If you don’t have an email list going, you’re definitely missing the boat. You’re probably thinking – ‘But I’m a local business. What’s with this email stuff?’.

Well, building an email list isn’t just for online businesses. It’s a way for any business, even local ones, to keep in touch with their customers. Email lists work like magic, giving you a spike in sales with every broadcast message. So, here’ are the reasons you need to build one.

Offer Specials and Boost Sales

The main benefit of having an email list is that you can send them messages about your special offers, deals, discounts and promotions. These are folks who signed up because they want to hear about these special offers. You’ve got a built-in customer base that’s just waiting for them. When you send out a message, you’ll see a jump in sales and it’s pretty much as simple as that.

Gain Trust and Confidence

You can also use your list to build trust. People like to buy from businesses that they know. They’re not into buying from strangers.

Even if they sign up on your list without buying anything, it’s easy to turn subscribers into buyers. They read your newsletter, get your updates and hear your message, so it’s only a matter of time before they decide to give your business a try.

Tell Them Thanks

Your list also presents a valuable opportunity to say ‘thank you.’ You can offer them exclusive deals and freebies just for staying in touch. This is really important and all too often businesses forget to do it.

It benefits you indirectly by building a relationship with your customers, branding yourself as a company that cares, and creating loyalty.

Stay on Their Radar

If nothing else, an email list is just a great way to keep in touch. You don’t have to make special offers or pressure them into buying anything. When they get messages coming into their inbox from you, it keeps you on their mind and when they need your services, you’re the one they’ll go to.

Email List Basics

Creating a list starts with you investing in an autoresponder. No, this isn’t something that’s under the hood of your car; it’s a software program that manages your list for you.

You don’t have to worry about keeping track of emails yourself. All you have to do is write your messages. Autoresponders schedule your messages and track them so you can see stats on how many subscribers opened them. You can use this information to write better messages next time.

Once you’re set up with an autoresponder, start plastering your sign-up form everywhere. Tell everybody who visits your business that you’ll be offering deals through your email list.

If you’re having trouble getting people to sign up, offer a freebie or special discount. Build your list and treat them like gold, and you’ll see a huge difference in your sales figures.

Why You MUST Build a Customer Email List