When it comes to marketing, email and social media are two of the most popular channels for businesses.

What many people overlook is the great relationship the two channels can have in helping the other to get more results.

And what many small businesses struggle with is how to get started building an email list.

This article will look at all of these points.

Why do I need an email list?

Social media platforms are great for business growth. Particularly if utilising targeted ads campaigns. But it’s important to remember – social media channels are rented turf.

If the platform were to close down your account you would lose access to your followers either temporarily or permanently.

Email marketing is a very powerful way to nurture prospects and encourage repeat custom. Using it in combination with social media marketing is a great tactic.

If you aren’t already building your email list, it’s time to start. The easiest way to build a GDPR compliant email list is using a simple lead magnet.

How can email marketing and social media marketing work best together?

Using social media advertising to drive people to your freebie opt in – or lead magnet – is a great tactic for growing an email list.

Sharing links in your emails back to your great quality social posts is a powerful way to encourage further interaction with your brand.

What is a lead magnet?

A lead magnet is a ‘freebie’ that people receive in return for their email address. This freebie should provide your ideal client with some specific value. Some examples are:

  • Free trial
  • Free consultation
  • Free resource or tool list
  • Free swipe file of great examples or templates
  • A great offer or discount
  • A giveaway
  • A free video training
  • A free cheat sheet or guide / checklist
  • Quiz with results emailed

If you want to keep the tech set up simple go for a downloadable PDF or link to a video hosted on your website.

If building trust with potential buyers quickly is important to you, video is the best way to go. The connection you can create through video is amazing.

The key is making the lead magnet something that your ideal client really wants. Something that will help them quickly.  It needs to be memorable and so helpful that they will develop great trust for you.

What software and tech do I need?

The next thing to consider, if you haven’t already, is your tech. Most email software now allows you to build simple landing pages too.

  • If you’re looking to build an online course, Kartra or Kajabi are great
  • Two great email software solutions are Mailerlite and Active Campaign.
  • Leadpages is great for quickly building landing pages, if you don’t have a website

A simple lead magnet set up looks like this:

  • A landing page with a form to collect email addresses. This should trigger an automated email welcome sequence on completion. The lead magnet will be delivered in the first email.
  • A GDPR compliant checkbox to encourage sign up to newsletter
  • A ‘success’ page which sign ups land on after giving their details. This could have a link to the lead magnet in addition to it being in the first welcome email.

What next?

Once your lead magnet is all set up it’s time to tell people about it!

Start by sharing the link to your lead magnet opt in page with your social media audience.  Share it in posts and in your Instagram Link in bio. Consider adding it to your Facebook™ call to action button.

If you want to grow your list fast, I highly recommend using Facebook and Instagram advertising. A campaign I set up recently for a client is achieving the below results on a spend of £655.69:

Cost of Lead – £0.27

Number of Leads – 2399

Need help?

If you need a helping hand – either to guide you through this process or to ‘just get it done’ get in touch. You can book your complimentary discovery call here.