I'm sure that, as an online marketer, you know how important it is to have a mailing list (or, indeed, several mailing lists).
If you don't know, then think of a mailing list as an avenue through which you can contact people on a regular basis. It's much efficient to collect together mailing details of prospective customers than it is simply make a sale to them. By having their details, you can sell to them many times.
But, assuming you're building a mailing list, are you really getting the most out of your list?
In this blog post, I want to lay down four places where you need to making sure you're maximising your autoresponder results from new people who you've added to your list.
The Confirmation Email
If you're using a double optin mailing list, then your prospects will be sent an email which includes a link that they have to click on.
What many marketers don't realise is that you can use this email for marketing. You can introduce yourself, and you can include links to your products.
Just make sure that the confirmation link stays in a prominent place, along with the information that you've added.
The New Subscriber Page
This is the page that new subscribers are sent to after confirming their email address (or, directly to, if you're using single optin emails).
Many people waste this opportunity by just sending subscribers to their main page (or, worst, a default page supplied by the autoresponder company). You can be more creative and send new subscribers to a different page related to the list that they've joined, giving you sales potential.
If your subscriber has opted in to receive a gift, you can also indicate that they need to check their email to receive it.
The New Subscriber Email
This is the very first email that you send a new subscriber. I recommend that you send this as soon as they join the list. That way, this gets your name and email address into their account, which will flag up any deliverability issues to the subscriber.
Make sure that you deliver anything you've promised in this email (for instance, a link to download a free product). This link doesn't have to be the same one as for the new subscriber page.
This gives you the opportunity to explore different offers, essential to get the most out of new subscribers.
The Follow Up Broadcasts
It's essential that you schedule a regular sequence of emails for new subscribers. You want them to recognise and open your emails, and you want to make the most of the promotional possibilities early on.
One system that works well is to take some of the best performing offers you've used in the past, and to integrate them within appropriate content.
If you can build up a good relationship with your new subscriber during this process, it will help you to maximise your long term results as an email marketer.
List Building and List Management
The whole topics of list building and list management could fill many blog posts on their own, but it's very crucial that you make the most of subscribers when they're new to you. This can be an excellent time to recommend your own offers, or to promote affiliate products.
You can also work with other marketers to cross promote their lists and products. Promoting other lists works well during this process, as your subscriber is an 'opting in' mood.
If you put all these techniques together, you will have many more opportunities to connect with new subscribers, and can then make the most of the lists that you're working hard to build.
Over To You
Do you have any tips that you use to get the most out of new subscribers who are opting in to your mailing list?
Have you tried these techniques? What works best for you?
Just scroll down to reply and please leave your thoughts.
10 replies on “Maximise Your Autoresponder Optin Results”
Hey Thom,
Do you have an example you could show us of how you introduce yourself in the confirmation without cutting down the amount of people who complete the double opt-in?
Nathan,
Good question. That one is more an example of what I've seen other people do, as I personally use single optin the vast majority of the time.
When I do use single optin, I often use the top section (before the optin link) to presell the benefits of opting in and remind people why they're there, particularly as a certain group of people don't optin straight away (and I'm often one of them when I'm opting in to other people's lists).
The best way I've seen to use the Confirmation Email is to have a link or two below the confirmation link.
There are two reasons I can see for this:
(1) a lot of people scroll straight to the end of messages and see this straight away.
(2) when people go to the confirmation page and close it, many of them still have the email open in the background, and so see the link then.
It's a little thing, but will make a difference, particularly if you're getting a large number of subscribers.
If not, then the New Subscriber page is probably the most important thing to change. It's always incredible how many people just leave that blank.
Thom
Hello Thom,
As a new subscriber to your list I find your emails and the information you offer as very useful. As a new IM'er and having been on many list's ( to learn from others mainly.) I have found that many list owners tend to over sell to soon instead of developing the 'relationship' first. If I get to much 'sell' and not enough solid information I will drop of the list very quickly.
Thanks and I am looking forward to more useful tips.
Rob van Spijk
http://www.Viral-Traffic-4U.com/blog
Hi Rob, that ones a really hard balancing act. There’s always a need to sell things, as that’s the purpose for having a marketing list (and, if nothing else, just to cover the costs). I generally try and balance some useful information and some personality in there as well.
One thing that’s always worth doing is paying attention to a selection of list mailings, just to see what kind of style they have. I always get ideas in this way.
Thom
Hi Thom,
First, I'd like to thank you for the quality in your mail. I say this after being on your list for some time now.
Second I'd like to hear your view on single vs double optin. You say you use single optin. When can it be better to use double instead? Will you have less unsubscribers then or?
—
Stefan
Hi Stefan,
For Internet Marketing lists, I prefer single optin, as most people are on a variety of lists and they understand the whole mailing process. For niche lists, I'm more careful. It's not an exact science though.
I've not picked up on any big differences in unsubscribe rates between the two, although obviously my lists are relatively small compared to many.
Thanks for the positive words about my mailings too.
Thom
I read all of your emails because they are very informative and very
useful to me. I am having trouble getting my list together but I
will make it.
Thanks again.
Thanks Katheryn,
I do try and make my emails useful, and I appreciate the kind words.
It does seem hard to get started with growing a list, but it's well worth persevering. If you look at some of my posts about WSOs, you'll see the methods I use to sell WSOs which build me a list of buyers. That's very powerful, and is a good way to get started.
Thom
Hi Thom, I know I certainly do need to work on my emailing techniques. I don’t make the most out of my lists and need to look at your points and work them into my currently non existent method. You’ve prompted me to do something about it now, thank you. I’ve been aware for a while that I need to work harder on the emailing.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Mandy, yes I think whatever type of niche you’re in and list you have, you need to take full advantage of it. Plus, if your list don’t have the opportunity to hear from you regularly, or they don’t get the chance to get to know you, you’re going to have much less of a response when you come to mail them.
Thom