Email marketing remains one of the most effective forms of marketing available. In part because it costs next to nothing to utilize, email marketing helps you make a pitch directly to those who have demonstrated prior interest. The one downside of email marketing is that you have to generate a sufficient number of leads before this efficiency can be enjoyed. Many brands have simply given up on maintaining email lists – let alone growing them – because it feels like such a grind. In order to avoid that, we’ve put together some tips on how you can generate more email sign-ups using your existing social media presence.

Provide a Freebie

We’ve seen countless brands offer discounts in exchange for one call to action or another, so why not combine social media and email in this regard. You can setup a specific landing page that is designed to collect users’ emails in exchange for providing them with a discount or other free item. In some cases, it may be a valuable  e-book or virtual document; in others, a coupon for a future purchase. The best forms of this tactic not only collect email addresses from users, but offer them something in return that increases the likelihood of a purchase. By pinging users with the offer of freebies, you’ll be far more likely to collect their personal information.

Hold Contests

People love free stuff. In order to get more people who are interested in your brand to sign up for future updates, try holding a contest that you advertise on social media. This can be anything from a randomly-selected giveaway to an interactive contest. Many brands encourage via social media that their audience shares their own content with the brand for consideration; for instance, the best photo of their company’s product or videos showing them completing a given challenge. Whatever the parameters of the contest, you can leverage social media in conjunction with email marketing to generate more hype and potential on both fronts.

Provide Exclusivity

Whether you’re planning an upcoming live event or offering a free seminar, one of the prime drivers of interest is the notion that it’s exclusive. When marketing an event as such, it’s important to use email sign-ups in the process. Rather than relying on social media event RSVPs – which are unreliable – request that people RSVP via an off-site page in order to get in on the action. This will allow you to collect their email addresses as well as provide a bit more information about the event. People do not mind providing a bit of personal info if they believe the product or service is valuable – or limited. This is one great tactic that can dramatically boost the number of email sign-ups you get.

If you’re not pinging users with advertisements for discounts, freebies, promotions and exclusive deals, then you’re probably not maximizing your marketing potential. Through the use of social media, you can tap into existing audiences and channel those efforts into building a more formidable email marketing empire that’ll help grow your brand even more. If you’ve yet to establish a solid email marketing routine, leave us a comment below and tell us about what has held you back.