The issue of the opt-in list has arisen in my writing from time to time. This is inevitable as it is a very important aspect of an online business. This article looks at a few specific tips on the subject.
Whenever someone visits your website for the first time, your priority is to get them on to your email list. Once on your list you can communicate with them and begin to build a relationship. It’s a bit like your Christmas card list; – many of the people on the list will be people you have encountered at some stage in your life and with whom you stay in touch on that one occasion in the year. Although you rarely see them (if ever), you don’t want to lose touch with them. You will need to communicate with the people on your Opt-in List rather more than once a year, setting up an email campaign to update them on new products and services you have on offer interspersed with interesting information and links to keep them aware of your continuing presence.
In order to build your list it is crucial to have a way to encourage visitors to your website to join your opt-in list. It would be a shame to have visitors who enjoy exploring your website, appreciating reading what you have to say and then moving on without leaving their footprint. Always place your opt-in form in a prime place on your webpages so that it can’t be overlooked. The top right hand top corner is generally considered to be the ideal place; put it on every page of your site too, not just on the home page. If something on a particular page catches a visitor’s interest that is when they are most likely to sign up. If there is no opt-in form on that page you may well miss out on their subscribing to your list.
Most visitors to your site will need to be encouraged to fill in their details in your opt-in form. If they are prepared to give you their name and email address it is only right to reciprocate by giving them something in return. This will commonly be a free report or e-book; free membership of a monthly newsletter, etc. Whatever you choose as a “legal bribe” (as my mentor puts it) it must be something of real quality which will be of value to your visitors. At the first contact your opt-in form will only need a first name and an email address as this will give you the opportunity to personalise the emails you send as a follow up. Personalised emails are far more likely to be opened than impersonal ones.
As mentioned above, your website must engage with a visitor so they enjoy their visit. We all flick through many, many websites whilst surfing the internet so we need something on our home page to catch the eye and stop people from flicking. This might be a headline of some sort or an arresting image which stops them in their tracks. Then we need to give them good copy to read which will ensure that their visit becomes a rewarding experience. Remember the basic rule of all good copywriting, you must answer the visitor’s question, “What’s in it for me?”
Have a clearly obvious submit button. Just having the word “CLICK” with a hyperlink from it does not catch the eye or incentivise your visitor to take the action you are hoping for. If you are offering a digital report or e-book the button should be entitled “DOWNLOAD” even “DOWNLOAD HERE”. If they are subscribing to a newsletter or course of some kind then “SUBSCRIBE” or “SIGN ME UP” would be a good option. A reassuring sentence such as, “I respect your privacy”, (or something similar) below the button will also help to encourage people to sign up as it will allay their fears of being inundated with spam emails.
It has to be a priority on your website to capture details for your opt-in list. These people will, hopefully, become your customers of the future.