| Email is one of the most powerful marketing tools in | | | | 5 Ways to Increase Email Response Right Now |
| terms of return on investment. Each message can | | | | |
| cost less than a penny. At the same time, SPAM and | | | | 1. Ask What Your Subscribers Value. Too many |
| lack of value offered by many emails filling in boxes | | | | emails, too little time. Getting your email to be the |
| has made email as much of a challenge as an | | | | one or two that subscribers actually respond to is a |
| opportunity. | | | | challenge. A web survey will give you feeback on |
| Like many forms of media, email marketing isn't | | | | your current emails and reveal truly what is truly |
| about email. It is about marketing. Taking it an | | | | valuable to your subscribers. Give only the essentials, |
| important step further, think about email marketing | | | | don't give subscribers too much. |
| as a "service" to your prospects and customers. | | | | 2. Increase Relevancy. Many companies treat all |
| What is a service? According to Dictionary.com, a | | | | customers the same with their weekly or monthly |
| service is "an act of helpful activity." | | | | emails. Segment your subscriber list by their interests |
| One sure-fire way to increase your email subcriber list | | | | or other subscriber characteristics. Ask a couple of |
| and response, is to offer content and other features | | | | questions in your email sign up to help segment your |
| that your subscriber base finds essential. Below are | | | | list. |
| some more ways you can improve your email | | | | 3. Offer Subscriber-Only Exclusive Content & Offers. |
| program right now. | | | | Continue to remind subscribers that they are a |
| 5 Ways to Increase Email Subscribers Right Now | | | | special group of insiders. They receive content and |
| | | | offers as a reward for subscribing. |
| 1. Don't Use "Sign Up For Our Newsletter." There is | | | | 4. Write Subject Lines That Intrigue or Reward. |
| "Sign up for our email newsletter" burnout. Instead, | | | | Unfortunately some of the best marketing words in |
| lead with the benefits of signing up to receive emails | | | | the offline world like "Free" could send your email |
| such as member-only discounts, exclusive articles, | | | | right to the SPAM folder or get blocked. Take some |
| pre-notifications of sales, etc. Place subscriber | | | | hints for your subject lines from magazine covers. |
| testimonials on your sign up page. Again, emphasize | | | | Limited-time offers are always winners too. |
| that email subscribers get things that they can ONLY | | | | 5. Make Clicking Through Easy or Compelling. The |
| get as an email subscriber. | | | | best way to maximize response and build |
| 2. Test Offers. If you know your current subscriber | | | | relationships is to use email as a way to get people |
| rate, try some offers to see if the increased | | | | back to your website. Include lead-in copy and get |
| response is worth the added expense. You could | | | | subscribers to click to access entire articles on you |
| even try offers that don't cost much at all such as | | | | website. Include navigation links to access all the |
| free tips or a free downloadable booklet. | | | | areas of your website. |
| 3. Increase Prominence of Your Sign Up. Recently, I | | | | Although email is inexpensive to send, it has |
| suggested a client move the sign up to the top of | | | | significant costs associated with it: planning, design, |
| their website and include it on every web page. Sign | | | | copy, graphics, etc. Your email program will be more |
| ups increased immediately. | | | | successful if you remember these two thoughts: |
| 4. Get More Subscribers From Subscribers. Make sure | | | | - Email is long-term marketing program to build |
| subscribers can easily forward email to a friend, or | | | | relationships. A successful personal or professional |
| offer some reward for subscribers refer 5 friends to | | | | relationship is built with trust and understanding. |
| sign up for emails. | | | | Amazingly, this also applies to email. |
| 5. Go Beyond Your Website. Publicize your email | | | | - Email is a dialogue with your subscribers, not a |
| newsletter or email sign up on every medium you | | | | one-way communication at your subscribers. We've all |
| use to communicate with prospects and customers | | | | heard it, relationships fail because of bad |
| such as telephone on-hold messages, invoices, | | | | communications. Improve your email relationships by |
| product packaging, brochures, etc. | | | | listening. |