E-Commerce Link : Sign Up for Value
How to leverage your site to grow your list
October 2008 By Regina Brady
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Marketers who run pay-per-click campaigns, ad banners or e-mail prospecting campaigns often create special landing pages to coincide with the offer. You can leverage your marketing investment by also including an e-mail sign-up offer on these pages.
Include a Search Dictionary on the Site
I've visited many sites where I found it difficult to find their e-mail programs. The first place I turn to is the site search box that is usually prominently featured. I'll enter "e-mail," "e-mail newsletter" or "e-mail promotions." Nine times out of 10, I will get a message that says: "Your search for e-mail did not match any of the products we carry. Please try browsing our store to find what you want."
It's easy to add these and other terms to your site search dictionary.
Ask During Checkout
When someone is transacting on a site, this is the perfect opportunity to capture an e-mail address, along with permission. The shopper is likely to want an order confirmation and shipping notifications via e-mail and will willingly volunteer his or her e-mail address. Some marketers have found that between 30 percent and 40 percent of all e-mail addresses are collected during the checkout process.
To ensure the success of capturing the e-mail address, be sure to include a notice either at the top of the checkout area or at the point that the individual is entering his or her e-mail address that explains he or she will receive special offers and discounts.
Optimize the Site for the E-mail Program
Take advantage of the power of search engines to grow your list. While most marketers have not done this, it's another tactic that is easy to do and should pay dividends.
Consumer Reports does a good job of this. I searched "e-mail + Consumer Reports" on Google, which resulted in a relevant link that brought me to a page with all of its e-mail newsletter programs, a brief description of each and an easy way to opt in. What's more, it had optimized the page for search engines. The page title was "ConsumerReports.org—E-mail newsletters." The page source description was: "Register to receive e-mail notices when new information becomes available online," which is exactly what Google displayed. And, the company used the following keywords in the source code for the page: monthly updates, monthly notices, e-mail notices, email notices, opt-in, new issue, next issue.
There are many other ways to grow your list of e-mail addresses, including the use of offline channels to gain permission. Your Web site is the online personification of your company, and marketers should maximize the chance to use best practices in permission to expand their e-mail lists. To quote a famous line from "Casablanca," Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) says to Captain Renault (Claude Rains) "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." And, may this also be true for your e-mail programs!
Regina Brady is president of Reggie Brady Marketing Solutions, a direct and e-mail marketing consultancy. She can be reached at (203) 838-8138 or reginabrady@att.net.
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