It has been said that your opt in list is worth its weight in gold. In fact Bath and Body works estimates their list of ten million names to be worth $18 per name. That’s 180 million dollars – certainly worth its weight in gold.
Here’s how to build your subscriber list:
Coupons and discounts
Often times a person will go into business, develop a clientele or customer base and not really have a list. Later they may begin to build a list however the early customers are left off of it. Bath and Body Works built their list by offering in-store customers a coupon for a free lip gloss. The coupon had to be emailed to the customer which of course required them to provide an email address and subscribe to receive information from Bath and Body Works.
An internet based business can use this concept of giving away a coupon or a discount in much the same manner. Current clients, those not on your list, can receive a separate offer via mail and a form can be posted on your website to attract new customers.
Free Content
Reports, newsletters, e-courses, downloads, and seminars are often offered as an incentive to build a subscriber list. The key to this strategy is to promote the free content in your marketing and advertising strategies rather than promoting your business. It’s a much different strategy however a compelling headline and the promise of free information is a much stronger draw than a pitch for your services.
When offering free content, consider taking these three steps:
Create the content.
Create the signup form on your website.
Create a marketing strategy to draw subscribers in.
A marketing strategy can include a direct mail campaign where you rent a list and contact those targeted prospects. It can include a very specific AdWords campaign, banner advertising and joint venture list exchanges.
Consider using the same report to get current customers to subscribe. Send them a letter via email or mail offering the report. A month later, send a similar letter with some variations to those who didn’t subscribe, and then a month later send another letter still different from the first two to the remaining folks who haven’t subscribed. This strategy is subtle enough to get the majority of your customers to subscribe without seeming too aggressive, which could turn off some current customers.
Subscriber lists are a valuable way of connecting with prospects. The email address gives you the ability to communicate beneficial information, valuable products and services, special promotions and any interesting news. It’s a great way to build a relationship with your customers and prospects and yes, it is worth its weight in gold.