Before you can start sending emails you need an email address list.
Although you can buy lists from list brokers the most common way of getting an email list is by collecting email addresses.
There are many different ways of collecting email addresses.
You may have noticed that anything you order online involves you giving an email address..
This is used for order notification, and for further promotions (Amazon
example above)
Offline Email Address Capture Methods
This method is very seldom used, and yet it the ideal method for small
businesses. You can
- Ask for it when you talk to your customers on the phone. This strategy is particularly useful for consultants, restaurants, hair dressers etc. In short any business that currently asks for a return phone number can ask for an email address.
- Ask for it when making a sale. Again especially useful for businesses that ask for an address (making deliveries).
- Use competitions and notify winners via email.
- Existing customer contact details.
The method(s) you choose will depend on your business.
For example a computer consultant can offer a free report/white paper, a restaurant owner a discount coupon, a shop a special promotions newsletter.
Online Email Capture Methods
When people visit your website you can also get them to leave their email address.
Visitors to your website will require a reason to part with their email address so you need to offer something in exchange like:
- Offer free download (ebook,report etc)
- Free Competition
- Free Newsletter
- Free Software /tool
- Free Consultation
- Free White paper
- Coupon
Address capture is usually accomplished using an online form
into which the visitor enters his email address and name.
Don’t make the mistake of asking for too much personal information in the email capture form as most people will not fill it out.
Examples
The supermarket ASDA (UK) offer a price guarantee but you must go online and check.
If they aren’t cheaper then they give you a coupon with the price difference.
However you need to give them an email address, and home address to get it.
I can only assume that they will be using them for promotions
in the future.
This (IMO) is a very good example of how you can get the email address details of offline customers.
Here is the Price Guarantee starting form :
Local restaurant – A local restaurant I visit offers a 10% discount card.
To get the card you register you contact details which includes your email. They periodically send me promotional emails.
Legal Requirements
In the UK the guidelines are given by the ico and the US by the CAN-SPAM Act.
Generally you must be explicit in requesting the address and must involve some form of action like clicking a box. Opt-in by default or inaction should not be used.
Here is a quote from ico
In our view, therefore, there must be some form of communication where the individual knowingly indicates consent. This may involve clicking an icon, sending an email or subscribing to a service. The crucial consideration is that the individual must fully understand that by the action in question they will be giving consent.
It is for this reason that double opt-in is the preferred method of collecting email addresses using online forms. See Opt-in Methods Explained
References and other resources: