Build your firm’s email marketing database and reap the rewards

7 easy steps to attract and retain subscribers

Email marketing helps build a loyal customer base – it’s a place where accountants and bookkeepers can share your firm’s story, build trust and promote new (and old) services. It’s also a great way to remind existing clients why they’re fans of your firm and nudge prospective clients in the right direction. But if you’re starting your mailing list from a base of zero, creating a substantial email database can feel impossible. While it does take time to grow your mailing list, it’s not difficult to achieve. Here’s how to get started:

Get building

While it can be tempting to cast the net wide and focus purely on getting your numbers up, being strategic and attracting the right clients to your mailing list will pay off over time. Your goal is to cultivate a loyal subscriber base of long-term clients.

 

Get started by:

  1. Using your existing network – if you’ve got a following on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, use these as platforms to pitch your email newsletter. You can even include the option to subscribe in your email signature. These connections are already interested in your firm, making them perfect mailing list candidates.
  2. Making sign-up simple – place buttons in prominent locations on your website and emails so they can’t be missed. Often calls to sign up for newsletters are an afterthought to fill space at the bottom of the page. Putting these front and centre encourages action.
  3. Enticing them with value – with as many as 87% of marketers using email marketing, competition to land in your client’s inbox is fierce. For this reason, it’s crucial to include a call to action (CTA) that makes it clear what value your clients will gain from providing their email addresses. This can range from promotional offers to exclusive content like guides and whitepapers.
  4. Making the most of networking opportunities – recently attended an event and met prospective clients? Follow up by connecting with them on your firm’s social media channels, where they’ll be invited to sign up to your mailing list.
  5. Focusing on quality content – if you provide your subscribers with valuable, quality content, they’re more likely to share it with friends or colleagues and, in turn, drive sign-ups for your firm.
  6. Maximising sign-ups on your firm’s website – the ‘About Us’ page on your website has some serious conversion potential. Prospective clients wind up there because they want to know more about your firm before engaging – exactly what they can gain from signing up to your emailing list.
  7. Using the right language – to optimise sign-ups across any of your marketing channels, as mentioned above, outlining the value you’re offering upfront is key. However, the language you use to describe this value also plays a crucial role. Terms like “Exclusive”, “Free Tips” or “Get it Now” are much more effective at inciting action than simply asking someone to sign up.

 

Separating the engaged subscriber from the unengaged

An extensive subscriber list of unengaged contacts is fairly worthless – you want people who are genuinely interested in your content and value communication from your firm landing in their inboxes. So how do you separate the good from the not so good?

  1. Get consent – ensure only consenting recipients (i.e. clients who have opted-in or signed up to receive communication) are added to your emailing list.
  2. Make unsubscribing easy – every communication should include the option for recipients to unsubscribe easily.
  3. Don’t mislead – deliver on the promised value used to entice sign-up, and ensure your subject lines match the content you’re delivering.
  4. Be transparent – marketing emails need to clearly include your company details and a genuine reply email address.
  5. Don’t buy database lists – this is a sure-fire way to gain an email list of unengaged subscribers. Often these people haven’t consented to their details being shared and sending them marketing emails can damage your firm’s reputation.

Once established, your list needs nurturing

Email marketing continues to reign supreme. It’s the number one channel for generating a return on investment (ROI) for marketers, with every $1 spent generating an ROI of $42. And while it takes time and a little effort to establish a valuable email database, the long-term benefits are undeniable. Once you’ve built your list, the work doesn’t end there. Subscribers need constant nurturing with fresh, topical content to keep them engaged – that way, your firm will maintain a position in their inboxes for years to come.

 

 

Let BOMA do the heavy lifting. We’ve got the templates, scheduling tools, content, and analytics to make a successful email marketing strategy simple. Find out how.