Since the beginning of eCommerce, email marketing has been one of the most effective ways to reach customers, and this is still true even in today's crowded digital landscape. However, the biggest key to successful email marketing for eCommerce is building an email subscriber base—and this is often easier said than done.
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eCommerce Email Marketing:
The Complete Guide to Skyrocket Growth
To help grow your eCommerce email list, let's take a look at some proven lead-generation tactics and powerful tools for email list growth.
Why a Strong eCommerce Email List Matters
eCommerce email marketing is one of the most important channels to generate traffic, conversions, and revenue for many businesses. In fact, email marketing has the highest ROI of any digital marketing channel, generating an average of $42 for every $1 spent. But if you want to master email marketing, you must first grow and maintain a healthy email list.
How to Grow Your Email List
It's not uncommon for consumers to opt out of emails, causing the size of these lists to gradually shrink. If you're having trouble gaining leads or need help motivating users to sign up, these five tips on how to grow your email list could help you:
- Use email pop-ups strategically
- Leverage gated content
- Incentivize with loyalty programs
- Engage on social media
- Collect email addresses offline
1. Use Email Pop-ups Strategically
Forget about those annoying pop-up ads that we all loathed in the early 2000s. When implemented correctly, email pop-ups can help drive user action without being annoying.
Try using email pop-ups to highlight promotions, news, contests, or anything else you have going on. Just make sure they are mobile-friendly and non-intrusive to stay on Google’s good side. We also recommend keeping pop-up form fields to a minimum.
We’ve been using tools like JustUno and HubSpot to create pop-ups for ourselves and our clients. These tools make it easy to connect with your CRM, run A/B tests, and adjust designs in no time. They also come equipped with advanced features, such as intent detection and personalized messaging. This helps you reach customers with the right message at the most effective time.
2. Leverage Gated Content
Gated content requires the user to fill out a form before they can access it. Although we don’t recommend restricting access to all of your content, gating pieces that appeal to lower-funnel audiences can be a fantastic way to collect contact information.
Plus, these users are typically motivated to learn more, so they’re more willing to provide contact information.
Don’t be afraid to get creative with content formats. If you’re unsure where to start, we recommend exploring eBooks, white papers, videos, and infographics. Providing free webinars and access to exclusive member communities can also serve as great lead-generation tactics.
When it comes to forms, keep things short and sweet. For a higher-level download, requesting a name and email address should suffice.
3. Incentivize With Loyalty Programs
Incentivizing email sign-ups is a tried-and-true way to increase engagement. Loyalty programs take that concept one step further by thinking beyond email to create a more sophisticated customer experience.
We’ve helped several clients set up loyalty programs. In the process, we have learned that offering shoppers something of value and giving them personalized attention can improve the overall user experience.
As a result, customer loyalty programs often deliver enough value that buyers are willing to provide contact information to participate. This is especially true if you use strategies like gamification and referral bonuses to make your reward program even more enticing.
4. Engage on Social Media
It might seem like a no-brainer, but don’t forget to ask your social media followers to subscribe to your email list. Social audiences are already interested in your business, so they’re often likely to subscribe.
Aside from directly asking followers to sign up, try promoting exclusive email benefits like updates, coupons, special offers, and so on. Gating these promotions can be a great way to motivate users to take the extra step. You can then promote your offers with social media ads that feature integrated lead-generation forms.
5. Collect Email Addresses Offline
Don’t forget to network. Whether it be at a trade show, seminar, or any other business event, these are all great places to gain new email subscribers.
Upload customers into your CRM and continue to market to them via email. We know it’s manual labor, but we promise it’s worth the effort. Or, you can use tools for email list growth like OnSpot Social to turn your phone or tablet into an email collection form.
The Role of Tools in Growing Email Lists
Using the right tools can be a game changer when it comes to building an email subscriber base. Tools such as Klaviyo and HubSpot offer a range of features designed to help companies grow eCommerce email lists, including automation, list segmentation, and A/B testing functions.
Advanced pop-up tools like OptinMonster and Privy, meanwhile, are great for capturing leads. Best of all, you can integrate these tools with your CRM so that every new lead is automatically added to the database.
Emerging Trends in Email List Building
Email marketing may be the oldest form of digital marketing still relevant today, but numerous emerging trends are nonetheless changing the face of the industry. The first (and arguably most impactful) of these trends is the emergence of artificial intelligence. With AI tools for predictive lead scoring, you can automatically identify high-value leads so you know where to focus your email marketing efforts.
Sustainability is currently a big trend in eCommerce. By including value-driven messaging in your email messages, you can increase your brand's appeal to eco-conscious customers.
Lastly, omnichannel marketing is another trend that's having a big impact on eCommerce. By creating a strategy that integrates email, SMS, and social media marketing, you can execute cohesive campaigns and create a unified experience for shoppers.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
If you want to get the best results from building your eCommerce email list, here are a few common errors to avoid:
- Overloading Pop-ups: While pop-ups are a great way to build your list, you don't want to overdo it. Avoid excessive pop-ups that harm the user experience.
- Neglecting Mobile Responsiveness: The majority of people now browse the web using smartphones, so you'll want to emphasize mobile-first email capture strategies.
- Ignoring Privacy Regulations: Ensure GDPR and CCPA compliance to avoid getting your company in legal trouble.
Conclusion
A strong email list is the foundation of successful eCommerce marketing. By using the tools and strategies we've covered in this article, you can start growing your eCommerce email list.
If you’d like to turn email marketing for eCommerce into your brand's superpower, Groove Commerce can help! Contact us today for a free consultation or website audit.
