Getting Started: How to Build a Quality Email List

Opt-in: This is when a contact provides you with their email address and explicitly agrees to receive marketing communications from you. For instance, they might fill out a form and tick a box saying they consent to receive emails.

Double Opt-in: This takes opt-ins a step further. After someone provides their email and agrees to receive messages, they’re sent an additional email or verification link to confirm their subscription. Double opt-ins ensure that the recipient truly wants to hear from you—and it can also help validate their email address.

Opt-in: This is when a contact provides you with their email address and explicitly agrees to receive marketing communications from you. For instance, they might fill out a form and tick a box saying they consent to receive emails.

Double Opt-in: This takes opt-ins a step further. After someone provides their email and agrees to receive messages, they’re sent an additional email or verification link to confirm their subscription. Double opt-ins ensure that the recipient truly wants to hear from you—and it can also help validate their email address.

Now, what about situations where someone provides their email address indirectly?

For example:

• They make a purchase on your website.

• They sign up for your free course.

• They attend your seminar or webinar.

• They email you with a question.

This is called implied consent. While it might seem like a green light to add these contacts to your mailing list, implied consent is not explicit consent. Just because someone interacted with your brand doesn’t mean they’ve explicitly asked to receive marketing emails.

Relying on implied consent can lead to:

• Higher unsubscribe rates.

• Lower engagement (since the recipient may not want your emails).

• Legal risks (in regions with strict email compliance laws, like GDPR).

Explicit consent occurs when a user actively subscribes to your mailing list and clearly agrees to receive marketing materials. This is the best way to grow an email list that’s both compliant and engaged.

Here’s an example of explicit consent:

• A user clicks on an ad that says, “Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with sales!”

• They fill out a form, enter their email, and check a box confirming they agree to receive marketing materials.

• They then receive a verification email (double opt-in) and click the confirmation link.

By following this process, you’re building a list of people who genuinely want to hear from you. These are the people most likely to open your emails, engage with your content, and eventually convert.

Consent isn’t just about following the rules - it’s about respecting your audience’s time and inbox space. People are more likely to engage with your emails when they’ve chosen to receive them. Plus, adhering to best practices like double opt-ins helps protect your brand’s reputation and email deliverability.