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How to Collect Emails for Email Marketing Purposes (Quickly!)

Brody Hall
By Brody Hall
Michelle Meyer - Editor for KeepShoppers
Edited by Michelle Meyer

Updated March 27, 2023.

The torso of a man, wearing a blue button-up dress shirt and black blazer, standing with his phone in his one hand, typing with the other. On the right-hand corner of the image, there is an influx of warm light, whereas the left-hand side is black. In the middle of the image, we see an icon of an envelope, with three lines on the left of it.

Email marketing is a form of direct marketing that uses email messages to promote products or services. There are many core elements of a successful email marketing campaign. If done correctly, it can be a very effective way to reach and engage your customers to promote new products or services, announce sales and promotions, or provide customer service information.

So how can you collect emails legally? And do you need permission to send marketing emails?

Yes. The most important thing about email marketing is that you have the customer's permission to retain their email address and to use it to contact them. Additionally, the customer has given you permission to contact them about certain topics only, so you cannot email them outside of this scope.

You must also provide the customer an option to opt-out of email communication. Therefore, it's essential that you keep a complete record of customer consent to prevent customers from being contacted about products or services they didn't consent to or from being contacted even after they've opted out.

Best Ways to Collect Email Addresses

Collecting email addresses is critical for email marketing. There are a few different ways to go about it, and some methods are more effective than others. The following list outlines the best ways to collect email addresses for your next email marketing campaign:

  1. Ask people to sign up on your website Your website should have a sign-up form where people can enter their email address to subscribe to your mailing list. Make sure the form is easy to find and prominently displayed on your homepage.
  2. Use a lead magnet. A lead magnet is an incentive you offer potential customers in exchange for their email address. It could be a free report, e-book, or video tutorial. Whatever it is, make sure it's something that's of value to your target audience.
  3. Run a contest or giveaway By offering a prize, you can encourage people to sign up for your list. Just be sure to have a solid lead capture form in place so that you can gather the necessary information from participants.

Best Email Marketing Tools

Email marketing is a great way to stay in touch with customers and keep them updated on your latest products or services. But, not all email marketing tools are created equal. Here are some of the best email marketing tools:

1. MailChimp

MailChimp is a free email marketing tool that allows you to create newsletters, sign-up forms, welcome emails, and autoresponders. It also tracks your campaign results so you can see how well your campaigns are performing.

2. Constant Contact

Constant Contact is another great option for small businesses. It's easy to use and offers a lot of features, including event management and surveys.

3. AWeber

AWeber is a paid email marketing tool that allows you to create opt-in forms, send automated emails, and track the results of your campaigns. It also has a built-in CRM system so you can track your customers’ interactions with your emails.

4. Active Campaign

Active Campaign is a comprehensive email marketing tool that offers everything you need to create and send effective email campaigns. It's easy to use and provides a wide range of features, including segmentation, automation, and A/B testing. It also allows users to roll out abandoned cart recovery email campaigns.

5. HubSpot

HubSpot is another comprehensive email marketing tool that offers a wide range of features. It's easy to use and can help you create beautiful email newsletters, target subscribers with specific messages, and track the success of your campaigns.

6. Drip

Drip is a great tool for e-commerce businesses that want to create sophisticated email marketing campaigns. It offers a wide range of features, including segmentation, automation, and A/B testing. Because it’s cloud-based, it’s easy to use and allows users to send after-purchase upsell email campaigns.

7. Moosend

Moosend is another great tool for businesses of all sizes. It offers a wide range of features, including automated emails, A/B testing, and campaign reports. And because it’s also cloud-based, it’s easy to use and can be accessed from anywhere.

Buttom Line

There are several email collecting strategies you can employ to build your mailing list legally. Once collected, you can utilize an email marketing tool that is best suited to your needs. This will enable you to further implement various guidelines for email marketing success.