Opt-in Offers Allow You to Get More
Posted by Drew Miller on May 14th, 2009
Trying to get new customers to opt-in to your email marketing program can sometimes seem like a daunting task. Even with the most well written description of how amazing your emails are and all the benefits customers will receive, it still remains a big challenge for marketers in every industry.
If you feel like you’ve tried everything in the book to give people a reason to opt-in, perhaps its time to consider using an offer. Here are a few things to keep in mind when developing a promotional offer for list growth:
1. Evaluate Your Resources - If you are thinking of giving away something tangible as a reward for signing up – consider the fulfillment commitment. Giving away t-shirts might seem like the perfect offering, but if you don’t have the resources or finances for handling the fulfillment, you could be in the midst of a logistical nightmare.
2. Test Your Offers - Depending on the industry you are in and your potential customer base, you will want to first test your offers to see what works best. You might think that your customers would love an XYZ Co. golf towel, but they might prefer a calendar. Testing your offers will give you a good idea of what items are driving the most opt-ins.
3. Consider a Sweepstakes – One of the best ways to generate some interest in your email program is to use a sweepstakes entry as an incentive to opt-in. Rock Creek does an excellent job of promoting their monthly sweepstakes in both their email and on their website.
4. Offer a Special Discount – If your resources and/or finances are limited, a discount (percentage dollar amount off) is another great way to get people interested in your email program. These can be printable coupons that they can use in your store, or a unique code that they can use when purchasing online. K-mart does a nice job with offering their customers a nice $5 off for online and in-store purchases.
By doing a little legwork to see what works best for your company, using an offer could be an excellent way to grow your email marketing list.
