50 WAYS. to grow your list. page: Ways to Grow Your List. Share it!

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1 50 WAYS to grow your list page: 1

2 50 Ways to Grow Your List Written By Casey Swanton Casey is currently a Response Consultant for Professional Services at Return Path. Casey s agency experience has involved strategic consulting with high visibility brands including Disney, Mars and Adecco to develop, implement and refine , mobile and social programs that balance a high ROI with a positive, meaningful brand experience for consumers. Her approach unifies the goals of her clients with the wants and needs of the end user, ensuring that both have more rewarding and positive interactions. Who Should Read This? Beginner Beginner content is intended for marketers just starting out or for those who just need a refresher. Intermediate Intermediate content is intended for marketers with some experience in the subject matter including strategies and tactics. Advanced Advanced content is for marketers who have an advanced level of understanding of marketing and are looking for advanced strategies and tactics. page: 2

3 Contents: 5: Introduction 6: The Basics Build a Foundation for Positive Subscriber Experiences 11: Bread & Butter The website opt-in 15: Beyond Digital Getting the Brick and Mortar Involved 17: Out Of The Box Making Print and Outdoor Media Work Harder 18: Client Services Capture Making the Most of Each Touch Point 19: Get Social Tying to Social Media 22: There s An App For That? 23: Searching For Subscribers SEM and SEO 24 : Mixing It Up Cross brand Strategies page: 3

4 Return Path Products Certification Join the exclusive list of the most reputable senders in the industry. Inbox Monitor The most comprehensive tool for deliverability. Reputation Monitor 83% of delivery failures are caused by reputation problems. Client Monitor Know how to reach your audience. Inbox Preview Find broken creative before it gets to your subscribers. Inbox Insight Maximize engagement with actionable competitive intelligence. Labs Innovative new solutions to help you optimize the performance of your marketing efforts. Professional Services Let us take your program to the next level. page: 4

5 Increasing both the size and quality of a subscriber list is usually a top priority for marketers, and with good reason. Not only does the channel typically show a high ROI when compared to other direct marketing channels, it offers marketers a means to further engage and inform their subscribers. Additionally, can be integrated with other channels to augment outreach efforts and enhance overall campaign performance. The following recommendations can help increase the number of successful sign-ups by increasing exposure for the program and making it easy for prospects to find and complete the opt-in process. page: 5

6 THE BASICS: Build a Foundation for Positive Subscriber Experiences 1 Regardless of which methods you employ to grow your list, make sure that your approach is subscriber-centric and user-friendly. A primary goal of building an list should be to create a rewarding and satisfying subscriber experience from the initial opt-in to the re-engagement and beyond. page: 6

7 2 Include clear permissioning and a link to the privacy policy on all opt-in pages and forms. Setting expectations with new subscribers is essential for growing an engaged and happy subscriber base. By ensuring that subscribers understand what types of s they ll be receiving from the very start, they ll also be less likely to mark future messages as spam! 3 Leveraging a splash page that focuses on the opt-in is a great way to grow a subscriber base for major launches, new brand awareness strategies, upcoming key events and any other promotion that depends on building anticipation as well as an list. page: 7

8 Give prospects an easy way out of the subscription process and back into your website content if they chose not to opt in. This sounds counterintuitive, but prospects who have a positive brand experience are more likely to optin down the line. 4 5 Create a simplified, mobile-friendly landing page that includes an overview of program benefits, an opt-in, and basic navigation back to the main website. This ensures that a greater audience will be easily able to opt-in. Additionally, these same site visitors may choose to opt-in on another page once they have had more time to explore your content. See number 12 to ensure that you close the loop for prospective subscribers! page: 8

9 6 Make it easy to opt in by including a limited number of required fields that are clearly identified as such. 7 Keep your opt-in form design simple and intuitive and you ll see a lower abandonment rate. If your brand strategy requires a high level of data, consider adding a secondary page or section where users are able to volunteer additional information or adjust preferences. 8 Clearly spell out how your program can benefit your subscribers and customers and set expectations on what kind of messaging they ll receive. page: 9

10 Offer -exclusive deals, information and opportunities to increase the value of your program for subscribers Have an optimized triggered welcome in place to confirm the opt-in and welcome new subscribers to your program. While this won t help grow your list, it s an important step to start things off on the right foot and stave off list attrition! page: 10

11 BREAD & BUTTER: The website opt-in Make the opt-in on your home page noticeable and easy to find! The longer that site visitors have to search for it, the fewer will successfully complete the process Put an opt-in call-out on your content pages or within website headers or sidebars that are consistent across all pages of your website. The example below from Ford allows subscribers to sign up for once they ve already had a chance to explore areas of the site that are relevant to them. page: 11

12 13 Include an opt-in on shopping cart checkout pages, but try not to pre-check the sign-up box. 14 For sweepstakes and contests, include a benefit statement, clear permissioning and a checkbox to opt-in to receive promotional s. Ensuring that the opt-in is voluntary and intentional can help reduce the chance of spam complaints and opt-outs down the line. 15 For any sign-up forms for webinars, demos or other online events, call-out your program and provide a way to opt-in. page: 12

13 16 Make sure that your website footer includes an program call-out and/or link to your opt-in page. 18 Include a clear, motivating call-out within the creative that encourages and/or allows your subscribers to forward an to their friends. 17 Make sure that your content is worth sharing! If you have great offers, tips, information, images or content, your subscribers will be more likely to spread the word. 19 If possible, for all s that are forwarded through calls to action within the content, add a banner or call-out to the template that includes motivating copy and a link for the friend to sign up to receive s. page: 13

14 20 Include an opt-in link in the footer or content of all commercial s so friends are able to opt-in even if the was forwarded through the forwarder s client. 22 Consider sending an that highlights sharable content and/or the multi-channel share features that are available for subscribers to spread the word about your brand, products or offers. For true Refer-A-Friend programs, create motivating, user-friendly landing pages. 21 Feature a prominent forward-to-a-friend link within your welcome series to capitalize on new and engaged subscribers. 23 Include a call-out to join your program on transactional s for customers who are not subscribed to your program. page: 14

15 BEYOND DIGITAL: Getting the Brick and Mortar Involved Turn in-store customers into subscribers by informing shoppers of the benefits of the program and offering them an option to opt-in at the point of sale Take some of the pressure off of your in-store employees to spread the word by including signage and point of purchase call-outs that briefly highlight the benefits of your program. page: 15

16 26 27 If you re already sending receipts, modify the template to include a call-out for your program and a link to the opt-in form. Include an program plug and benefit statement on printed sales receipts. 29 If you have a loyalty program in place, ensure that it is tied into your program. Allow members to opt-in to receive standard sales s in addition to loyalty program communications. 28 Leverage QR codes as a quick way for savvy in-store customers to jump right to your mobile friendly opt-in page. page: 16

17 OUT OF THE BOX: Making Print and Outdoor Media Work Harder On print advertising pieces in magazines and newspapers, call-out the benefits of the program and include both the website address and/or a QR code Plug your program on printed collateral and brochures Promote your program to customers and prospects on your physical mailing list. On direct mail pieces, call out the specific benefits of an subscription or online membership and provide simple, clear instructions on how to opt in. Highlight the benefits of the program on advertisements displayed in spaces with a captive audience, like public transportation ads. Provide a link or QR code that directs visitors to the mobile site or mobile opt-in page. page: 17

18 CLIENT SERVICES CAPTURE: Making the Most of Each Touch Point 34 Provide your call center with scripts that briefly highlight the program and allow callers to opt-in to receive promotional messaging. 35 Add a descriptive link about the program in the signatures for client/prospect facing representatives. This strategy works great for B2B or for brands that leverage one-to-one lifecycle or customer service programs. page: 18

19 GET SOCIAL: Tying to Social Media 36 If you have a presence on Facebook, create an opt-in tab that calls out the benefits of the program and allows visitors to join your list. 37 Do not require Facebook visitors to like your brand before opting in to receive s. Across all age groups, still has a commanding lead on how people would like to receive promotional based messages. Requiring a like and an address may contribute to page abandonment and the loss of an opportunity to contact the visitor across both channels. page: 19

20 38 For Facebook, customize the text, image and links that are published to the site when a subscriber shares content and offers. Ensure that the messaging that is displayed is engaging and actionable for friends. 39 Within your social profiles, ensure that website links direct users back to a relevant landing page that contains a benefit statement and opt-in for the program. This can be accomplished by updating the footer, header or side bar to contain an program call-out and opt in form. What to do What not to do page: 20

21 40 Promote the benefits of your program on the social sites that you have presence on and provide a link to the opt-in page. 43 On all Pinterest-friendly content, ensure that when the pinned image is clicked, users are linked back to a content page that contains an program opt-in. 41 Call out specific exclusive offers on social sites and provide links back to the opt-in page. Ensure that these pages offer navigation back to main content pages to allow visitors to further explore your brand and your site. 42 If your brand is very active on Pinterest or your website sees frequent traffic from the site, ensure that the sidebar, header or footer on all of your content pages contain an easy to locate opt-in. Make opting in easy for interested visitors as pinned images can often link to deep site content. Pinterest Image links to relevant web page with opt-in page: 21

22 THERE S AN APP FOR THAT? If you have a mobile app, add an opt-in option within your app settings, intro screens or content pages Already linking to an account and sending transactional messages? Include a permissioning statement and checkbox to opt-in to receive promotional s and extend the opportunity by including an opt-in link within the content. page: 22

23 SEARCHING FOR SUBSCRIBERS: SEM and SEO Call-out your program on SEM ads, especially if you have an offer for new subscribers. Not only will you get more addresses, you may capture more sales from prospects who are shopping around for savings If your brand leverages search ads, include a link to your program opt-in. page: 23

24 MIXING IT UP: Cross-Brand Strategies If your brand is included in another company s promotional , ensure that the landing page includes an opportunity to opt-in to the program. If your brand is cross-promoted on another brand s preference center or opt-in form, make sure that permissioning is very clear or use a double opt-in process. 50 If your brand is involved with, or contributes to altruistic causes and your logo is featured on their site, request that the logo be a live link that directs traffic back to a relevant site page that contains an option to opt-in to the program. This can help increase subscriber trust and reduce the chances of spam complaints and optouts down the line. page: 24

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