You know that mailing lists are still important. You might even collect people's phone numbers for your text list. But how the heck do you get them to commit to being on your mailing list in the first place? Let's look at some simple and not-so-simple opt-in ideas! 💡
Ok, first thing's first, "What's an opt-in?"
An opt-in is something you give someone in exchange for them signing up for your email list. It's an exchange. They give you access to send things to their inbox, and you give them something that they value. It's an essential part of the inbound marketing system.
Confused by all this marketing jargon?
Stop reading, for a minute, and refer to my easy-to-understand marketing jargon guide!
Traditional opt-in ideas
Before we dive into the "off the wall" ideas, let do a recap of some of the most popular opt-in that many businesses use. Let's explore why these might be the answer to your problems and why they might actually be hurting your business.
Discounts
Whether you're offering a point of sale discount in store, or offering online discounts via email, a percentage off a purchase can be a great incentive to get people to opt in to your mailing list.
Discounts are a great opt-in option for product-based businesses. ✅
Caution: I have found that people tend to unsubscribe faster when this is the way they opt in. It's like they arrive for the discount and little else. Be sure to quickly follow up with helpful, engaging information that keeps them coming back for more.
Ebooks, Downloadable guides, and Checklists
The golden age of ebooks and downloadable guides might be behind us 🫢 Yep. I said it.
It's be done and done and overdone.
Can you still offer something amazing as content in an ebook or guide? Absolutely.
Will it get people to convert? Maybe.
It all depends on how many other people are offering the same thing you are. For example, I know of hundreds of boudoir photographers who offer very similar guides as opt-ins for their potential clients. Which is great, if you have no local competition. But if you do have local competition, you are just one in a sea of many offering the same thing.
I urge you to check what your competition is doing and make sure you offer something different. For example, I still use a checklist as my opt-in. Yep. I said they're on their way out and I still do it. Why? Because I know that my checklist is different. It offers something of value that not many other people in my industry are offering AND I follow it up with tailored advice specific to the checklist.
Quizzes
Quizzes are still a winner. People love to get to know more about themselves, so offering a quiz can be a great way to get people engaged. You can even take your email funnel up a notch if you have a fancy email marketing system that allows you to integrate with your quiz company and tag people based on their quiz responses and create tailored email experiences based on that.
Sidenote - I absolutely love MailerLite for email marketing. I use it for as many of my clients as possible. It's easy to use and packed with incredible features.
Workshops + Masterclasses
Let's not forget the classic: workshops and masterclasses. These interactive experiences give you the opportunity to connect one on one with your audience. I really think workshops and masterclasses will stand the test of time. They are worth your time investment, especially if you're a service-based business with a high-cost offer (you'll want to help your audience get to know you).
6 Off the wall opt-in ideas to try for your online marketing
Alright, we looked at the tried tested and sometimes not-so-true. What other options do you have? What can you offer that isn't as mainstream? How can you surprise and delight your future customers and clients?
Free e-course
A free e-course is a great way to add value to your customers lives. You can teach them something related to your business. For example, a dog food company might teach people how to train their dog in good eating habits. A photography studio might teach people how to pose so they feel confident when they walk into their photo session. Or, they might want to make a self-care course like this one I made on MailerLite for Gabriela Cruz Photography.
Caution: When creating a free e-course, though, things can get out of hand really quickly. Before you know it, you're polishing it into a fine gem. You spent hours editing videos and making handouts and you're wondering: "Should this still be free?"
Before you create your course, remind yourself to make it small. You want to be helpful but you don't want to give away all your good stuff. Save that for your paid courses. Keep it small. Include very few features (ie - only up to five pages of handouts, if any). Don't worry about hosting it on a course-building platform, just deliver it via email. If you're including videos, make them professional but don't worry about perfection.
Free Training
Teach your email recipient how to do something. End to end. Don't just give them part of the puzzle then try to hook them in for more by leaving them hanging. People are getting wise to these underhanded marketing tricks. Let's do better.
Teach them how to do something from start to finish - something that matters to them and is relevant to your business. Then, you can share other paid trainings or talk about your products. Remember, email marketing and inbound marketing is all about building relationships.
Spin to win
A twist on the old "here's a discount" option: Use a spinner in store or on your website to offer a range of prizes from a small discount to a free item or session. This is a fun way to get people interacting with your business and shows a little extra personality! Not every email provider offers this, though, so make sure you check before signing up.
In-Store Contest
We've all seen contests online. Actually, I should have added them to the list of traditional opt-in at the top of this post 🤷🏻♀️
In-store contests can range from things like entering a ballot (you will add them to your mailing list manually), scanning a QR code (join the contest via a landing page), guessing the number of beans in a jar (yep, you can get this creative).
Free Resource Library
Offer an entire library of free resources only to people who sign up for your mailing list. This can include checklists, worksheets, courses, exclusive videos and pictures, etc.
A spin on free guides
Along the same lines as a guide, you can also offer things like:
coloring pages (for kids or adults, or even extra spicy for my boudoir clients!)
recipe books
journal pages (for reflection, healing, creativity, self-care, etc.)
planners + calendars (for wellness, business, confidence, household planning, you name it)
The point here, is to make yourself stand apart from your competition while providing something fun and interactive for your ideal customer. You want them to know they are immediately getting something good out of the deal when they give you access to their inbox. But, don't forget to follow up with more helpful content!
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