5 Ways To Add Value To Your Email Opt-In
Want to know what to do to get people to AVOID your email list? Say "Join the list to stay updated on offers and sales."
SERIOUSLY! This is one surefire way to make sure that people scroll right past that part of their screen where you capture their email address.
This might be a little harsh to hear for some of you, but honestly, we've got to do better than that. In the world of web, you've got to do more than just offering updates and first offers of sales to get someone on your email list. That's just not a good enough incentive anymore to get people to sign up.
NOTE: Let’s back it up for those of you who may be thinking, “WAIT, What’s An Email Opt-In?” or “Why Do I Need An Email List??” or just “HELP!” Check out our blog post on the 5 Best Reasons To Start An Email List.
What Is An Email Opt-In?
An email opt-in is something you offer in exchange for adding someone’s email address (and possibly other details like first and last name) to your email list. An example would be a discount code, a freebie, a download, free shipping, etc. The key about an email opt-in is that you are offering something of value in exchange for someone’s contact information.
YOUR EMAIL OPT-IN OFFER SHOULD ...
Be helpful and benefit the lives of those who sign up.
Provide instant gratification so that people feel like they are better for signing up immediately.
Be easy to do, quick to read and simple.
Act as a gateway drug to your products, services or offerings so that people keep coming to you to get their fix.
5 Easy Ways To Add Value To Your Email Opt-In
1. Offer A Free Download or Resource in PDF Form
One of the easiest things you can do is create a PDF that is printable or even fillable for your audience to get! Some popular options would be a worksheet, checklist or a workbook.
Need help figuring out what to create as the resource? Think about really popular blog content you’ve already written. Can you beef it up and add value to the content to make it more actionable?
Do you have a checklist or resource that you use often in your life or business that other people could use? If you’re a food blogger, one example might be a fillable meal plan.
Do you have a product, course or service that you could offer a “lite” version of? For example, could you give just a checklist of the steps to launch a website rather than selling the design or creating a custom design?
Whatever it is that you think of, you don’t have to have a fancy design degree to be able to make this! We love recommending Canva as a free resource for design services. They have TONS of free templates for PDF designs to be able to create your resource!
2. Offer Free, Exclusive Video Content
Offer a free video that your audience can’t get anywhere else; however, the key is to make sure that the content is HELPFUL and ACTIONABLE. If you are a lifestyle blogger, maybe you do your 10-minute makeup look in a free video that you can only get through your email signup.
Without giving away your special sauce or exactly how you built something, can you show in a video demo how to use your product or service. This is also a great selling point because it's you personally walking people through your product, which is high touchpoint.
3. Offer A Free Digital Product
The difference between a digital product and a resource is that a resource would be educational and teachable. Oppositely, a digital product would be something highly useful such as a free iPhone wallpaper, free graphics, free stock photos or something similar in your industry that you could give away for free.
4. Offer A Discount Code
People will do anything for a discount! That includes giving up their email address even for 10% off your product or service.
5. Offer A Chance To Enter A Giveaway
One great, time-sensitive option for your opt-in would be to offer entrance into a giveaway. Maybe once a month, you could pick from all of your new email subscribers for someone to win a free product or session or service offering from your brand or business.
The key is to make sure that you are clear in the copywriting in your opt-in! Make sure to say “ENTER THE GIVEAWAY” loud and proud, and then make sure to include the cut-off date and when you would announce the winner via your email list.
