your booth/event and confirm that they want to continue receiving emails from you. This will help avoid any spam issues.

5. Current and Recent Customers

Have you been collecting emails for current and recent customers? Many people have been afraid to email since the introduction of GDPR in 2017, however if you’re sending a customer or an existing customer information that is relevant to them (bearing in mind what they previously bought from you), then there is a good argument to say that they might reasonably expect to hear more from you, and there would be grounds for legitimate interest.

Going forward, try to incorporate email opt in as part of your onboarding/customer care/records.

6. Use Social Media to Pitch your Newsletter

You might not have a long list of email subscribers, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a network. If you have a following on Twitter, a fan base on Facebook, or businesses you communicate with via email, why not use those firm and loyal connections to build an email list?

You might try pitching an email newsletter on your business’s Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn accounts. The people who follow you on those sites already know they like you, but they aren’t necessarily the same people who receive your newsletter. Give them the option.

Good luck growing your list!

Emma