It’s been 10 weeks since my last post; since the world and our lives went into a tailspin due to Covid-19… Still feels like an alternate reality, but it is life as we know it today. I have found it hard to get motivated and blog again, but here I am. As business owners, we have to do what we can to continue serving our clients, I get it. Now that more people flock to the internet for their business, it’s more important than ever to have a mailing list of your followers.
Utilizing a mailing list is nothing new and many online businesses have thrived by offering products and services to their audience via emails. If you don’t have one yet, I am sharing in this post how to get started. Don’t wait, start building one as soon as you can!
What is a mailing list?
This is a list of people who signed up and subscribed to your list because they want to receive your emails, newsletters or special offers.
Why is it important to have a mailing list?
Email has proven to be the most effective way to connect on a deeper level with your readers or followers. With email you can share information with your people, that is not published on your website or blog. It is perfect for this purpose, because you get to build a genuine relationship (online), especially when you’re open to receiving feedback.
You could share all your tips and updates for free, but may also get valuable information from your subscribers.
Another reason is to use your emails to help generate some income. This is called Email Marketing and an entirely different topic for another post.
How do you start a mailing list?
You start your list by capturing emails with opt-in forms, using an email service provider (ESP) such as MailerLite, MailChimp, Aweber, etc.
- First you create an account with an ESP. (We like MailerLite best, because it is very intuitive, has lots of features and is free to start)
- Next, you need to have something good to offer your readers in exchange for their email address; a freebie. This could be a resource list, a cheat sheet or eBook you give out when someone signs up with your opt-in form.
- As soon as they sign up, the subscriber will be added to your mailing list, so they can receive your newsletters or blog updates.
A note on opt-ins & GDPR
There are two types of opt-ins you need to know about.
- A Single opt-in gets someone on your list without requiring their confirmation. The good thing is that it helps to quickly build your list, but the bad news is risking your emails going into spam. You could also loose subscribers who made a typo in their email address.
- A Double opt-in requires subscribers to confirm that they want to receive your updates. This helps with the quality of your list because you’ll have people who truly want to get your emails, leading to more engaged subscribers. The cons are that the signup process includes extra steps, and sometimes people forget to confirm their opt-in.
- A note on GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), which is a European Union (EU) policy reinforced on May 25, 2018. This policy affects anyone who deals with citizens of the EU, meaning that if you get subscribers from the EU, you will have to comply. There has been a lot of buzz on the internet on the topic, but if you’re already using double opt-in, you’re halfway there. You can find more (easy to digest) GDPR information at Amy Porterfield’s website, which is one of my favorite podcasts.
Mailing list vs social media
Finally, here are more reasons to have your own mailing list vs. counting on Facebook, Twitter or other social media account to communicate with your followers:
- The list is yours! It will not be affected by changes implemented by social media companies at a moment’s notice. What would happen if one day the social media source shuts down? Poof! All your followers will be gone…
- Your emails can drive more traffic to your blog or website than social media. Did you know that your posts on Facebook or Instagram disappear as soon as something newer is published? (Unless of course you have a viral post or video.)
I hope this overview helped to give a better idea of why you should be starting to build your mailing list soon. As mentioned earlier, my favorite ESP for this purpose is MailerLite.
Why? Because you can start a list quickly, without incurring any costs except your time. The service is free up to 1000 subscribers and there are so many tools at your disposal, you’ll feel like you paid for a premium service! Who would not take advantage of that?
I have used MailChimp for some clients but after giving MailerLite a try, I can honestly say that I simply love their service. There are many more features available and it is very easy to use. Plenty of (video) tutorials, and their customer support is amazing. Please note that buying through the affiliate link may earn me a commission and I thank you for your support.
If you were thinking about starting a mailing list and want to get your feet wet, great timing! I just created a step-by-step MailerLite guide you can download FREE! Don’t wait a minute longer and have regrets later, get started now!