12 Tactics To Gather More Email Sign Ups

Email marketing has a bad rep I have to admit, too many inboxes are littered with emails that are either spam, poor content and taking the spray and pray approach and the unsubscribe rates are there to prove it. This makes gathering emails a tough job, visitors are reluctant to give out their contact details in fear of getting bombarded by content that does not appeal to them.

While it is a problem, it certainly isn't the end for email marketing, actually, it just makes the value of acquiring quality email leads that much more valuable. In other words, the more email subscribers you have, the more likely it is that you’re pointed in a successful direction.

If you haven't started using email marketing for your businesses we suggest you check out our article on email tools for small businesses. Check out 5 Free Email Suite Options

1. Footer email sign up

Businesses and UX teams spend a lot of time and money designing the perfect page for each goal they have in mind and many times email sign-ups are not one of those goals. So the only space you're left with is the footer, which is by no means is a bad thing. Setting up an email sign up form in your footer gives every page on your site the potential to become a lead generator and as your site grows in pages, so does the number of lead generation opportunities.

2. Additional email sign up fields

As I mentioned previously you can't always force your email sign up agenda into every page on your site but there are opportunities where it is possible to sneak it in. Places like in between content on blog posts or if you have two column site to add it to your left or right navigation. If you're right or left nav is pretty empty you can go even further and set up a sticky newsletter sign up on those spots that react to user scrolling so your sign up form is always in site. This gives you added visibility above the fold and additional opportunities to get that golden email address.

3. Pop up email sign up form

Pop-ups have been a popular form of on-site engagement for years, sites still use them today and most visitors hate them, but it doesn't mean they're not effective in achieving business goals If are going to employ this tactic, make sure you use this one carefully especially if you're going to run it on mobile. Make sure your designs are in-line with Google pop up form best practices and do not drive up bounce rate, you don't want to sacrifice rankings and traffic for the sake of an email sign up.

4. Email opt-in after creating an account

Success, you've officially acquired a new customer but why should it stop there, after completing the sign-up process you should ask them if they would like to hear from you via email. If you can't squeeze this into the sign-up process or you'd like a second shot at acquiring a new email lead since users can often miss non-essential ques in the sign-up process you can add a reminder in your account welcome email too.

5. Email opt-in after making a purchase

Congratulations so you've finally got someone to part with their cash in exchange for your goods and services. You must have done something right and the customer should be in a pretty good mood at the moment, so doesn't it make sense to ask them if they would like to subscribe to your email database and you'll grant them access to more of what they're looking for?

If this makes sense for your site and buying cycle, then you can add an email sign up form to the order confirmation page as well as a reminder in the order confirmation email.

6. Email Tab on facebook profile

Your businesses facebook profile is probably one of the most popular pages for visitors to check out apart from your homepage and with so many visitors coming to your Facebook page it is worthwhile setting up a tab asking users if they would like to receive your email.

While this tactic isn't going to drive large volumes, its all about convenience and funnelling the user into your database. The few emails that will trickle through via your Facebook page are pretty much free, so don't discount it.

7. Native app prompts

If you have an app, you'll know how difficult it is to compete with other apps for users engagement time. Also if you're app is deemed non-essential by the user they probably would have turned off your push notifications which sets limits on the amount of customer interaction you can have. However, if you make email opt-in part of your app install and set up process you may still have a chance to re-engage or reactive customers via email should your push notifications not get the job done.

8. On-site prompts

Having strategic on-site ques to request email sign-ups is a clever way to encourage users to part ways with their beloved email address. For example, you can set up UX prompts on your product page asking visitors if they are not logged in/opted in if they would like reminders of when products go on sale, when products are back in stock or when products will be on discount. That way you can reach users who are at the further edges of the buying cycle and rope them into your convincing web of online marketing.

9. Offline acquisition

If you're attending workshops, expos, market days, conferences or just have a brick and mortar store you should take advantage of the foot traffic and offline exposure you're getting and convert that into digital leads. Setting up a tablet at your stand or in your store that lets users sign up to your email database to receive emails, coupons, discounts or access to exclusive deals and sales is a simple and easy way to get those details without having to pitch it to every customer you meet.

10. WiFI access

Another offline acquisition tactic if you have premises or at shows you attend is to offer visitors access to free WiFi on condition that they submit their contact details in exchange. This can be done as simply as having the fill out a physical sheet or on a Tablet in exchange for the password. However if you're expecting volumes, have time and the resources it could be worthwhile setting up a WiFi sign up gateway that automatically prompts users for their details prior to accessing the WiFi.

11. Facebook lead campaigns

If all the above tactics are still not generating a number of leads you require to keep up with growth projections then maybe its time you start aggressively migrating lead from Facebook. You can set up ads similar to the ones you use to drive traffic to your site.

However, the goal for this add will be a native screen within facebook prepopulated with the user's details (since Facebook already has this information) and allows users a to easily make a one-click sign. You will have to pay for each lead Facebook generates, so factor this into your acquisition costs.

12. Linkedin lead campaigns

Similar to what I've mentioned previously with Facebook, LinkedIn also offers paid for lead campaigns, which works on a cost per lead basis. Depending on the type of business you run, perhaps in the B2B space, it would be better for you to run your lead campaigns on LinkedIn.

Just a note from personally using this type of ad, the cost per lead can be very expesnive due to the quality of leads on LinkedIn, so make sure you're ready to spend big to see results and that your conversion from leads has a pretty hefty margin to recoup on your marketing spend.

Keep growing that database

You will never be able to keep all your subscribers happy all the time and every business will have a natural unsubscribe rate. So don't feel to dishearted when you see your users telling you they're fed up with getting the emails you work so hard to create.

The key is to make sure you're funnelling in new leads and reactivating dormant ones regularly and getting the most out of the users in your database while they're still willing to hear from you.

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