How to build a B2B email marketing list that drives results
As a B2B marketer, a robust email list is one of your most valuable assets. With a well-curated list, you can target decision-makers, foster meaningful relationships, and drive conversions. However, building a B2B email marketing list isn’t just about collecting email addresses, it’s about creating a database of engaged, relevant, and interested prospects.
Compared to B2C lists that grow through welcome offers and exclusive discounts, B2B databases can be difficult to grow without the same money-saving incentives. Many marketers can be tempted to purchase email lists online to save time and effort, however, as email marketing experts, we’d advise your business to avoid purchasing email lists as it can cause compliance issues and ultimately results in poor quality leads. Learn if buying email lists is worth it.
However, there are plenty of ways that B2B companies can grow their email marketing lists organically to ensure you’re signing up the right leads that are going to convert. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create a B2B email marketing list that works.
1. Place sign-up forms across your website

The first step in building your list is to ensure your sign-up form(s) are easy to find on your website. By strategically placing forms across your site, you increase the likelihood that web visitors, customers, and potential leads will sign up. Most email marketing platforms allow you to create a pop-up when a visitor scrolls, tries to exit the page, or has been navigating the website for a certain timeframe.
You can also place your newsletter sign-up form on popular blog posts and pages to ensure the contents of your newsletter aligns with your website content. For example, add your form on the bottom of a popular CRM blog with the message, “Sign up to our newsletter for more CRM tips”.
2. Offer resources in exchange for contact details

You might be hesitant about adding lead magnets across your site however, this can be the best way to gather information from potential prospects. Offer free resources such as whitepapers, eBooks, webinar recordings or case studies in exchange for contact information.
3. Utilise LinkedIn connections and ad campaigns

LinkedIn is a goldmine for B2B networking and lead generation. Plus, it’s not just the marketing team that needs to utilise it, your sales team can also get involved by building their personal connections and promoting your newsletter. The quickest way to reach more people is by running lead generation campaigns targeting specific job titles, industries and company sizes which align to your businesses’ target audience.
However, if paid advertising isn’t an option, you can share organic posts, articles and resources that appeal to your prospects. Your team members can also reach out to professionals in your target demographic to grow your database naturally.
4. Offer a free trial, demo or consultation

Depending on the products or services your company provides, you can always take the B2C route and lure your prospects in with a money-saving offer, or a free deal. For example, if you’re a software company, you can offer a 30-day free trial to those that sign up for your newsletter. These incentives often encourage customers to provide their details if they know they’re saving time or money.
5. Attend or host networking events

There are thousands of networking groups out there. Whether they’re virtual, or based in your local area, getting out there and boosting brand awareness is a great way to generate leads and grow your email marketing database. When you choose to sponsor or co-host a networking event, the company will usually give you access to their guest list so that you can follow up with contacts after the event.
Or, if you have the facilities, creating your own networking event or group is the perfect way of meeting new prospects and building your reputation.
6. Link your email tool to your CRM system

In order to manage your list efficiently, you need to invest in tools that simply list-building and management. Choose an email marketing platform that integrates with your CRM in order to track interactions and engagement. With marketing automation systems like Mautic, you’re able to create automated workflows to nurture leads and connect with your CRM to segment your audience into smaller groups based on criteria.
7. Ensure compliance

It’s important to remember that while collecting an individual’s emails might be a piece of cake, you need to have their explicit consent before adding anyone to your list. This means that when you create your lead magnets and meet new contacts, you need to give them the option to opt-out of your marketing newsletters. It’s important to adhere to GDPR regulations and make it easy for recipients to opt in or opt out.
8. Regularly clean your list(s)

An outdated or unengaged target list can hurt your deliverability rates. Make sure to regularly check and clean your list, removing unresponsive email addresses and also segmenting those that engage the most through open and click through rates. If you don’t have time to manually clean out your large database, you can utilise CRM add-ons like our Dynamic Target Lists plug-in to automatically remove and add users based on preferences, information and CRM changes.
Looking for a cost-effective marketing automation solution that can manage your large target lists and segment your audience based on engagement? Contact us today to try out Mautic, our preferred platform for all your email marketing needs.