Email newsletters and other marketing is quite cost-effective, timely and very flexible. But these benefits will do you no good if you don’t have anyone to communicate with in the first place!

How can you grow your email list(s)?

The first step of course is utilizing all the addresses you already have. This means the friends, colleagues and other business associates who reside in your email contact list(s). You should also go through that pile of business cards you’ve been collecting since 1996* in your top drawer.

Next, ask all of your contacts on social media sites to join your list as well. Facebook fan pages, Twitter feeds, LinkedIn accounts, etc. Offer them something of value if they join your list. A special discount or other giveaway could work well.

Lastly, continue to build from there. Make it a point to ask for email addresses from new customers, members, clients, participants or donors. If you provide price quotes as part of your business, add these folks as well. Periodically re-contact your social network, since most people continually add new folks to their networks.

And for those with a large customer base already, create ways to add the email information for all the people you do business with. An “Enter to Win a Cool Prize” contest, with an email address needed “to notify the winner” could work well.

Just remember, your database of email contacts is one of your most valuable resources – don’t abuse it! Provide interesting content, thoughtful commentary, and value… like special discounts, coupons or exclusive information, and you shouldn’t have any problems.

*Don’t actually include email addresses from 1996! (if they even still function, that is…) There is no “law” written in granite regarding your old contacts and using their email addresses. But one rule of thumb is: if you’ve done business or spoken with the contact within the last 2 years, they’re fair game for your new list. But every business, and list, is different!