At the 2016 emfluence email conference, there was a running joke throughout many of the presentations around the idea that it’s never a good idea to purchase email lists.

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We’ve mentioned it once or twice here on the AWG Marketing blog, but we’ve never suggested alternative methods for growing your email list. To remedy that, here are a few ways you can grow your list organically:

1. Lightbox on your website
   Emfluence claimed at the conference they see a 400% increase in list growth through lightboxes placed on website homepages. What’s a lightbox? A simple pop-up that encourages the user to subscribe to your email list.
2. Contact Us Page
   Include a link to subscribe on your website. Your “contact us” page is good spot for that. If people can send you a message on the contact us page, ask for their email and permission to send them marketing messages.
3. Social Media
   Encourage your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram followers to sign up to receive your emails. If they like you on social, they are interested in hearing about what you have to say and offer them.
4. CRM
   Have a loyalty program? Chances are, you have those customers’ email addresses.

One of the best parts about email marketing is that the people who sign up want to hear from you. These methods of growing your email list allow you to gain contacts who want to hear from you. Have you ever received an email from a company you didn’t give permission to email you? It’s annoying. Sending to only people who actively gave you their email address saves you money and your reputation.