Why You Should Create Simple Email Opt-Ins
I have been collecting email addresses for my website for over 10 years using simple email opt-ins. And I mean super simple at first!
In all honesty, I just got lucky. Before pop up boxes, I created a digital magazine and would hand write people’s email addresses down when they requested the free magazine. I kept a running list of the emails and sent them out in batches of 50 by pasting the emails in because you couldn’t send any more than that at one time and I had no idea if there even was a service to help you deliver them.
For a few years, I did my email list in this manner. And it worked – I collected thousands of emails by hand and would send out one email per month. All I asked for was their email address – no first name, no last name, no mailing address, just their email address. It was SUPER SIMPLE!
Fast Forward to Today and Why You Should Still Have Simple Email Opt-Ins
Obviously, I have changed my tactic today since I have just about 95,000 subscribers across three lists. Could you even imagine if I was still handwriting them down? Ouch!
One thing I have stuck with is keeping it simple. I only request an email address and occasionally a first name but I never require the first name.
People today are pressed for time more than ever before. Whether they are opting into your email list by filling out a physical piece of marketing material or going online, they are in a hurry. Do them a favor and make it as easy as possible to join your list and receive your opt-in gift. They will appreciate it and you will gain potential customers.
In most cases a full name and email is all you really need from your subscribers. This minimalist email list-building strategy continues to outperform multiple information requirements time and again, year after year.
You only need to think about your own experiences to understand why Simple Email Opt-Ins Are Best.
When was the last time you opted into an email list? Maybe you were at your local grocer and sampled a delicious chocolate treat. The person handing out those free samples informed you that you could receive a complimentary bag of those treats delivered to your mailbox. All you had to do was fill out a contact form.
You were so excited at the prospect of sumptuous, mouthwatering chocolate delivered free right to your door that you happily agreed to sign up. Then, to your dismay, you were handed a 20 question form you had to fill out before you received your chocolate opt-in bait.
What did you do?
Most probably, you simply said that you would think about it, and left without filling out the form. Your prospects are no different from you. They have neither the time nor the inclination to hand over a bunch of seemingly unnecessary personal information in return for whatever freebie you are offering. This is the case for many reasons, the least troublesome of which is identity theft.
Respect the Privacy of Your Customers
You see or hear about someone’s life being destroyed by identity theft all the time. That is why you are so protective of your personal information. Aside from that, a lot of information is simply unnecessary. If you promise a free video series in return for someone’s contact information, what do you really need from them? You don’t even need a name, just an email address will do.
Just make sure you are collecting enough relevant information for your particular situation or offer. If you give out free car insurance rates online, you are definitely going to need more information than if you are just delivering a free list of top 10 resources relevant to your market or niche.
Marketers sometimes think of their list as just a list. This is a marketing mistake, because that list is not a thing. It is comprised of people just like you, individuals with needs, desires and problems.
One of the problems most people have is a lack of time. Help your prospects out in that regard by creating simple email opt-ins that require as little information as possible when you ask someone to subscribe to your email list. You minimize your prospect’s time-investment, and don’t infringe upon their right to privacy either. Both of those moves improve your relationship from the start.
Need more help with email marketing?
If you are frustrated with the results of your email marketing, feel like you’re wasting your time when you spend hours trying to craft the perfect marketing email, or you just aren’t getting many sales from your emails, then the Email Copywriting Workbook can teach you how to craft the right structure and copy for every email. If you know what to write and how to write it, your emails can effortlessly convert prospects to customers and build a lasting, profitable relationship with your current customers.
