Hi community, I’m the owner of an online boutique featuring handmade jewellery. As my business grows, I want to increase my customer engagement through personalised campaigns and updates. I understand the value of email marketing in creating personalised customer experiences, but I need to optimize my startup budget.
Can anyone share practical steps on how to build an free email list from scratch?
Also, are there any effective free tools or strategies that are especially suitable for an e-commerce business like mine?
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Hello Sue! Building your email list for your handmade jewelry boutique is something you can do easily and for free. Here are some techniques to start building your email listing from scratch:
→ Make social media integration: Use your existing social media platforms to encourage sign-ups. Tools like Linktree can be added to your Instagram or Facebook bio for free, directing followers straight to your subscription form.
→ Use Interactive Content: Engage your audience with interactive content like quizzes. “Find Your Perfect Jewelry Style!” could be a fun quiz where results are sent via email. Set this up for free using Google Forms or Popupsmart.
→ Use Referral Bonuses: A referral program encourages current subscribers to bring in friends. Offer incentives like discounts on future purchases, which can be managed manually or through free versions of referral tools like ReferralCandy.
→ Build Resource Hub: Build a free resource hub on your website with articles and guides. Platforms like WordPress or Wix allow you to set this up at no cost, gating content behind an email submission form.
→ Local Workshops and Events: Collect emails at any local events or workshops you host. A simple sign-up sheet or a Google Forms setup on a tablet will do the trick without any extra spending.
→ Lesser-known Strategy: “Email for a Cause” Start an “Email for a Cause” campaign, promising a small donation to a charity for each sign-up. This boosts your list and your brand’s image, costing you nothing but a portion of proceeds if you choose.
And since you’re here, I would be glad to suggest you to try popups as well since many of the popup users share their customer stories on Popupsmart and how they build strong email lists.
Cheers.
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Since Perihan puts the impactful and inspiring strategies, I will share the best tools that can help your process.
These free email sending tools are for managing and sending emails effectively with generous free plans.
- MailerLite and ConvertKit for advanced email marketers and bloggers.
- Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) and Omnisend for comprehensive marketing and sales features, especially suitable for ecommerce.
- Mailchimp for growing your email marketing program.
- Sender and Loops for their generous free plans and automation features.
- FreshSales, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM offer robust features and integration capabilities.
These tools should help you manage your email list efficiently and engage with your customers effectively without breaking the bank.
Extra note: If you’re looking for automated emails for your process, you can use email automation feature of Popupsmart if your store is Shopify.
Then, you can keep the connection simpler and more practical.
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Hi Sue,
They covered some great ways to start building your email list! I would like to add something about timing, which is that it is very important to have a clear plan when creating your list.
Starting from scratch can be scary, so here’s a step-by-step guide that might be helpful:
- Identify Your Audience: Understand who your audience is and the kind of content they would potentially be interested in.
- Choose Your Platform: As Ece suggested, Mailchimp is a cost-friendly option and it’s easy to use.
- Create a Sign-up Form: Once you’ve chosen your platform, create a sign-up form and embed it onto your website.
- Promote: Use all your available resources (Social Media, blog, in-person events) to promote the sign-up form.
- Send Quality Content: Now that you have people signing up, ensure the emails you send out are personal, engaging, and provide value.
Finally, one important thing to remember: consistency is vital. Make sure to connect with your subscribers regularly through value-added emails.
Hey! I run my e-commerce business on Shopify, just like you.
When I first started, I was in the same boat and was looking for ways to build my email list for free. Ece, Perihan, and Amari shared some excellent strategies, and I’ve also used some of them.
People who follow your brand on social media are usually the ones most interested in your products and news.
I’d also recommend involving your existing customers where you can. It could be as simple as a checkbox for “Stay updated with news and offers” during checkout.
In terms of free tools, I started with Mailchimp’s free plan and worked my way up as my email lists grew and I needed more functionalities. Mailchimp integrates well with Shopify, and their interface is quite beginner-friendly.
Remember, collecting emails is just the first step in a journey of keeping your subscribers engaged. Make sure that your emails are appealing and engaging to your audience. Best of luck, and keep us updated on your journey!
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Hey there!
If you’re looking to build a free email list and make sure your email marketing efforts are worth it, you should check out Popupsmart’s Email Marketing ROI Calculator.
It’s a handy tool that can help you figure out how well your email campaigns are doing and how you can make the most of your budget.
Here is how you can basically follow the steps:
- Select Preferred Currency: Pick your currency for easy calculations.
- Email Send Volume: Enter the number of subscribers you send emails to.
- Cost of Campaign: Put in how much your campaign costs.
- Open Rate: Enter the percentage of people who open your emails.
- Click-Through Rate: Enter the percentage of people who click on your links.
- Conversion Rate: Enter the percentage of people who take the desired action.
- Average Value of a Conversion: Enter the average revenue per conversion.
What the terms mean for the calculator:
- Cost per Contact: How much it costs to reach each subscriber.
- Number of Openings: How many people open your email.
- Number of Conversions: Total conversions from your campaign.
- Revenue: Total revenue generated.
- Profit: Net profit from your campaign.
- Cost per Open Email: Cost for each opened email.
- Cost per Conversion: Cost for each conversion.
- ROI: Return on investment for your campaign.
- Conversions to Break Even: Number of conversions needed to break even.
This tool can help you see what’s working and what needs tweaking in your email campaigns, so you get the most out of every money spent.
It’s especially useful if you’re trying to optimize your marketing on a tight budget.
Hope this helps!
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