Email list building is not just for internet marketers and affiliates, even if that is what you read most on the web. List building is for everyone, even small business owners with little web presence. In fact, the practice is older than the internet itself.
For years small business owners used sign up sheets, business card bowls, and mailed newsletters or discounts to gather information about their customers. They got address and phone number information from customers, even if they didn't have their order delivered. And people willingly gave that information because they received personal service, of great benefit, in return.
Today, you can apply the same principle to email list building, except now you won't spend as much money. There is no printing-it's all electronic. There is not time wasting going through contacts, managing a customer database or index card file-it's all automated.
And you don't have to pay any postage to automatically deliver your emails.You also work toward building your list in much the same way. Any time anyone orders from you, get their email address if possible. One way to do this is by requiring an email address for login in order to make a purchase. You can also gather email addresses through a lead capture page or squeeze page. This can be independent of your small business website, it may be your only web presence, or it can be a page that leads into your main ecommerce site.
However you set it up, you have to give your site visitors a reason to give you their information. Promises of special "member only" discounts can be helpful, or you can provide a quality informational product as a free giveaway. Basically it is the same theory as old-if they receive some benefit, they will give you their information.
Email List Building - The Importance of Email List Building to Every Business