1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,120 Every email needs a recipient. 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:07,030 But just like social media, it's not necessarily about the number of people 3 00:00:07,030 --> 00:00:09,040 you've reached with your message. 4 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:11,590 Building the right lists means finding people 5 00:00:11,590 --> 00:00:13,500 who want to receive your content, 6 00:00:13,500 --> 00:00:16,810 and it can mean the difference between your emails making an impact 7 00:00:16,810 --> 00:00:19,790 or making it into the trash. 8 00:00:19,790 --> 00:00:23,200 For many marketers, figuring out who to send your emails to 9 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,030 can be a real struggle. 10 00:00:25,030 --> 00:00:27,900 If you're just starting out, you may not have many followers 11 00:00:27,900 --> 00:00:30,220 or any email lists at all. 12 00:00:30,220 --> 00:00:33,120 Reaching out through online channels like social media 13 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:37,990 and blogs can allow you to reach people interested in what you have to offer. 14 00:00:37,990 --> 00:00:40,820 But don't forget offline strategies as well. 15 00:00:40,820 --> 00:00:44,090 Meeting people in person allows you key moments 16 00:00:44,090 --> 00:00:46,770 to share your vision for your company and products, 17 00:00:46,770 --> 00:00:50,610 and events like conferences, workshops, and even local meetups 18 00:00:50,610 --> 00:00:53,810 are a great way to network, create buzz, 19 00:00:53,810 --> 00:00:56,880 and get some email addresses. 20 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:01,400 Now, laws prohibit businesses from blasting emails out to just anyone, 21 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:03,920 so gathering email addresses from websites 22 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:08,550 or other email systems without permission is not recommended. 23 00:01:08,550 --> 00:01:10,280 If you want to build lists the right way, 24 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,600 you need to give users a reason to sign up. 25 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,550 Dropping a signup form on your website is good, 26 00:01:16,550 --> 00:01:22,050 but it's merely step 1 for promoting a new email newsletter or other messaging. 27 00:01:22,050 --> 00:01:25,010 Providing details on the content users will receive, 28 00:01:25,010 --> 00:01:29,510 how often they'll get contacted, and access to previous newsletter issues 29 00:01:29,510 --> 00:01:31,180 will help even more. 30 00:01:31,180 --> 00:01:34,500 People want to receive information that benefits them, 31 00:01:34,500 --> 00:01:37,690 so consider personalizing content as well. 32 00:01:37,690 --> 00:01:41,080 It has great appeal because it's much more relevant to the user 33 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,270 than general marketing messages. 34 00:01:44,270 --> 00:01:48,350 You may be tempted to send your messages to everyone you know, 35 00:01:48,350 --> 00:01:53,700 but research has shown that segmenting your lists can have great success. 36 00:01:53,700 --> 00:01:56,590 Segments allow you to better target audiences 37 00:01:56,590 --> 00:01:59,950 by sorting users by demographics, interests, 38 00:01:59,950 --> 00:02:03,400 their status as a customer, and some other variables. 39 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,460 This is especially helpful because not all of your messages 40 00:02:06,460 --> 00:02:09,400 are going to be relevant to all of your list members, 41 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,500 and you don't want to run the risk of users unsubscribing 42 00:02:12,500 --> 00:02:14,630 when you can easily omit them. 43 00:02:14,630 --> 00:02:17,960 Grouping list members by location, for example, 44 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,540 can allow you to reach users in a part of the world 45 00:02:20,540 --> 00:02:23,600 where you might be appearing at a regional event. 46 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,980 Therefore, it's important to gather as much information 47 00:02:26,980 --> 00:02:30,060 about your users as you can when they sign up. 48 00:02:30,060 --> 00:02:32,470 Of course, you don't want to be too intrusive 49 00:02:32,470 --> 00:02:36,450 and risk scaring them off, so get what you can. 50 00:02:36,450 --> 00:02:40,880 Simple demographics are helpful, but if there's a way to link email information 51 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:44,290 to the products or services the users are interested in, 52 00:02:44,290 --> 00:02:47,310 it can greatly help your marketing efforts later on 53 00:02:47,310 --> 00:02:50,510 when rolling out new items they might want to buy. 54 00:02:50,510 --> 00:02:53,910 If your site has a social login through Facebook or Twitter, 55 00:02:53,910 --> 00:02:56,510 this can give you even more insight. 56 00:02:56,510 --> 00:03:00,760 But whatever tools you use, make an effort to continually grow your lists 57 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:06,390 and target them with segments, and your emails will be more relevant and effective.