If you’re struggling to build your email list – know that you’re not alone.

IT’S EXTREMELY HARD to grow an email list, which is why you need to utilize proven techniques that actually work.

And it’s essential to learn because it’s the #1 money maker for online businesses.

But before we dive into my list of 50 Proven Email Growth Techniques, I’m going to do 3 things real quick;

1. List out 4 email marketing webinars along with the 3 things you’ll learn in each so that you can get the best resources for the stage you’re currently at.
2. Show you the backend of my account so that you know my techniques actually work. This is exactly how I grew my subscribers from 0-10K in one year.
3. List out the 4 best tools you need to grow your list.

4 Essential Email Marketing Webinars

Click on the one (or two) webinars below that correspond to what you want to learn right now.

List Building – Beginner

1. The 3 things creators do to grow the right email list + earn a living online
2. An actionable list building plan you can start implementing today
3. A step-by-step tutorial to get your list building system set up in 24 hours

Earn Your First Dollar – Beginner

1. An exact framework to turn your passion into an online business
2. How to create a simple product to make your first dollar online
3. How to get your first 100 email subscribers so you can launch your first product

Email Copywriting – Intermediate/Advanced

1. How to write emails that make people want to read + buy
2. 10 ideas for what to write, inspired by creators making a full time living online
3. A step-by-step tutorial to get your email writing system set up in 24 hours

Sales Funnels – Intermediate/Advanced

1. How to get the right leads on your email list
2. A simple three-email sales template inspired by creators earning a full time living online
3. A step-by-step tutorial to get an automated sales funnel up and running in 24 hours

Behind The Scenes of LadyBossBlogger’s Email List

There are a lot of list building strategies, however, the trick is to find the ones THAT WORK FOR YOU.

It’s important to note that the same techniques that may have worked last month, might drop off in effectiveness so you have to keep on trying new things and improving on the ones that work.

The photo below proves my point – my growth was crawling at the beginning of the month until I changed a few things up!

The goal is to always be GROWING, regardless if it’s 1 subscriber a day or 50. Also, it’s important to note that my growth has been 100% ORGANIC.

Below is the 6-month overview of my account. From April to June I was actually slowly LOSING subscribers.

Don’t be alarmed if your subscribers drop, simply take it as a sign that you need to change things up.

The 2 sharp spikes in my graph are the times I imported the emails I had collected from my Sumo email collector account into my ConvertKit email provider account.

4 Best Tools To Help Grow Your Email List

1. Sumo – email opt-in form creator plugin for your website/blog
2. MailChimp – email marketing tool (for beginners)
3. ConvertKit or AWeber – email marketing tool (for gutsy beginners or intermediate/advanced users)

Now, without further delay, let’s get into my list of 50 Proven Ways To Grow Your Email List!

I have divided my 50 points into 5 categories. Read them in order.

• 1-8: Various options for email opt-ins
• 9-23: Where to place your various opt-ins
• 24-37: How to entice people into your email list
• 38-47: Where to get more email subscribers
• 48-50: What to include in your actual emails

VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR EMAIL OPT-INS

1. Host a free educational webinar

Make sure the topics are relevant to your blog post and target audience.

Read: How To Discover And Engage Your Target Audience to make sure you’re creating relevant content for your desired audience.

2. Create an incredibly desirable freebie

People usually need a reason to sign up for your newsletter, so make it a no-brainer for them by offering them some sort of freebie.

Learn how to create the best freebies here.

3. Create multiple offers

Not every single person is going to love your one freebie offer, so create multiple!

For example, I have a 22-page free ebook on How To Become An Instagram Influencer, but I also have a 6-page download on How To Create The Most Irresistible Freebies with 10 examples from 12 different niches.

4. Create different types of offers

Some people like ebooks or worksheets, other people like email courses. So make sure you have a variety people can choose from.

For example, I have a 7-Day Free How To Start A Money Making Blog course for beginners and another free 21-Days To Build A Better Blog course for intermediate and pro bloggers.

5. Use a pop-up form

While some people think pop-ups are obtrusive, it continues to be my #1 converting opt-in.

Use the Sumo plugin to create the best pop-ups that link directly to your email service provider.

6. Create a top bar form

If you prefer to have a more subtle approach to get subscribers, having a bar at the top of each of your pages works well, especially because it can blend nicely into your theme.

You can create this using the Sumo plugin as well. However, it’s good to pair it with other forms as well because it can sometimes blend a little too well and not be get noticed.

7. Add a lightbox form

EITHER choose to go with a pop-up form OR a lightbox form.

A lightbox form is one that covers the entire screen when people go to your site.

Test them out each for at least a month then compare your results to see which one got better conversion rates.

8. Create landing pages

In addition to forms, create landing pages with the same material as your forms. I create all my landing pages directly in ConvertKit.

For example, I have an extremely simple one line subscribe opt-in for my 12 Most Profitable Niches List.

I have also created a landing page that has the same download.

WHERE TO PLACE YOUR EMAIL OPT-INS

9. Homepage

The most trafficked page on your website is your homepage, therefore it should revolve around your opt-ins!

Make sure you have AT LEAST ONE subscribe box embedded on your front page that relates to what your site is generally about in addition to links to your landing pages.

Note how name opt-ins are on my front page. Every single page of your blog should include a variety of opt-in options.

1. Top bar form
2. Pop up form
3. Landing page links
4. Embedded forms
5. Sidebar form (not pictured, it’s further down)

10. Email signature

Not every person you email is going to be on your email list or is going to be a reader of your blog, so make sure to entice them with your offers!

Below is what my email signature currently looks like.

11. Within your blog posts

Make sure to weave your subscription options in the beginning, middle and end of your blog post. This will increase your conversion rate, especially if what you’re offering is closely related and relevant to your blog post.

12. Subscriber-only discount

If you sell products, promote subscriber-only discounts on social media with a landing page link to sign up for the discount.

This helps you kill two birds with one stone because the people that actually sign up are BUYERS who are actually interested in your product!

If you don’t have a product yet, read this: How To Launch Your Own Profitable Online Course.

13. New subscriber discount

Similar concept to the one above, but in this case you limit the discount to new subscribers. You can also create some urgency by stating only the first 20, 50, or 100 subscribers get the discount.

14. Author bio on guest posts

When you write a guest post for someone else, include a link to subscribe to your email list in your bio. Check with the site’s owner to make sure that’s ok before you write the guest post.

15. Social media post

When you promote your blog posts on social media, make sure to include links to your landing pages just in case they don’t click on your blog post. That way they still may click to sign up for your email list regardless if they read your post or not.

Numbers 16-23 are specifics for the major social media channels. 

16. Facebook sign up button

Facebook allows one clickable button – link it to your landing page!

Remember to promote what people are signing up for with your header image.

Click on the image below to like my facebook page if you’ve enjoyed this post so far! Thank you 🙂

17. Instagram bio and story link

Instagram also allows for one clickable button, but if you use Linktr.ee, you can feature several links! Follow me @ladybossblogger and @elainerau for daily inspiration on both accounts!

When you click on Linktr.ee/ladybossblogger this is what you’ll see. Make sure to link to all your landing pages with your freebies and promote your specific offers in your bio!

18. Twitter bio

Include a short link to your landing pages using bit.ly (free short link generator) so that you can include more than one link.

Follow me on Twitter @ladybossblogger!

19. LinkedIn summary section

Make sure to utilize the summary section under your profile name and include relevant links.

Let’s be friends on LinkedIn! My profile is www.linkedin.com/in/elainerau.

20. Pinterest bio

You can include additional links in your bio. I don’t currently have any because I had to start my account over again. But if you’re established enough and have an optimized profile, include a link to your landing page in addition to your homepage.

Follow me on Pinterest @elainerau.

21. YouTube description

I’m new to YouTube, but in my descriptions, I have links back to relevant blog posts to drive double the traffic.

I actually wrote a blog post based on what I said in this panel discussion, you can read it here: How Bloggers Secure Sponsors: Sponsorship Masterclass.

Follow me on YouTube here and click the image below to view the discussion!

22. Tumblr posts

As long as your website’s homepage is optimized for subscribers, you can just link to your website.

Follow me on Tumblr @ladybossblogger.

23. Google+ bio

Include your desired links in your bio and on your posts.

Follow me on Google+ here: plus.google.com/+ladybossblogger.

HOW TO ENTICE PEOPLE INTO YOUR EMAIL LIST

24. Subscriber testimonial

Write a subscriber testimonial above or below your opt-in box to entice people to sign up or link to it.

This is particularly important if your opt-in is associated with a product you may later pitch.

Read 170+ five-star LadyBossBlogger reviews on Facebook.

If you’ve found this post helpful so far, please leave a review!

I would greatly appreciate and love you for it!!!

25. Include lots of call-to-actions

Notice how many call-to-actions there have been in this blog post.

Make sure to include CTA’s at the beginning, middle, and end of all of your posts.

If you don’t tell people to do something, they generally won’t do anything. Even when you do, it’s still only about a 50% chance they will take action.

Join my Facebook Group for Female Entrepreneurs + Bloggers and start making some business connections! See what I did there? ?

26. List out the benefits

If the subscriber doesn’t have a reason to sign up for your form, they simply won’t.

Make sure it’s clear what’s in it for them and list out exactly what they will be getting.

Always be subscriber-centric.

27. Host a contest or giveaway

While contests and giveaways may draw in lots of subscribers, they aren’t the most quality subscribers because most of them join simply to win and half of them unsubscribe after the contest concludes. On the flip side though, you still have half of those that don’t unsubscribe!

28. Don’t ask for too much info

The more info they have to put in, the less likely they will sign up.

The more steps, links, and clicks they have to go through, the more likely they will abandon signing up altogether.

Make it AS EASY AS POSSIBLE for your new subscriber.

Grab my downloadable page: 3 Goals Every Post Needs.

29. Create PDF forms of your blog posts

This is the easiest opt-in to do because there is no additional work involved.

All you need to do is copy and paste your blog post into a word doc, create a form or landing page and link the word doc (I would suggest changing it to a PDF though).

Yep, that’s an example of how to do it! You’ll be surprised at how many people will want to download your posts to read later.

30. Create an email course

Email courses are incredible because you get to build trust with the subscriber over the course of several days.

The subscriber is opting in and looking out for your content every day, which is subtly training them to keep an eye out for your content!

31. Provide social proof

Notate how many subscribers or followers you have by simply saying “Join [number] other [target audience] who have already subscribed.” Or drop “who have subscribed” if the number you mention is your total follower, not subscriber count.

When people see that other people are interested or doing something too, they naturally want to join to see what they are missing out on.

However, be very careful not to LIE!

32. Provide credentials

If you don’t have loads of followers but you do have lots of credentials, mention those instead so people know why they should trust you!

33. Stick to a regular schedule

Making sure to tell people what your schedule is!

Whether you send daily, weekly or monthly emails, make sure people know.

The more regular your posts, the more dependable and reliable people will see your information.

Below I tell people right off the bat that they should expect weekly emails.

34. Additional downloadable information

At the end of your post, include a download for even more enticing info that isn’t included in your blog post.

35. Give multiple segment options

If you don’t want to have a million forms, simply create one with multiple options.

This is good for you and good for the subscriber because they get to choose what type of content they want to receive from you.

Additionally, you get to learn more about them, in this case, I get to see where people are in their business so I can cater my emails to them more specifically.

36. Be relatable

Include a photo of yourself to show that you’re a real person and use your words to be relatable.

37. Mention your SPAM policy

This is displayed automatically on every ConvertKit form.

WHERE TO GET MORE EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

38. In-person events

Everything you do either online or offline should revolve around getting people into your email list.

Tradeshows, speaking events, and networking parties are all great places to meet people who may be interested in joining your email list.

If you’re speaking and the host allows it, make sure to include your links on the big screen so that people know where to find you during your presentation. It’s an amazing feeling to get tweeted! Then afterward you can reach out to them directly and establish a deeper connection.

39. Cross promote

Relationships are everything. Start making friends with other business owners, especially those that are in a similar niche so that it makes sense to cross-promote one another.

How I do it is via guest posting. For example;

1. Someone writes and submits a guest post for LadyBossBlogger
2. I publish their post on my blog because it’s incredible
3. Then I send their post out to my list because I want more eyeballs on their amazing content
4. They send their post on LadyBossBlogger to their email list as well
5. And that is how cross-promotion via email can occur

40. Sponsored emails

A few companies that sponsor content AND cross promote you really well are Tailwind and FreshBooks. You can write a piece of content about them and as long as it’s high quality, they will email your post to their list.

Learn how to create sponsored content for them and thousands of other companies by signing up here.

If you’ve never written sponsored content before, sign up for ValuedVoice and start getting some gigs. My payout below was for 4 short blog posts.

41. Business cards

Business cards aren’t dead. I really wanted to believe that they were, but after going to several events and being the only one without business cards, I knew I had to get some ASAP.

I like to leave the back of mine empty so I can write notes (such as short links) to the specific opt-in people are interested in.

Here is what my business card currently looks like – whipped it up in VistaPrint in half an hour.

42. Create a quiz

Create a quiz using Interact then set it up so that people get their results emailed to them.

Take the quiz below to find the most profitable niche you can tap into according to your interests.

[interact id=”5b291ded8babce0014a64648″ type=”quiz”]

43. Participate in Facebook + LinkedIn groups

No matter what you do, always try to be helpful.

If your content is relevant and can answer someone’s question, make sure to link to it!

If they go to your site and find more useful content, it’s very likely that they will subscribe.

44. Answer questions on Quora

Quora is a well-known site where people ask questions and other people answer. Then people rank the answers according to popularity and accuracy.

If you take the time to write out a thoughtful answer and include relevant links back to your resourceful blog, you’re bound to get a stream of new subscribers.

45. Comment on niche blogs

Similar to commenting in Facebook/LinkedIn Groups and answering questions on Quora, when you comment on other people’s blogs within your niche and offer great insight, you’ll not only attract readers to your site but you’ll also improve on the owners content which is really valuable.

46. Pin opt-in landing page on Pinterest

Most people link their pins to blog posts, however, you can also directly link your landing page to your pin as long as it’s relevant.

What I like to do is include my opt-in at the beginning of the post so people can decide if they’d prefer to sign up to receive my daily emails or read the post instead.

Read: 21 Days To Build A Better Blog.

47. Facebook ads

I haven’t done this one yet since my growth has been organic, but I may start to tap into learning about this soon! I hear it’s an incredible way to get new followers FAST. If you have the funds, do this to expedite your growth.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR ACTUAL EMAILS

48. Social media buttons

Now that you have people in your list, make sure to include links to your social media at the bottom of each email so that people can stay connected with on even more channels.

These are the buttons I use and what I link to:

 facebook.com/ladybossblogger

 facebook.com/elainerauofficial

 twitter.com/ladybossblogger

 plus.google.com/+ladybossblogger

linkedin.com/in/elainerau

 pinterest.com/elainerau

 instagram.com/ladybossblogger

 instagram.com/elainerau

49. Signature with more opt-in options

It’s important to include a signature at the bottom of each email and make sure it’s branded so you can continue to build trust with the people on your list.

Simply copy and paste your current email or create a special one for your newsletter subscribers.

50. A/B test your headlines

When you send out emails, make sure to test your headlines so you can continue to perfect the art of email marketing. The more you test, the better you’ll get!

You got this! And make sure if you haven’t signed up for ConvertKit yet, do it now!