An important element of any email marketing strategy includes plans for continuing to grow the list. Although planning great content, having a strategy for promoting your products or services and timing our messages is important - You have to have people to send your message to. Here are 18 easy ideas for planned tactics to promote your email newsletter.

• Include “forward to friend” in all outbound emails
• Drive all prospects to website from all advertising
• Have newsletter opt-in box in checkout of e-commerce area of website
• Put website on all basic company docs: stationary, business cards, etc
• Have customer service ask all callers if they’d like to receive newsletter
• Have support staff ask all callers if they’d like to receive newsletter
• Add sign up form for newsletter on the website in prominent area
• Collect emails at checkout in retail stores (if applicable)
• Collect email addresses at trade shows and other events
• Mention the newsletter(s) and website on the Hold music for inbound calls
• Include link to newsletter sign up form in email signature (all employees, especially support and customer service staff)
• Start collecting email addresses from website by including a newsletter subscription form on every page.
• If you have a website, make sure you have some kind of name capture mechanism. In exchange for people’s contact information, offer a subscription to an ezine, a free report, an e-course, a free forum, or some other perk.
• If you have a physical location, place a sign-up form in an obvious place for your visitors so you can stay in touch with them on an ongoing basis. You can offer an incentive to sign up such as special coupons, discounts, or a print newsletter with tips.
• When you give speeches, presentations, and attend trade shows, collect the names of people you interact with! Offer a prize like a free product or a discount. You can do the same thing if you offer telephone seminars or online courses to your clients.
• Grow your list by conducting joint ventures with a like-minded business. For example, a mortgage broker and realtor can offer a free seminar on home buying. Both businesses can collect the names of the attendees.
• Submit articles to various websites and ezines. Make sure each article has a resource box with information about your business and a link to a name capture page.
• Of course, anyone and everyone who has ever purchased from you should go on your list. It is much easier and cost effective to cross-sell and up-sell to past, satisfied customers than it is to convert a prospect into a customer. Regularly keep in touch to ensure your company stays in the forefront of their awareness.

Tags: Email Marketing, Email Newsletter