S2E7 | how to use your email list to grow your group

“Online there’s been a lot of scams, a lot of weirdness, and what I find is that people really want to know that who they’re buying from is a real person….and they also want to know that they can get your attention, that if they’re buying from you that they have some way of connecting with you, that they have some way of reaching out to you.”

Some people have an email list and a group, but don’t talk about their group in emails, and don’t talk about their email list in their group. In online marketing it’s a great idea to have your members on multiple platforms, because these are the people that are really interested in what you’re offering. They’re already warm and want to know more! So, here’s three strategies on how to use your list to grow your group. 

#1 Email your list about your group!

Whether your group is active, sleepy, or brand new, send an email to your email list that says ‘Hey! You’ve been on my email list for a bit, and I wanted to let you know we also have an online community.’ By joining this group, you’re bringing everyone together in a community behind closed doors where they can learn and grow together. In this email, let them know who the group is for, and who it’s not for. Sharing who it’s not for helps to strengthen the appeal of the group to the members you’re trying to attract. For example, my group isn’t the place for sleazy marketers, and that helps to reassure everyone who’s joining about the ethics and sort of activity that goes on in your group.

Also tell them what your group is about, the topics you cover, and what’s coming up in the next three months that they’ll want to be there for! Include why your group is special, and you’ll be able to stand out from the competition. Let them know what the benefit to joining this group is, and what’s in it for them. 

#2 Add Your Group to Welcome Emails

Add information and a link to join your free group to the first couple of welcome emails that people will get when they join your email list. Thank them for joining your email list, and let them know that there’s an online community waiting for them if they’d like to join. Again, let them know what your group is about and why they should join your group!

#3 Have a Coffee Chat

A coffee chat is a fun, casual Zoom chat that could include some Q&A. It isn’t recorded or live-streamed, which makes the gathering more casual, vulnerable, and fun. (Also, more people will have their cameras turned on!) This is a great thing to do when your group is smaller. Let them know that the Zoom link will only be available to people already in your group, so if they’re not in the group yet, it’s a great time to join. 

I’ve done coffee chats before because it helps me to get to know my community better, and helps me to see what they’re up to. The questions they have can turn into an opportunity for me to create a product, course, or coaching program based on that. 

Even if your list is dormant, this can be a great strategy to bring people in. With all the scams and strangeness on the internet, people like to be able to trust who they’re buying from. Coffee chats are a great way to build trust within your community, and you can showcase your expertise. 

I held a coffee chat a month before I launched my membership. At the time of the coffee chat, I didn’t even know I was going to launch a membership. When I opened the doors to my membership, every single person who was on the coffee chat joined the member chat. Every single person!

Also, send a reminder email about the coffee chat about an hour or more before you start. You want people to have time to join your group!

P.S. I have a whole strategy of how to hold coffee chats in Engaged and Profitable Groups…check it out!

When you have a big event, always have a strategy where you use both your list and your group. The bottom line is: make sure your email list and group know about each other! 

And speaking of joining free groups, you can join my free online Facebook community “Groups for Entrepreneurs with Sandra De Freitas” right here!

Thanks for tuning in, now go out and email your list!