How to grow an email list is the perfect complement to word of mouth in doubling your client base 

Key takeaway tips

In this digital and internet age, building relationships with your customers is vital for the success of your training business.

The better that relationship, the more likely that customers will 'share posts and stories' about you online and refer your services to family, friends and colleagues.

For an ambitious training business looking to grow, word of mouth, on it's own,  cannot give you that scale and opportunity to reach a large audience of prospects 

The answer?

Growing an email list  is a simple and low cost way of supporting word of mouth to reach your target market.

There are key tips you can use to achieve your goal of extending your reach to bring in more buyers of your courses: 

• Going the extra mile
• Personalisation
• Don't forget to ask
• Show your appreciation

Going the extra mile

Going beyond what you usually offer to your customers can be a win-win .

For your customer, that satisfactory feeling of being valued and not just an opportunity to make money

For your business, the high likelihood that going beyond expectations is likely to convert to a referral.

An email list can support that conversion.

For example, a customer receives a series of gentle reminder emails for booked courses with directions and parking discount vouchers.

Personalisation

Sending targeted content which is specific to a customer's needs and adds value is a good way of showing that you care.

For example, a caterer would expect you to send content related to gaining a food hygiene certificate, and certainly not on construction site induction courses.

That level of personalisation shows that you care about their needs, meaning that they are much more likely to talk about your services to family, friends and colleagues over trainers who do not personalise.

Don't forget to ask..

A customer may love your training course, but it can be difficult for them to think about you after completion of a course.

That's why you should always ask for a referral.

Because delegates are usually the happiest just after course completion, why not automate that request especially through your email list?

For example, automatically send an email from your list to those who have passed your course which encourages referral to a friend to get £50 off for the

advanced level of the course.

Show your appreciation

Everyone likes to be appreciated.

It is particularly important to show appreciation to those who send more delegates your way.

If someone refers you, they are going out of their way to help you.

Be sure to to use your email list to thank them.

By segmenting referrers in your list, you can automate sending a simple thank you email.

Acknowledging their effort will go a long way to keeping your customers loyal and getting more referrals. 

In Summary

No matter where you are in your journey to get more course delegates, referrals can play an important part in meeting your business goals.

A good quality and targeted email list, will always help to make that goal achievable easier and quicker and allow you to automate building successful relationship with customers, who are satisfied, happy and most of all, loyal to your training business