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Cooler Tips #53 |
Grow your opt-in email list
 Hello CoolerEmail Subscriber!
OK. So you survived the holidays---now it's time to get back to business! Let's start off with some tried and true methods for growing your opt-in email list. Give some of these tactics a try and you'll see your marketing go through the
roof.
5 Online Ways to Build Your Permission-Based List
Here are 5 quick ways to move your list towards a consistently upward growth trend:
1. Web Site Form - Be sure that your sign-up form is on every page of your site not just the home page. Many of your visitors may enter your site from a search engine on a specific page. Make your form as simple as possible. Keep the
number of required fields as small as possible.
2. Shopping Cart Form - Most Web sites capture a customer's email address during the check out process for order and shipping confirmations. Include an opt-in check box for customers to receive your ongoing promotional emails.
3. Search Engine Pay-Per-Click Programs - Various research studies have found that pay-per-click (PPC) programs such as Google AdWords, and Overture can drive significant traffic to their site.
4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - Optimizing your site for search engines can be one of the most cost-effective means to driving traffic and growing your list. Whether you use an external SEO consultant or handle it internally, make
sure you optimize every page of your site to achieve top rankings for the products listed on each page.
5. Refer-A-Friend - Utilizing your email technology's "Refer-A-Friend" feature can generate a consistent number of new subscribers.
10 Offline Ways to Build Your Permission-Based List
Don't overlook these great ideas for growing your list offline:
1. Encourage email subscriptions in all of your print ads.
2. Add "Subscribe to the Company X Email Newsletter" to all of your email signatures.
3. Have your call center and sales staff ask customers and prospects if they'd like to receive newsletters or promotional email and collect their email addresses.
4. If you have postal contact information for customers but not email addresses, send a post card with opt-in sign-up offer and URL.
5. Promote your newsletter in presentations and handouts. Have sign-up forms on display with your brochures when you're speaking at a function or networking event.
6. Include an opt-in line on invoices – Not an obvious method, but may be quite effective.
7. Add your opt-in message to warranty and product registration cards.
8. Have opt-in information on all of your marketing collateral. Consider adding a tear-off reply card to your brochure so people can request more info and opt-in at the same time.
9. Keep your opt-in forms at the cash register or where ever you assist your clients. – An approach used by restaurants and retailers to advertise weekday discounts, catering services etc.
10. Include forms in product shipping boxes when you deliver your product or service.
Try a couple of these tips for 30 days and keep track how you're doing. After 30 days, add another couple tips and see which ones work best for you.
This article was written by Barbara Saunders, noted marketing collateral designer and owner of Newsletter Associates, a complete newsletter service helping small businesses grow client relationships. For more
information, visit
www.newsletters-inc.com. All right reserved. (c) 2004
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Cooler Bytes |
RSS Feed
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a lightweight XML format designed for sharing headlines and other web content. RSS, or RDF Site Summary, format is an easy way to generate standardized content that can be reproduced on other websites.
One of the most useful functions for an RSS feed using your CoolerEmail account is to create an archive of sent emails. Using RSS-aware programs, called news aggregators or newsreaders, your site can get headlines and summaries
representing each Edition you've sent out that links to the web pages created on CoolerEmail servers representing each full Edition.
What is RSS?
Think of it as a distributable "What's New" for your site. Originated by UserLand in 1997 and subsequently used by Netscape to fill channels for Netcenter, RSS has evolved into a popular means of sharing content between sites (including
the BBC, CNET, CNN, Disney, Forbes, Motley Fool, Wired, Red Herring, Salon, Slashdot, ZDNet, and more). RSS solves myriad problems webmasters commonly face, such as increasing traffic, and gathering and distributing news. RSS can also be
the basis for additional content distribution services.
RSS-aware programs called news aggregators are popular in the weblogging community. Many weblogs make content available in RSS. A news aggregator can help you keep up with all your favorite weblogs by checking their RSS feeds and
displaying new items from each of them.
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Thank you ... |
We are always striving to make CoolerEmail even better. Customer requests for feature enhancements are responsible for many additions. If you have feedback or suggestions, please send them to
suggest@cooleremail.com.
And as always.... be cool!
The CoolerTeam---
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