With so much uncertainty when you gain a new visitors, it’s no surprised that companies are trying to retain their customers by building an email list. To keep it straight forward, it is crucial to add email marketing to your business if you hope to have a sustainable business.
You see, it’s easier to market to your existing customers than to gain new customers.
Between me and you, I check my email on a regular basis! This keeps me up-to-date with the latest offers (my opt-ins) as well as answer any questions my readers may have. With modern technology, it’s very easy!
According to statista, 44% of people in the United States and Canda checks their email one to three times per day. With that in mind, it is up to you to email them. As a matter of fact, most businesses are using email marketing because it is the most cost effective and yields the highest ROI.
Let’s say you’re selling a digital software that costs $49.00. You can afford to pay up to $49.00 per customer with no problem at all. Even if you don’t make any money in the beginning, at least you own the customer.
Keep in mind though, in order for email marketing to work, you will need to have lots of quality subscribers. In the end, it is a numbers game. The more people who are subscribed to your list, the better your odds at making money each time you send out a campaign. If you have not started building your email list yet, feel free to sign up for AWeber, my email service provider. Currently, they are offer a 30-day free trial!
Now that you understand the importance of building an email list, it is time to learn how to get people to opt in without annoying them. Obviously you don’t want to bombard your readers with sign up forms and notifications.
By doing so, you will really put a dent in your content marketing strategy because your sign up forms will make it hard for your readers to actually read.
If your readers find your blog annoying, they may leave and never return. You definitely don’t want that to happen, so in this article, I will go over tactics you can implement to your website to increase email opt-ins without annoying your readers. With further ado, let’s get started!
Tactic #1 Add An Opt-In Form To Your Sidebar
Your sidebar is probably the best place to promote your email list without annoying your readers. It is away from your content, but not so far away that you readers would never notice it. In the end, your readers are there for your content, so make sure you deliver just that.
Tactic #2 Dedicate A lead Capture Page
Sometimes having too many ads can be a distraction. That’s why I have a dedicated landing page just to collect emails to build my email list. It’s a separate page with NO distractions and one goal in mind; to capture a lead. Whoever ends up on that page will need to have intent first otherwise they wouldn’t be there.
When creating a lead capture page, you must also inform your readers what they are signing up for and why they should do it. A simple subscribe to my newsletters just won’t do it today.
Many people are protective of their personal information and would like to avoid getting spammed. In my case, I offer them a free eBook known as a lead magnet. It’s an incentive for my readers to subscribe to my newsletter.
Tactic #3 Pop-Ups And Exit-Intent
Before you start setting up your pop-ups. I want to mention that pop-ups can be very annoying if implemented the wrong way. For example, you dont want it to appear seconds after someone lands on your page. It’s all about the timing.
Some people like to have the popup show, 30 seconds after a page is opened or when the reader scrolls down toward the half way point of a blog post. Personally, I use the exit-intent method because it only shows if a reader has the intention of leaving my website.
This exit intent pop-up will ask my readers one last time if they would like to opt-in before they leave my website forever. This can be achieved by using the thrive leads plugin (not an affiliate link).
Tactic #4 Require Visitors To Create An Account Before Making A Purchase
Creating an account before purchase is not only professional, but one of the best ways to get your customers information. Obviously you can’t email your customers unless they consent to it, so that’s why you should include an opt-in checkbox for your customers whenever they create a new account.
Here’s an example from Macy’s.com:
By allowing your customers to opt-in during the account creation process, you are setting yourself up for success. Even if they don’t buy anything from you today, you can always market to them later.
After all, they signed up for a reason, so with this method, you can now promote products and services via email marketing! This is also a non-distruptive way to collect emails without annoying your readers.
Tactic #5 Add A Meta Bar To Your Website
If you take a look at the very top of my website, you’ll notice a blue bar with call-to-actions. You get some something similar by checking out options like Hello Bar by the well-known internet marketer Neil Patel. Some premium themes may even have it included, but not many of them includes analytics and email marketing service integrations like hello bar.
Tactic #6 Offer A Reason To Subscribe Such As Coupons
Who doesn’t like to save money? Even if it’s only a few dollars right? From my understanding, a deal is a perception. By offering coupons and other incentives, you can actually get customers to subscribe to your newsletter.
I forgot where I got this from, but I do remember buying something and the website offered a 50% off coupon, but in order to claim that, I must provide my email address.
Here’s an example that I found at toms.com:
Tactic #7 Opt In For Homepage
Your homepage is often times the first impression. It’s where you build value and provide information for your readers to understand more about what you offer. It’s also one of the best places to include an opt-in form. If you take a look at my homepage, it is designed to build my email list.
In Conclusion
There is nothing set in stone when it comes to increasing your email opt-ins without annoying your readers. The only way you can tell is by actually doing it. I use thrive leads because it comes with analytics to inform me of how my forms are doing. My email service provider, AWeber, also provides me with data, so I know if my email marketing strategy is working or not.
However, if you follow my tactics above, you should see an increase in opt-in rates and a reduction in annoyed readers. Hopefully this helps you grow a healthy email list that will continue to help you make money in the long run.
If you look at your current email marketing strategy, is it distrupting your user’s experience? Put yourself in your readers shoes and adjust accordingly. If you have any questions, please leave a comment down below!
Kind Regards,
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