Top tips to grow your email marketing list

"There are plenty more fish in the sea." Except that isn't true anymore. As it gets harder to find people willing to part with their email address, two things need to happen.1. Look for new and better ways to drive new subscriptions2. Do your best not to lose those subscribers you do haveAs such, list growth isn't just about acquiring addresses. Your whole program bears responsibility for keeping these addresses happy so they stay with you.Indeed, the qualities that encourage retention also encourage new sign-ups. As Tom O'Leary puts it in a post about forward-to-a-friend:"If you create content that stirs emotions, causes laughter or inspires recipients in some practical or meaningful way; they will probably want to share it with others in their life."Retention is key to list growth for a simple reason: if you have a leaky bucket, you plug the leaks before you add more water.If a lot of people leave your email program, find out why and address the problems. Don't just throw more good addresses in and hope this time they'll stick around.This whole concept is explored in depth by DMNews and multichannel merchant, who both get a host of experts to weigh in on how best to build a list of email addresses.One strong message is to simply be aware of the value of an email address. Or as Andy Sernovits puts it:"There is nothing more important than capturing an email address on your home page."Among the expert advice is a lesson from the Avis Budget Group, who had considerable success using transactional messages to encourage people to sign up to their promotional email programs.You'll find many people sensibly recommending you put marketing messages in transactional email (order confirmations etc.) But nearly all focus on the cross- and upselling opportunities..."thanks for buying this book, why not buy the sequel."Based on the Avis experience, perhaps it's also worth thinking about plugging your newsletter and other email promotions.At the other end of the chain, there are things you can do to rescue those who would otherwise unsubscribe.