Marketing your business? You Gotta Grow Your database!

By: Alex Greer


These days, building your email database is a key strategy to growing your business, both online and offline. I don’t mean just focusing on having BIG numbers on your list; what you want to build is a quality database.

How to do that?

Here are three tips:

1. Participate in an affiliate campaign. That means agreeing to offer a bonus product to the launch of someone else’s product (book, eBook, audio CD, program). You agree to promote their product to your email list in exchange for a commission on any sales that come from your list ($ in your pocket) as well as increasing your visibility to prospective buyers thus driving traffic to your website. People come to your website and sign up for your mailing in order to claim your bonus = increase in your database.

2. Are you a good writer? Pick some topics you’re an expert on and offer them to article submission sites . There are tons of sites that accept free articles or you can pay to have your articles listed. Be sure to write about content-rich subjects you really know about that offer value to the reader. If you’re serious about having your articles attract traffic, hire a VA to handle this task. There are hundreds (maybe thousands!) of article submission sites and taking on the job single-handed is daunting and costly. I’m talking HOURS and HOURS taken away from your business that could best be invested elsewhere. I chose a VA to handle this task for me rather than use an article submission service. Why? I’ve heard that spam dramatically increases when using article submission services. No thanks. I’m already deluged by spam.

3. Write a blog. Search engines love blogs. Be sure to offer readers information of value on topics you have an expertise and enjoy writing about. Do you homework and read up on blogging strategies for driving traffic to your site so that you are maximizing your time and energy.

A few additional comments on building your database… ok, I admit this is more of a rant. I often find I’m subscribed to someone’s ezine or email list without permission. This can happen when I meet people at networking events and we exchange cards or I contact someone and they just add my email to a mass mailing list. Often, I mysteriously get emails from people I’ve never heard of who have somehow gotten my email address. You may not realize that on some sites, your email is captured the moment you click on the site.

By assuming people want to become part of your network without gaining their permission to say, “Yes”, you might be sabotaging a potential business relationship. To me that’s just another way to spam folks.

To be added to my mailing list or blog, you must either confirm your subscription or be sent a one-time mailing from me with an invitation to join. At the bottom of mailings, be sure you have a link to unsubscribe or change subscriptions so that people remain in charge of whether they wish to hear from you or not.

That’s why I appreciate the emails that request confirmation of agreement to “opt-in” to a mailing list. Even though it’s an extra step, I find that being asked to join with someone gives me choice - something I respect and need. Listen, I have no problem with one-time samples of newsletters or ezines that give me the option to subscribe.

One of the keys to success is developing quality relationships with people whether they are clients, colleagues, friends, prospects or visitors. In my opinion, growing your business and your database means being a person of integrity and treating others with respect - you know The Golden Rule: "Do unto others..."

Bottom line - pick marketing strategies you enjoy and have fun with them!


Just Too Busy was founded and is run by Alexandra Greer. Alex has an extensive skill set, gained through running her own newspaper business for the last five years, previous marketing and communications roles and now with running Just Too Busy: www.justtoobusy.co.uk Alex earned her Media & Communications degree in 1996 and supplemented her time at college and university by taking on a variety of secretarial, administration and personal assistant temporary contracts. This formed the basis of her application knowledge, such as the Microsoft Office suite and other administration and office skills. An accomplished PC and Mac user, Alex's IT interest goes beyond just using the applications, into providing software training as well as basic PC, peripheral and network support. Alex is also an organisational whizz, with expert prioritisation, efficient practices & processes and time management skills. This experience was gained in the most part by running her own local newspaper and having to juggle adverts, stories, news and contributors on a daily basis. "My skill set has been developed over the years and is constantly being added to, owing to my fundamental interest in learning new things and also from the point of view of being able to offer my clients a comprehensive service."