Every marketer or business owner will tell you how important email leads are. This list is your way of attracting, engaging, and converting potential customers to your business. However, building your own email list can be tough. You will need to follow these proven email lead generation tactics so you can convert your target audience.
In this article, we’ll talk about how you can optimise your email marketing strategy and get more qualified leads. We’ll keep you up-to-date with tactics that work.
What is Email Lead Generation?
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Just like its name suggests, email lead generation is the process of generating leads through email. When used correctly, new people can be introduced to your brand so you can showcase your products.
Let’s take a look at the reasons why people use this strategy to generate potential leads:
- Cost-efficient: Unlike other strategies, email is cheap. Sending out and receiving emails costs nothing. But despite this, it can raise awareness of your brand and even allow you to earn an ROI (return on investment) of up to $36 for every dollar spent. This is why email lead generation is the most cost-efficient strategy to use.
- Target the right audience: Another reason why email lead generation is a great strategy to use is because you can create segmented lists to focus on a specific group of people at the same time. Email can also be a powerful tool to understand your prospects better.
- Get long-term results: Email also helps you nurture your prospects for the long-term. This is a strategy that you can use several times instead of just a one-time thing. Through email lead generation, you can build a relationship with your prospects as you introduce them to more offers in the future.
- Integration with more strategies: Lastly, email lead generation can be integrated with other marketing strategies. You can use various strategies at the same time and get to gauge which channel gives the best results.
Knowing these benefits, it’s about time you explore email lead generation as a strategy to draw in more potential customers. But how can you do this?
9 Proven Email Lead Generation Tactics to Get You Ahead in 2024
In the next section, we’ll share with you our nine proven email lead generation tactics that helped generate higher conversion rates. You can follow these strategies to see what works for your brand:
#1: Build Your Email List Organically
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There are services that you can use to buy email addresses outright. Some of these services do not cost much and will get you a list of email addresses to use.
No matter how tempting this is, avoid using these services as this seldom works. Apart from wasting your money, this will result in a number of unsubscribes and spam flags. Those who stick around will be angry with your brand since they never signed up for your email list.
Purchasing email lists will also hurt your metrics. You might also be blocked from sending more emails if you receive too many bounce-backs. This could also land you in trouble since you are violating the rules of consent under GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
Instead of buying email lists, you should build your email list organically.
#2: Create an Opt-in Pop-up Form on Your Website
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Pop-ups have been proven to work. According to Drip, pop-ups with a countdown timer outperform regular pop-ups by 112.93%. It’s also important to align the pop-up with the website and not just add a random pop-up to your site.
Another important thing to know about pop-ups is that Google penalises mobile sites that have intrusive interstitials, which mean:
- The pop-up covers most of the content on the mobile screen
- Is difficult to close
- Appears without any prompt from the user
If you plan on including a pop-up on your website, make sure that they stay aligned with Google’s policy and that they are not disruptive to the user.
#3: Offer an Incentive
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The average reader will not give out their email address to just anyone on the internet. It’s the same as people on the street asking for some form of identification. They know that if this gets into the wrong hands, they could be bombarded with phishing attempts, spam emails, or anything else.
Sometimes, however, it’s not about their privacy and security. Readers wouldn’t want to have to sort through another email. (This study says people get over 40 emails per day.) But you can always offer them an incentive so they will see the value in joining your email list. Some options include:
- A helpful email on a relevant topic they are interested in
- Free case study/ebook/whitepaper
- A time-saving cheat sheet, worksheet, or checklist
- A sample or template for a proposal
- A video course
- An online webinar
- A giveaway, contest, or sweepstakes
- Be part of an exclusive Facebook group
- A discount on a service or product
#4: Keep Your Emails Clean and Concise
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You need to be straightforward with your emails so you don’t leave your recipients angry or confused. Being direct with your email can grab the attention of your prospects, which helps enhance the user experience and your odds of getting a conversion. To do this, you can follow these tips:
- Write a compelling subject line: From the subject line, you can already convey the benefit or value that your audience will get from opening your email. This alone can already help increase your open rates and lead engagement.
- Use a simple layout: Create an organised and clean-looking email layout that your readers can easily scan through. Write easy-to-digest content by using bullet points, short paragraphs, and subheadings. Steer clear from excessive design elements that may only leave your leads confused or distracted from the main message.
- Be consistent with your branding: Keep your branding consistent across your email strategy, website, and social media campaigns. Aligning your design elements (fonts, colour schemes, and imagery) helps establish trust with your brand.
- Include a clear call-to-action (CTA): What action are you hoping your readers will make next? Be clear and action-oriented when writing your CTAs, such as “Sign Up Now”, “Claim Your Offer”, or “Get Started.”
- Ensure your email is mobile-friendly: Almost 1.7 billion read their email using their mobile devices. Approximately 0.9 billion read their emails on a desktop. With such a huge gap, it’s important to make sure your email is mobile-ready.
#5: Personalise Your Emails
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No one wants to receive an obviously generic email that has been sent out to other people. Personalising your emails can increase the chances of it getting opened and read by your prospects. They are also able to drive conversions and engage leads.
So how do you personalise your emails? Follow these tips:
- Create a segmented email list: Make sure to divide your email list into segments using interests, behaviour, and demographics. This will allow you to deliver targeted and personalised emails to each group.
- Use behavioural triggers: There are tools that you can use these days to automate emails based on specific actions, such as a form submission, content download, or website visit.
- Use dynamic content blocks: Create an email with dynamic content blocks so that different offers or sections will be shown in the email based on a past purchase, preference, or browsing history of your email lead. This will allow you to deliver tailored content and personalised recommendations to your subscribers.
- Send out personalised birthday greetings: Automate your emails to send out a birthday or anniversary email greeting where you can share exclusive offers or discounts during this day.
- Leverage user-generated content (UGC): Add a personal touch to your emails by sharing user-generated content (like a review, social media embedded post, or testimonial) from previous customers.
#6: Send Your Emails at the Right Time
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Another email lead generation tactic that plays a role in your success rate is when you’re sending out your emails. It’s important that you understand your audience’s location, engagement levels, and activity patterns so you know when the best time is to send an email.
Here’s what you need to know about sending out your emails at the right time:
- Learn email open rates: Take a look at your newsletter service’s historical data to identify any trends or patterns on email open rates. You will see a specific day of the week or time when your subscribers will likely open and engage with emails.
- Consider your audience’s time zone: Once you have identified your target audience, aim to send out an email when most of your audience is awake and checking their inboxes. You can also segment your email list based on time zones so you can make sure that your recipients receive your emails.
- Use email automation tools: There are available email marketing automation tools that you can use to schedule your emails to go out. These tools also come with data analytics so you can check your recipients’ actions after receiving your email.
#7: Build Relationships With Your Audience
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The secret to email lead generation is to build a relationship with your audience. You’ll need to spend time building their trust in your brand before you can start selling to them. Here are some effectives to follow:
- Encourage communication: Invite your recipients to engage with you by sharing their opinions and giving feedback. You can ask for direct replies or run polls to show that you are looking forward to hearing from them.
- Celebrate important milestones: Get your recipients to feel welcomed by marking important milestones, such as their first purchase or an anniversary. A special offer/discount or a simple yet personalised email can work wonders.
- Share behind-the-scenes content: Let your recipients in on the action by sharing stories about your products, your team, or even yourself. This not only gives them more reason to trust you, it also humanises your brand.
#8: Use Engaging Email Subject Lines
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How many times have you deleted an email because it had a boring subject line? As it turns out, you’re not alone. 47% of email recipients look at the subject line before they decide to open it. An astonishing 69% of email recipients report email as spam because of the subject line. Are these numbers enough to convince you to start using engaging email subject lines?
- Add emojis to keep readers interested
- Ask a question to connect with your content
- Include your recipient’s name in the subject line
- Use numbers to associate a beginning and end
#9: Use A/B Testing
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The most successful marketers and business owners know that email lead generation is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. In order to succeed, you will need to rely on data and continually test to see what works for your business.
This is where A/B testing comes into the picture. With A/B testing, you no longer have to make any guesses. Instead, you can test various email marketing tactics by split testing your recipients into smaller groups (Group A and B). Through this method, you can maximise your open and click-through rates (CTR) since you are sending out your best-performing emails to your subscribers.
When you use split testing, make sure to pay close attention to the following:
- Content
- Subject line
- Time of day and week
- Call to action
- Personalisation
Making the necessary changes will allow you to check what works with your audience and what else needs tweaking.
Email Lead Generation
We’ve navigated through the vast seas of email lead generation here, uncovering tactics and strategies to elevate your email marketing and email lead generation efforts to new heights.
From the basics of crafting engaging content to the nuances of sending times and mobile optimization, each aspect of effective email marketing and email lead generation strategy plays a crucial role in converting leads into loyal customers.
Remember, the key to a successful email lead generation strategy is in the tools you use and the relationships you build. Keep your audience’s needs and preferences at the heart of your campaigns, and you’ll see your conversion rates soar. Now, turn your email list into your most powerful sales tool!
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I ensure my email marketing strategy is effective?
Ensure the effectiveness of your email automation and marketing strategy by personalising content, creating compelling, personalised subject lines by line, personalising subject lines, and regularly engaging with your subscribers. Utilise A/B testing to refine your email marketing, automation, and approach based on subscriber feedback for continuous improvement.
What are some powerful lead magnets I can use to attract subscribers?
You can also leverage social media channels to generate leads and attract subscribers by offering powerful lead-generation magnets like ebooks, webinars, video series, checklists, guides, and case studies, which provide immediate value and establish your brand’s authority.
Interactive quizzes and free tools can also engage users, leading to personalised interactions collecting leads. Start implementing these three top lead-generation tactics and magnets to attract more subscribers today!
When is the best time to send marketing emails?
The best time to send marketing emails is typically between 9 AM and 3 PM on weekdays, particularly on Tuesdays, which tend to have the highest email engagement rates. However, it’s crucial to consider your specific audience’s behaviour and preferences. So watch your audience’s response and follow-up email for the final answer.
How does mobile optimization affect email marketing campaigns?
Mobile optimization significantly impacts email marketing campaigns, as most emails are accessed on mobile devices. To improve engagement and conversion rates, it’s essential to ensure that your emails are easily readable, contain concise content, and have mobile-friendly calls to action.
