Top Ways to Improve Your Email Marketing - Page 4/10

Optimizing your process involves several steps:

1. Getting People to the Opt-in Page

Once someone is on your Web site, how do you get them to the opt-in page?

- Don’t Hide the Link – If your email newsletter/promotion is key to your business, make sure that it is easy and obvious for Web site visitors to find the sign up page. Consider including links in main and secondary navigation and promotional boxes in sidebar areas. Don’t make your visitors search to see if you offer an email newsletter. Include some form of link on every page of your site.
- Don’t Disguise It – When referring to your email in links and navigation areas, don’t use some name or term that isn’t obvious to all. For a link, “Newsletter,” “Enewsletter,” or “Email Newsletter” is fine.
- Home Page – If appropriate, promote articles and news from the current issue on you home page and then link to article/issue.
- Back Issues/Articles – For newsletter publishers, make sure you have an area of your Web site such as a “Knowledge or Resource Center” where you house archived issues and individual articles pulled from the newsletter. Then promote subscriptions to your newsletter throughout this area.
- Web Version Subscribe Link – If you post your back issues on your Web site, make sure they include a “Subscribe” link within the actual email.
- Product Pages – For online retailers, consider including copy in a prominent spot such as: Sign-up for FastTreck’s free twice-monthly newsletter and get Special Deals and sales only available to newsletter subscribers.

2. Copy and Design/Layout of Opt-in Page

The purpose of your email opt-in page has one goal: to convert as many visitors as possible to subscribers. Its design, layout and copy, therefore, should be similar to that of a landing page.

- Clean and Simple – The page should be designed in such a way that the images, copy and form instill confidence, trust and value.
- Samples – Always include a link to a sample copy or copies of your email and consider including a hyperlinked small screenshot of your email.
- Testimonials/Awards – Use testimonials in pull-quote format, either text or as an image, that highlight awards or kudos that readers and third parties have bestowed on your email publication.
- Incentives – Offering up an incentive or discount is a great way to increase conversion. Whether it is a “free white paper” or “$5 off your next purchase”, incentives work.
- Value Proposition – Subscribers are happy to provide you their valuable email address, but only in exchange for something of value. It is important that your opt-in page copy and images convey the core value of your emails.
For example, if you are a retailer you should highlight things such as “email only specials”, advance notices of sales and other value they will receive as an email subscriber. Newsletter publishers should stress things such as the type of content, timeliness, your expertise and the content relevance to readers.

- Privacy/Email Policy – We recommend that you include a brief one or two-sentence email policy located near the form “submit” button and a link to your company’s more-detailed privacy/email policy.
For example: Lyris will not use your email address or information for any purpose other than distributing the Lyris newsletter and related special reports. View complete Privacy Policy.

- Expectations – Lastly, the copy and layout should set expectations for the recipient. This includes the frequency which you send emails, if they should expect other communications from your organization and again, accurately convey the value of the email. Further, clearly explain your confirmation process if you are using a double (confirmed) opt-in approach.