10 Strategies for Building Your Email List & Reaching Potential Clients

10 Effective Strategies for Building Your Email List & Reaching Potential Clients

As the brand strategists Davey & Krista prepared to launch their brand-new photography website, they knew they had to get creative. To build anticipation, they sent up a weeklong competition/giveaway through Gleam.io featuring high-value prizes, including a camera bag, photography website subscriptions, and more.

To enter, their followers simply had to visit their website and Facebook page and, most importantly, subscribe to their mailing list. Ultimately, they gave out eight prizes in total—-and they grew their email list by 25% in the process.

We’ve repeatedly seen photographers elevate their email marketing with fun and outside-of-the-box thinking. Drawing on their methods for inspiration, we put together this guide to strategies for growing your email list, from the super quick and easy (e.g., pop-ups that don’t suck) to the downright ambitious (e.g., guest blog posts and educational webinars).

Strategy #1: Consider a giveaway.

Giveaways of artwork, zines, prints, and photo books can help you grow your following. Choose prizes you know your followers can use and will value. Announce the rules on social media and your website: to be eligible for consideration, followers have to sign up for your emails. Davey & Krista used the software Gleam.io to set up their giveaway and streamline the process. It took them just a few minutes to get started.

Strategy #2: Offer a freebie.

Downloadable eBooks and guides are some of the most popular “freebies” or “lead magnets” I’ve seen photographers offer subscribers at sign-up. For example, one family photographer gives out a guide for parents photographing their own kids, while a pet photographer gives tips for dog portraits.

Some portrait photographers offer pre-shoot checklists or wardrobe guides, while landscape photographers might have a photography location guide. These freebies are about providing value to your readers—not about selling yourself. Brainstorm cheat sheets, tutorials, and how-tos relevant to your specific client base. Remember to share and market your guide on social media to get people excited.

Strategy #3: Provide a discount code.

If you have an online shop, whether you’re selling prints, books, or presets, consider offering a discount for new subscribers. Once they opt-in, they’ll receive a code to use at checkout. Not only do you entice subscribers with the promise of a discount, but you also give them a reason to purchase immediately.

Strategy #4: Partner with a favorite brand.

You can establish a partnership that benefits you both by reaching out to brands in your niche (local camera shops, marketplaces, specialty retailers, etc.). It can start with a giveaway of some of their products: you'll promote their products in exchange for a gift for your subscribers.

Or maybe another brand shares a discount code exclusively for your subscribers. Share the collaboration on your channels and theirs. From there, you can continue to promote each other over the long term.

Strategy #5: Start a referral program.

Platforms such as SparkLoop offer a newsletter referral program: in exchange for sharing your newsletter with their networks, existing subscribers can earn rewards. For photographers, those rewards might be access to a private group/community, discounts for photoshoots, or branded merch.

Strategy #6: Write a guest blog post.

Guest blogging for a photography website is another way to reach a new audience. Consider helpful educational content you’re uniquely qualified to write, and send a pitch email to a website that runs similar content. Make it clear from the start that you'd like to mention your newsletter in exchange for providing the post for free. Then, at some point in your post, direct readers to where they can sign up.

You can check out 30 popular photography websites here and here as you begin your research.

Strategy #7: Consider a content “wall.”

Photographers with popular blogs, tutorials, and other educational pages might benefit from an “email wall.” Like a paywall (but free), these forms “block” the full versions of articles until the reader enters their email address. In exchange for their address, they get access to your content. At Feature Shoot, we use OptinMonster’s software to do this for all our stories.

Remember that you don’t necessarily have to “wall off” entire articles. You can, for example, have a basic version of an article and then offer some advanced tips at the end for people who sign up for your newsletter.

Strategy #8: Use a pop-up.

An alternative to a “wall,” a pop-up is a window that automatically appears on your website. Many pop up immediately, but we recommend setting it to appear after someone has been browsing for a set period or scrolled to a specific point. That way, they’re more likely to be engaged with your content already. You can use an app like OptinMonster to create your own.

Just make sure it’s small and easy to close so that it’s helpful rather than annoying. Your forms should be short and sweet. Even better, consider combining this option with your “freebie.” Instead of having a pop-off that asks people to do something (e.g., “sign up”), tell them what they’ll get out of it (e.g., “download your free guide!”).

Strategy #9: Attend networking events.

Workshops, trade shows, and conferences all pose opportunities to network with those in your niche—and collect email addresses. After attending a portfolio review, ask if you can add the reviewer to your list. Consider industry events like bridal fairs too, and have a sign-up sheet on hand.

(Check out our guide to networking for photographers before you go.)

Strategy #10: Host a webinar.

Virtual events, such as webinars, also pose opportunities to collect email addresses. Brainstorm educational topics that will likely resonate with your clients, depending on your niche and area of expertise. Promote your webinar through your website, socials, and ads. Then, have people share their email addresses to gain access.

PhotoShelter, for example, has dozens of on-demand webinars for photographers and business owners. They’re free—you just need to enter your name and email address to watch them.

Strategy #11: Tease exclusive content.

Once you have your newsletter up and running, remember to promote it! Get your followers excited by giving them a preview of what you’ll offer. It could be an article that takes them behind the scenes on your latest shoot or a tutorial for other photographers hoping to learn new techniques.

Share a carousel with images on Instagram and explain what to expect in the caption. Put the link where people can sign up in your bio. Alternatively, you can share a snippet of a new article on Stories with a “link” sticker to bring people directly to your newsletter page.