Every year, your list will drop by about 20-25%.  That’s okay, because what you really want is a list of highly engaged readers who love your content.

So if you update your lists every now and then, you’ll have room to add new people, the ones who really want to hear from you.

If you need a good place to start with list building, here are 11 easy ways to grow your email list.

Here’s how to grow a quality email list

Segment your mailing lists

Knowing your audiences will help determine the best types of email lists to build and maintain. For prospects, create a list and build campaigns around content to engage them. You can use a separate list for existing customers to keep them up-to-date on company news, products and events.

Launch a blog

Create a business blog and start creating useful, search-friendly, content. This is the best way to encourage people to subscribe to your blog. As you publish articles, you can combine excerpts into monthly newsletters and encourage people to forward your emails to their friends, family, and colleagues that aren’t already on your email list. Make sure your content is amazing so people stay subscribed.

Collect email addresses at in-person events

Add any business cards you collect from trade shows and networking events to your databases. Make a note of your conversations and any topics that seemed of interest and send a personalized email to each prospect. Being thoughtful about your communications will help keep people engaged and interested after the event.

Create partnerships

Co-promote through an affiliate’s email list or website, guest post on a blog, and use social media to generate interest in your product or service. Offer a way to stay in touch by signing up for the email list. There are plenty of creative ways you can collect email addresses online, although it can get technical on the back end. If you need help setting up these functions, consider an online marketing agency.

Offer new content

Write a free ebook or create an online resource or template that you give in exchange for someone’s contact information. This can be effective because you’re providing valuable information about your product/service while in exchange for someone’s information.

Make sure your Subscribe box is visible

If you’re creating good content, your blog and website will become a magnet for potential subscribers. Make sure that readers can easily find your subscribe box. Headers, sidebars, at the bottom of your blog, at the top of your website — these are all viable locations to add a sign-up box. It’s worth A/B testing the placement of the subscriber box. You can start by placing it in the sidebar of your site and at the end of each blog article.

Host a webinar

Host a webinar and promote it in your emails, through social media, and on your website. Create powerful sales copy that lets people know how they can benefit by participating in your webinar. By encouraging participants to opt-in, you can substantially grow your mailing list, even if only a handful of people actually attend.

Hold a contest on social media

A great way to generate some buzz while gathering email addresses and leads is to hold a social media contest and offer a prize such as a gift card, event, or other product or service related to your business. Put up an eye-catching photo or tasteful graphic that stands out in newsfeeds so that people will particpate and share your contest.

Promote your content on your Facebook page

Create an image for your offer to use as your cover photo with a call-to-action button. Link the button to a landing page and request email addresses for access. Promote the same opt-in offer on your timeline. Make sure your landing page includes social sharing buttons to encourage prospects to share your offer with others.

Tell people what to expect in their inbox

One of the biggest mistakes marketers make is not informing new subscribers about what they’ll be receiving. If you mainly will be sending out coupons, let people know. If you push content to your email list before it comes out anywhere else, make sure your subscribers know that they are receiving freshly minted content first, before anyone else. Honesty and transparency breed loyalty, and the email list is the place to start.

Use autoresponders to confirm subscriptions

Overall, sending confirmations in a timely fashion lets people know that they successfully subscribed. Now is a good time to remind them when to expect their first email from you, how frequently to expect emails from you, and what the emails will be about. You may even want to include a small 3 to 5 question survey to find out what subscribers want to receive. This way you can tailor your emails to their needs. If you do include a survey in your confirmation, keep them short with simple answer options.

Don’t be discouraged if your numbers aren’t skyrocketing immediately. List building takes time, planning and hard work. It will take some time to find and connect with people who consider your products and services a “must-have”. The rewards will come down the road as you increase your ROI through cross-promotion and up-selling. Apply the steps shown here to point the needle in the right direction and start growing your numbers.