Why Building an Email List is Important for Your Business

It’s as simple as this: If you want to be a successful marketer these days, you need a solid email list. Having an email list helps ensure that your message will be in your customers’ inbox and will be welcomed there.

When you've signed up for email from a specific company you're opting in. In other words, you want those newsletters, special promotions or coupons. Every business that has an online presence should have an email list. Truth be told, building an email list is a gold mine for your business.

There are a few reasons as to why building your email list is a good idea:

Building customer loyalty.

If a customer has signed up for your company's email then they are a willing reader. With every email you send out you have the chance to build up that customer loyalty because you'll be treating them to an "insider's" perspective to your business. They want the info, so let them have it! A customer who has already made a purchase through your web portal will know how easy it is to get what they want. When you send that customer information about a new product or a special promotion they'll be inclined to shop again. Just make sure you've got strong call-to-actions in your email that will make them want to click to your site.

Affordable marketing.

In terms of marketing cost effectiveness, you simply can't beat emails. The cost of using autoresponders are much cheaper than they used to be a few years ago… and for less than $10/month you can create a marketing system that will reap dividends! With one click you could reach thousands of customers instantly. Remember these are customers who have asked for you to keep them informed. They want to learn more about your company and receive your promotions - can you say that about direct mail marketing? You can't! Even a small percentage of sales that would be generated by an email blast would pay for your marketing campaign many times over.

Personal touch.

It’s casual and friendly — a great way to build trust with people. As part of your overall online marketing strategy you should set up Facebook and Twitter accounts to build out your social media network. However, those sites require a kind of active participation from your audience without a guarantee of viewing your content. In other words, if a customer only checks their Facebook page once or twice a day they might miss your update in their newsfeed. On the other hand, they're going to open every email you send them because they are checking their "inbox" throughout the day. This includes checking on mobile devices. Additionally, there are no other distractions with reading your email. Facebook and Twitter can be great marketing tools but you'll be competing for attention. With an email you've got a one-on-one contact that is priceless.

Targeted offerings bring extra revenue from your list.

The majority of your customers will appreciate you keeping their private information private. That doesn't mean you can't share affiliate products with your customers. Suppose you're selling personalized coffee mugs. It would stand to reason that someone selling gourmet coffee would appeal to your email list. The key is to be smart with your affiliate offers. If you're selling mugs you shouldn't offer a great deal on tires. Don't give a customer an excuse to opt out of their opt in. Depending on the size of your email list, you could offer it for sale to other companies. Just make sure you haven't made the claim that you wouldn't do that!

Bottom line: Build your email list and it will pay for itself tenfold!