Building a mailing list is still one of the best ways to generate online sales. Unfortunately, you have no way of telling whether new subscribers really want to buy from you or if they're just interested in free information. All you can do is provide valuable content, persuade subscribers to visit your website or business location, and wait for them to make a purchase.
Real Sales Leads
In any business venture, your main goal is to generate sales. This means finding real sales leads on a regular basis. Thanks to the Internet, you have multiple channels at your disposal to find good, solid leads. Even though you will always have a few subscribers on your list that never buy anything, you can easily reach those with genuine interest in what you have to offer via the Internet. Three ways to gather real leads using online resources include:
- Social media
- Refer a friend programs
- Paid memberships
Use one or all of these methods to ensure your mass email list remains as profitable as possible for a long time.
Social Media
Use social media pages to generate interest and build your mailing list. Add a sign up form on the page to encourage people to sign up. Recent studies have shown that more and more people are using social media to find and compare goods and services. This means that a large percentage of those that sign up for your list are most likely very interested in what you have to offer.
Refer a Friend Program
Create a 'refer a friend' program to generate leads from subscribers. Send bulk email messages to those who have made a purchase within the last month asking them to pass the email on to one other person. Include a link to your sign up or landing page. As extra incentive, offer a discount or free gift to subscribers. You can create unique links that contain ID numbers to track the number of referrals you receive from existing subscribers.
Paid Memberships
Build a website or create a VIP newsletter or ezine and charge a monthly or yearly fee to view. Only those most interested in buying goods and services from you will sign up. On your landing page, include the option to sign up to receive weekly email content from you for free or receive exclusive content for a fee. Subscribers can choose one or both options depending on their level of interest. Not only will you build a profitable mailing list, you will also make some extra money by charging a membership fee.