Building a contact list filled with loyal customers and engaged subscribers is a smart way to grow your natural food brand. After all, earning your customers’ email addresses is the sign of something big. When subscribers entrust you with their email addresses, they give you the keys to their inboxes — that means you can communicate with them directly, without having to navigate social media sites or paid ad platforms.
But what if you’re starting a new contact list from zero? Or what if you’re struggling to build your email list organically? Try these seven simple ways to grow your contact list.
Sign Up Subscribers at In-Person Events
Maybe you regularly demo products in supermarkets or natural food stores. Or perhaps you host a booth at every local vegan, organic, or gluten-free expo in your area.
Either way, attending events gives you countless chances to sign up subscribers in person. Whether you ask attendees to add their contact information to a paper list or you have a tablet on hand for easy online signups, make sure they know what they’re signing up for. Tell new subscribers when they can expect to hear from you and what they’ll receive so they look forward to your next message.
Prompt Website Visitors to Subscribe
Looking for an easy way to gain more subscribers outside of events? Let your website do the outreach for you. Add an email subscription form to your site so both new visitors and returning customers can sign up.
Don’t just bury the form on a contact page or in your website footer, though. Call it out with a popup so you don’t miss out on a single prospect.
Tempt Subscribers With a Special Offer
As you take steps to build your contact list, you’ll find that not everyone wants to give away their email address. So how can you make them an offer they can’t refuse?
Try tempting prospective customers with a coupon code or a special discount that’s available to subscribers only. Then reveal the discount code or send a welcome email to new subscribers immediately after signup.
Send Emails That Encourage Shares and Forwards
If you’ve been in the natural food business for long, you know how powerful word-of-mouth marketing can be. So why not use this tactic in your email marketing strategy?
When you send emails that add incredible value, you can easily encourage subscribers to tell their friends and family about your brand. Don’t hesitate to invite subscribers to pass your message along with buttons or links that make sharing and forwarding easy.
Publish Content Your Contact List Loves
Your brand’s blog offers yet another great platform for driving more email signups. Every time you publish a new blog post, invite readers to subscribe via forms embedded in the body of the text or by adding links at the end of the article.
With this approach, you can build your contact list organically. You’ll have the power to gain new subscribers as fans share your content, helping you generate more website traffic and attract new customers.
Ask Social Followers to Subscribe
Gaining new social media followers can be a cause for celebration. But don’t let your digital marketing strategy rest just because you received another like. Since the value of the average email subscriber can be 10 times higher than that of a social media follower, consider making email your priority.
Create organic social media posts asking followers to subscribe to your list, and publish them regularly. Entice followers with a coupon code or a special discount to make subscribing worth their while.
Host a Giveaway to Boost Your Brand’s Exposure
Don’t have enough social media followers to grow your email list substantially? Try giving your brand a burst of extra exposure, and you could give your contact list a major boost at the same time.
Host a product giveaway or collaborate with brands in your niche to create a mega giveaway that captures attention. Then partner with relevant influencers to share the promotion via word-of-mouth marketing. Invite giveaway participants to subscribe to your list — and add value to their inboxes by emailing breaking news, compelling content, and special savings.
Love how these strategies sound but don’t have time to implement them in house? We’re here to help grow your contact list and build a strong email marketing strategy. Schedule a 15-minute call with us to find out how we can help your natural food brand grow.
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