Build your email list using these 27 unbeatable, sure-shot strategies. As you brace yourself for 2024, use all these novel approaches to list building to improve your email list. Keep adding new, high-quality email addresses to your list and continue growing your numbers. After all, as experts say, the money is in the list.

1. How to Build
Your Email List:
27 Effective Strategies
Grow your email list - and your business

2. 1. Create useful, how-to videos
Do this:
Make a series of videos that help users solve a problem.
Keep them short, useful, and easy to understand.
Avoid being salesy.
Finally, ask viewers to sign up, in exchange for access to these videos.

3. 1. Create useful, how-to videos

4. 2. Get sign-ups by holding webinars
Do this:
Hold webinars periodically.
Keep your audience updated with the latest industry trends.
When people sign up with their email address, make sure to verify email addresses in
real-time.
Only valid, deliverable email addresses will enter your email list.

5. 2. Get sign-ups by holding webinars

6. 3. Design and create better emails
Do this:
Send only beautifully crafted emails.
They must be worded the right way.
And, do not deviate from the primary objective.
Powerful email content and a great design help you ensure high readability and
therefore more business.

7. 4. In-mail signing up and sharing
Do this:
First, encourage your existing subscribers to share your email.
Show how sharing valuable things can help people.
Just remind them to share and you’re done.
Allay any fears of spamming by adding a line about your data privacy policy.

8. 4. In-mail signing up and sharing

9. 5. Run paid ads
Do this:
Narrow down to the specific demographics you are interested in.
Age group, interests, geographical location, …
You can choose to display your ads to a very specific target audience.
Keep testing.

10. 5. Run paid ads

11. 6. Use an list that’s not used for some time
Do this:
Send re-engagement emails to old lists.
But first, clean your old list. Send emails only to valid addresses.
It’s critical for deliverability and your reputation.
Next, ask them if they would like to re-opt in.
Finally, honor your promise to unsubscribe.

12. 7. Promote within social media profiles
Do this:
Add a link to your newsletter on your profile.
If you already have a fairly big number of existing subscribers, you can also mention
how many people are already on your list.
Social proof works wonders – when people see big numbers, they are encouraged to
join your email list.

13. 7. Promote within social media profiles

14. 8. Partner with other businesses
Do this:
Find a business that doesn’t compete with your own.
Then embrace cross-promotion.
Offer a strong reason for subscribers to join – giveaways, discounts, a free trial, a
15-minute free session…
Joining hands with another business helps you both grow on each other’s strengths.

15. 9. Display the opt-in form prominently
Do this:
Don’t make the visitor hunt around to find the sign-up box.
Optimize its placement.
The opt-in box should be visible and above the fold.
If you have multiple newsletters going out, have a dedicated page where people can
sign up for each newsletter separately.

16. 9. Display the opt-in form prominently

17. 10. Use a sticky sidebar
Do this:
A sticky sidebar simplifies the life of your reader.
Anytime she’s ready to opt in she doesn’t have to scroll up and look around for
the form.
It provides a tremendous opportunity to your reader to opt-in any time.
It’s about being present anytime your reader is ready to opt-in.

18. 11. Use a real-time email verification tool
Do this:
If you aren’t careful, you will receive dozens of fake email addresses every day.
This would lead to increased costs, issues with email deliverability, poor
engagement, and more.
Use a real-time email verification service.
It will verify the email address people submit instantly.

19. 11. Use a real-time email verification tool

20. 12. Collect emails at your physical outlets
Do this:
Launch an in-store-only discount scheme for anyone signing up.
Invite them to join an exclusive newsletter that allows a special access sale. The
priority sale is open to your subscribers for a couple of days before you open it to
everyone else.
Create a loyalty program and reward them.
The alternatives are almost endless.

21. 13. Offer ‘top-up’ gated content
Do this:
First, create great content.
Then divide it into two parts. The first part is available without signing up.
Anyone who wants to consume the second part needs to signing up.
The first part of great content will whet the appetite and establish evidence of the
quality of content.
After that, people won’t hesitate in submitting their email addresses.

22. 13. Offer ‘top-up’ gated content

23. 14. Hand out discounts and gifts
Do this:
● Gifts
● Discounts
● Bonus points
● Free shipping
● Extended warranty
● Express shipping
● Priority delivery
● More accessories
● Priority support
● Early preview, etc.
Keep it simple: anyone who signs up for your newsletter will get special terms.
There’s no end to how you can woo your buyers. Check out the below options:

24. 14. Hand out discounts and gifts

25. 15. Guest blog to acquire more emails
Do this:
Guest post and use third-party platforms to grow your subscriber base.
Websites that allow guest posting permit you to insert one or two links in the author
bio.
As the CTA, add the link to the signup page for your newsletter.
And don’t forget to share it on social media and in your newsletters.

26. 15. Guest blog to acquire more emails

27. 16. Add a link to your social media posts
Do this:
Even if you do not post regularly on social media, you can leverage your reach.
At the end of every post, add a link to your newsletter signup page.
Don’t make your potential subscribers do the hard work.
Give them a link right away. Place it prominently.

28. 16. Add a link to your social media posts

29. 17. Have the team use it in email signatures
Do this:
At the bottom of your employees’ email signature, append a link to your newsletter.
Use a very short explanation on what value the newsletter will create – 5 to 6 words
would be best.
That’s a non-pushy way of getting more subscribers.
Remember, you’re only using existing channels so there’s no additional cost or
efforts.

30. 18. Drum up a contest
Do this:
Design a contest and promote it.
The content would aim at testing what the users know.
Entrants participate in the contest and submit their email address.
You can add an interesting twist to the contest.
Instead of asking for correct answers, ask for wrong answers only.
Then sit back and enjoy the amusing, funny, and creative responses you receive!

31. 18. Drum up a contest

32. 19. Make use of exit-intent pop-ups
Do this:
The pop-up shows up when a user tries to exist the webpage.
To some people, the pop-up may look a little intrusive to some visitors.
Hence, offer something of value in exchange for their email address.
Offer an ebook or a research report so that the subscriber gets value.

33. 19. Make use of exit-intent pop-ups

34. 20. Place QR codes on printed stuff
Do this:
Print the email signup QR code on your printed stuff.
It could be the packaging material, the product brochure, the product installation
guide, the warranty card,…
This QR code would lead straight to the signup page.
They point their smartphone toward the QR code, scan it and lo!
They are on your signup page!

35. 21. Host an event – with a partner
Do this:
Host a webinar jointly with another company.
Discuss industry trends, best practices, opportunities, and more.
Let your audience benefit from two sources instead of one.
And even after the event ends, you make the recording available to anyone who signs
up.
Basically, you continue getting the juice long after the event has ended!

36. 21. Host an event – with a partner

37. 22. Display customer reviews
Do this:
Use social proof to establish the value you create for your subscribers.
Show the reviews of your subscribers or users.
This builds social credibility.
Besides, it proactively addresses any concerns your potential subscribers might have.

38. 22. Display customer reviews

39. 23. Optimize all your landing pages
Do this:
Five important tips to optimize your landing pages:
● Make your CTA compelling.
● Make your CTA is easy to notice.
● Keep your signup form really short.
● Display your promise to not spam subscribers.
● Use real-time verification to catch invalid emails at sign up.

40. 24. Don’t forget the video description
Do this:
Your video subscribers are more likely to sign up for your newsletter.
That’s because your style of presentation resonates with them.
Doing so also offers multiple benefits.
Those who can’t watch your videos can still read your content.
Just add the link to your video description and let people stay connected with you.

41. 24. Don’t forget the video description

42. 25. Go for affiliate marketing
Do this:
Once someone has agreed to be your affiliate partner, give them the affiliate link.
Use attribution parameters to figure out the number of signups.
And don’t forget to periodically review, tweak, and test your new CTAs.
Remember, affiliates work on commission basis, so that’s a cost to you.

43. 26. Experiment with spinwheel
Do this:
Add a spinning wheel to your site, along with the sign up form.
After the visitor signs up, have them virtually spin the wheel.
They win whatever the pointer stops at.
It is not only fun but closely mimics in-person events, which can make it more
engaging.

44. 26. Experiment with spinwheel

45. 27. Put together a quiz for lead gen
Do this:
Create questions that resonate with their pain points and goals.
Use only multiple-choice questions.
Build a system that can clearly point out what solutions would work best for them,
based on their responses to the quiz.
And at the end, request their email address where you can send them the quiz
results.

46. 27. Put together a quiz for lead gen

48. Image sources:
1. JustWorks
2. ContentMarketingInstitute
3. George Mach @george_mack
4. Amanda Natividad
5. Facebook Ad Library
6. Aadit Sheth @aaditsh
7. CNN Newsletters
8. QuickEmailVerification
9. EdgeVerve
10. Madhur Jain
11. GitHub
12. Iterable
13. ReadTangle
14. JustWorks
15. Stewart Gauld

49. Thank you!