Building an e-mail list is a fundamental component for building a successful online business. An e-mail list is a list of addresses and names which is used to distribute information. Various organizations use e-mail lists as a way of communicating updates with their clients.

It\’s normal for entrepreneurs to begin with a small e-mail list. In fact, it requires a concentrated effort to ask customers for their e-mail addresses. There are some individuals who have been using e-mail marketing for years that have difficulty building and maintaining their e-mail lists. But, an e-mail list is an excellent way to distribute information in a cost-effective manner.

Here are a few ways to help build an effective e-mail list:

1) Decide what type of e-mail list best suits your company. There are two forms of e-mail list: Announcement lists and discussion lists. Announcement lists are newsletters or advertisements that are sent out to customers to inform them of a new product or sale. Discussion lists are like internet forums or blogs, which allow users to reply to your e-mail and to exchange information with other customers. Discussion lists are less common than announcement lists, and they require more effort to create and maintain.

2) Add a “would you like to receive regular updates/newsletters/e-mail” option on your website. Giving customers the option to receive regular updates about your company by e-mail is a highly effective method of increasing repeat traffic to your website and building your e-mail list.

3) Offer incentives for joining your e-mail list. Offering customers discounts, or the chance to win a prize is a great incentive for a person to join your e-mail list. Your incentives don\’t have to be expensive; for example, you can offer something like a discount or a guide. You can also send customers a low-cost gift such as a free pen or other promotional products through the post.

4) Create exclusive campaigns available through the e-mail list. Newsletter contests and coupons are a great way to build your e-mail list. Offering regular contests and promotions is a great incentive to encourage your customers to continue receiving your e-mails.

5) Promote your e-mail list in all your communications. Add a line in your e-mails and printed material inviting the receiver to join your newsletter.

6) Become advertising partners with other companies that are related to your products. To do this, you must find a business which is related to your company that isn\’t a competitor. For example, if your company sells tea, a related business is bakery. Some companies will do this service for free; however, they may ask you to advertise their business in return.

7) Use alternative options to reach your target audience. Facebook has over five billion users, and it is likely that many of your customers are Facebook users. Creating a company profile or a group on Facebook is another way of building an e-mail list. Facebook users can “like” your business, or join your group to receive updates without having to complete any sign-up forms. Instead of using traditional e-mail, you can use Facebook\’s messaging system to send information to your customers.

By using these techniques, you\’ll see your e-mail list grow over the over the weeks and months to come. Building an effective e-mail list gives you more opportunities to recruit new customers and to build lasting relationships with your clients.

Trevor Richards writes for Extravision, one of the UKs leading email marketing companies.

Trevor Richards writes for Extravision, one of the UKs leading http://www.extravision.com email marketing companies.

Author Bio: Trevor Richards writes for Extravision, one of the UKs leading email marketing companies.

Category: Advice
Keywords: email marketing, email campaign, ecommerce, internet marketing, e-commerce, sales, business