Your business depends on getting visitors to your website or blog, but that is only part of the equation, you want your visitors to come back. Opt-in email marketing is a great way of bringing them back to your site and keeping them interested.
I was reading just last week that next to customer reviews, e-mail was the next best way for influencing online purchases.
To me that says developing your op-in mailing list and communicating with your subscribers on a regular basis is something worth doing and doing well …and of course the expert still agree.
Today, we'll focus on developing your opt-in email list and how you can use it to encourage subscriptions and hopefully increase sales.
Before we get started I always recommend obtaining a permission based double opt-in email list. This is done by placing an opt-in form on your website. After the subscriber completes the form they must go to their email and confirm that they really do want to subscribe.
Why is that necessary? First of all it gives the subscriber a bit of time to make sure they really do want to subscribe but it also helps you develop a quality list.
Tips for developing and communicating with your list:
- Encourage sign-up with a free offer
Most people are receptive to signing up if you can sweeten the deal by providing something free in return.
This could mean giving away a free e-book, a free sample of your product or anything that will encourage sign-up.
If you're at a loss of what to offer, I like SurefireWealth. They have tons of quality free e-books and software that you can offer your viewers.
- Don't purchase email lists, and don't SPAM.
Sending email to unsolicited email addresses is SPAM, and SPAM screams unprofessionalism. It's a lot tougher to get people to trust you and ultimately purchase from you if you are spamming them.
People often complain and say "…but my list is small, don't I need a bigger list?" No, you don't! You need a QUALITY list. It is far better to have 10 interested, enthusiastic and receptive members than 50 email addresses who were purchased or randomly sought after and have little interest. Your time and energy is better spent on those who are eager and receptive.
- Prove to your readers they can trust you
Before people sign up for anything they like to know they are on a trusted website. That means they want assurance you won't sell or give away their name and email address. You can do this by providing detailed contact information on your site along with an updated privacy notice. Include a link to your privacy notice within your opt-in form.
My personal experience with obtaining sign-ups on a site without a privacy notice verses having a clearly posted notice, was a lot less.
- Clearly Outline What Your Subscribers will be Getting
Will it be an ezine, newsletter, tips, coupons, new product or all of the above?
Will they hear from you weekly, bi-weekly, monthly?
I like to also point them to archived newsletters, this way they have a clear picture of what you're all about.
- Use an Good Autoresponder
Automate your emails with an email autoresponder. A good autoresponder will capture your email sign-ups, help you manage them and broadcast your emails to large lists with a few clicks of your mouse. The idea is to use an autoresponder to get your emails working for you.
Use an autoresponder to automatically send thank you emails when someone places an order or subscribes to your list. Set it up to provide Q&A information should someone send an inquiry email. You can even build a free email course or tips guide as a free gift for sign-ups and it can all be done automatically.
A good autoresponder, such as Aweber for example, creates web forms, automates email responses and customizes messages. You can also program when you wish your emails to go out. You could send follow up emails to go out once a day for a week or once a week for a month, however you wish to set it up.
The point is, you do it once and it continues to work for you as each new member signs up.
-Increase your email Open Rates
It's not enough to simply send an email. You want it to get looked at.
For example, your subject line should clearly state the point of the email while creating curiosity.
The body of your email must provide interesting and relevant copy related to your subject matter.
Keep your paragraphs short and to the point. Graphics add a nice touch but research has found that graphics have little impact if the content isn’t relative, factual and interesting. And finally make sure you include your call to action.
-When to Send Your Emails
Timing plays a key part in email delivery. Business to Business emails do better when sent Tuesday through Thursday just after 9:00am or after lunch, around 1:30pm. Avoid sending them after 4:00pm or on the weekends. Business to consumer emails are best delivered Tuesday through Thursday from 5pm to 8pm or between Friday evening and Sunday afternoon.
It's generally best to avoid sending emails out on holidays.
-Don't Neglect Your Email List!
If someone signs up for your ezine, newsletter or tips & information, do your best to keep regular contact. Long pauses between mailings put you at risk of losing subscribers.
People read a lot online and subscribe to many web sites, if you lose contact for long periods of time they could forget who you are and why they signed up. So keep in touch, provide useful information, encourage feedback and treat your email subscribers like gold.
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[…] Email Marketing is about establishing consistent communications with your visitors, but it also builds relationships. Once you put this strategy into effect your sales will skyrocket. Just remember, letting your visitors get away is a potential sale that is lost forever. […]