Mailing List Growth Strategies. A guide to increasing the size of your mailing list. November 2012 Version 0.2

Transcription

1 Mailing List Growth Strategies A guide to increasing the size of your mailing list November 2012 Version 0.2

2 Contents Introduction... 3 Lightboxes... 4 Implementation advice... 6 Social Media... 8 Implementation advice Google AdWords In-store Incentivised Sign up points EPOS QR Codes QR Code Examples Use Cases Text Messaging Promoting your Keyword & Short Code Recommendations Source Content Data Get Inventive Summary

3 Introduction This document aims to provide strategies to increase the amount of subscribers using various methods including the use of Lightboxes, Social Media, Text Messaging, QR Codes, Google AdWords and in-store data collection where relevant. It also provides best practice advice to maximise the implementation of these data collection touch points. 3

4 Lightboxes Lightboxes have been used for quite a while, but only quite recently have more companies started to make great use of these for data collection. marketers now use them as a tool to encourage more newsletter subscriptions. Without the use of a Lightbox, many companies rely on website call to action buttons, hoping visitors will find their sign up form, will click through and then signup to receive communications. Times and technology have changed and Lightboxes are commonly used on most websites and can be less intrusive if used in the right way. Signup forms stored within a Lightbox don't 'pop up' in a new window or browser tab. They appear as a box that fades into view, usually overlaying a central part of the web page. The page initially being viewed is blurred or faded to bring attention to the Lightbox. Please see below for examples: 4

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6 Typical visitor statistics for the average website is split between 35% new visitors and 65% returning visitors. This highlights the importance of getting those new visitors to subscribe to your communications when they first visit your website. Normal subscription forms on websites can be easily missed whereas the "sudden" appearance of the Lightbox draws attention to the call to action to get visitors to subscribe straight away. If relevant and timed correctly, Lightboxes can be a good interruption when a visitor lands on a homepage. It's also important to not push the sign-up too much and also highlight the X or Close option to exit the form should the visitor not wish to subscribe. A typical implementation would see a Lightbox appear once per visit and repeated on subsequent visits if enough time has passed in the meantime. The definition of "enough time" depends on the frequency that the average visitor comes to the website. Ensure that the lightbox doesn't appear too often as this can as this may start annoying visitors. Implementation advice The below details further advice on the typical layout and copy that we recommend using in a Lightbox: Form fields Make form fields large as the overall theme for the form should be big, bold and obvious. Having large input fields will provide an immediate visual cue to the visitor to show them that you are asking them to opt-in. Only ask for the bare minimum information. E.g. address. Other data can be captured further into the customer journey. Ensure you provide a link to the privacy policy and that you asked them to tick a box to confirm their opt-in. Large close/exit button Allow visitors to abandon your form quickly and easily if they want to. Remember that they are still on your website and could still purchase so all is not lost. In addition to the inflated size of the exit button, also make sure that the button is easy to click on a mobile device. It is also important to add a "no thanks" link in the body of the form so it can be easily exited using this as an alternative too. Copy Keep the copy simple and get to the point quickly so visitors know what you are trying to communicate. If relevant, it is OK to use bold key phrases such as "10% off your first purchase" or "exclusive offers". Really sell the benefits of being a subscriber to get the maximum effect and uptake. 6

7 Clear call-to-action The form should be quick to read, complete and submit. Readers should be informed that they are subscribing to communications and the opt-in should be obvious so the subscriber has to take positive action to subscribe and is aware of what they are doing. Submit button Make the submit button stand out but don't use colours like red as they are physiologically viewed as a stop sign. Test out different colours to see what works best for your business and brand. Thank you page Thank the subscriber for signing up and give a clear call to action to encourage the new subscriber to navigate around your website as intended. If a welcome offer exists for new subscribers, encourage them to look at their inbox for their introductory offer to encourage them to spend straight away. 7

8 Social Media With the recent rapid growth of social media, companies find themselves in the position of wanting to take advantage of the possible opportunities in the social media medium, but being unsure on how to do so. Facebook is one of the most popular social media channels and can be used to capture new subscribers by using the Communicator Facebook app. The app allows seamless integration between Facebook and your existing mailing lists within the Communicator platform. Many companies use this type of functionality and have seen an increase in subscriber numbers. Please see below for examples: 8

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10 Implementation advice Follow the step by step instructions below to allow your customers to view and submit your Communicator hosted data capture form directly within your Facebook page. Create and activate your data capture form within the Communicator platform. We recommend keeping the width of forms to be used on Facebook to be less than 600px. Visit and then choose the page on which to add the form. Return to your Facebook page and you should now see a new entry for the Communicator app at the top of your timeline (or the left hand menu if you are yet to activate your timeline). When you click on the Communicator app you will be prompted with a login screen, simply login with your standard Communicator platform credentials. Select the form you wish to display on Facebook and click Save. If the form is in a sub account, simply change accounts and choose the desired form. Click view form to view your form within Facebook. The Communicator Facebook app dynamically detects whether the Facebook user is an administrator of your page or a standard Facebook user and automatically displays the appropriate content. So when you view the Communicator app on your page as an admin, you will see the login screen but when your customers view the app they will see your chosen form. To see how your customers would view your form, simply log out of Facebook. Before logging out, to change the name that the Communicator app appears under in the left hand menu of your page, simply click on the Edit info link on your page, choose Apps and then click Edit settings under Communicator. We often see this renamed to 'join our mailing list' or similar. Having a Facebook form is a great way of converting your Facebook fans to subscribers. 10

11 Google AdWords In the last few months we have seen an increase in the number of companies using AdWords to collect addresses directly in the ad unit within Google. Google commenced with its first trial of this new feature at the beginning of It has been a huge success and will be available to everyone late These ads help businesses gather new addresses from consumers who perhaps may not have visited your website or subscribed before. This data capture method would work well within the retail sector and other sectors looking to push their products and services. Please see below for an exampl Advertisers pay per lead collected and bid the same way the usual Google AdWords advertising works. Communicator Corp's Connect and Connect+ Integration Solutions can potentially be used to automate the data import into the platform in order to send out the all-important Welcome . The data will be held temporarily by Google before passing it to the Communicator platform. More information will be available to you from your Account Manager once this goes live from Google in late

12 In-store There are multiple ways to collect data in-store but some retailers are missing a trick. There are many retail staff members that gloss over prompts to capture address or openly ask you to fill out feedback forms and tell you not to worry about filling in the address which I'm sure their marketing department would agree is crazy. Incentivised A number of UK retailers are running incentivised data capture campaigns in their stores. The incentives vary from Win 250 to spend in-store to Get a FREE 10 voucher but they all encourage registration using a combination of data capture approaches. In terms of the execution, there are a wide range of different approaches including: Text Data Capture - e.g. Text KEYWORD and your address to Take-away business cards emblazoned with a sign-up URL or QR code Receipts that contain a sign up URL or QR code Cashiers asking for the address at point of purchase Some stores also provide loyalty card points or free access to store Wi-Fi in return for an address. I think one of the great advantages of this type of data collection is that you are really targeting people who are already engaged with your brand and using mechanisms you are often already paying for or providing. Sign up points Some clients are now operating small touch screens (e.g. ipad) in store which will display their subscription page. Data is then collected in store using this method which works better than asking people to write their address down. The reason being that validation can be applied immediately meaning there is less room for data input error, the address can also be instantly submitted to Communicator meaning that the new subscriber can immediately enter the welcome journey, and costs are saved on admin too. EPOS Many modern EPOS systems allow till operators to capture customer addresses in-store along with language and gender details during the in-store checkout process (if relevant). The till operator is presented with an on-screen prompt that asks the customer for their details. Once submitted these details could get passed into the central CRM system which could then push this data into Communicator using the Connect service. This can then automatically trigger a welcome to the customer (in the appropriate language) which is then waiting in the customer s inbox when they 12

13 get home or even on their mobile device while they shop. For those customers that don't subscribe, a URL or QR code could be printed onto the till receipt prompting them to subscribe in their own time. A prompt to request addresses could be 'would you like a copy of your receipt ed to you'? QR Codes QR code (abbreviated from Quick Response code) is the trademark for a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code). The QR code can be scanned by a mobile device which can automatically redirect the user to a web page or online form. The QR code is used by many retailers to push users through to their online signup form to increase subscribers. The QR code has fast readability and large storage capacity compared to standard UPC barcodes. The code typically consists of black modules (square dots) arranged in a square pattern on a white background. However here at Communicator Corp our expert Designers can create bespoke QR codes. QR Code Examples Custom QR Code This QR code is designed using your brand colours and can be a simple mix or complex. Branded QR Code This QR code is designed using your brand colours and the addition of your company logo. 13

14 Ultimate QR Code This QR code uses brand colours and logo, with the addition of incorporating brand assets/images. Use Cases The most common uses of QR codes are to bring together online media with offline media on: Direct Mail In-store Advertising Point of Sale Billboards Press Releases TV Ads Business Cards 14

15 Text Messaging It is important that you make it easy and convenient for consumers to engage with your brand. Implementing Text Data Capture will allow your consumers to sign up to your communications on the move, exactly how and when it suits them. The potential for this channel is huge, from growing your database and adding value to your relationships through to revenue generation. Why not ask consumers to send a text starting with your keyword followed by their address and send to a short code to sign up for your latest newsletter or special offers (e.g. "start your text with MYSTORE followed by your address and send to 60033"). This is a great way for collecting data from those 'on the go'. Not only does this allow for the collection of addresses but mobile numbers too. Be sure to state what texters are opting into in your advertising (i.e. and / or text messages.) Communicator 's Triggered Dispatch functionality allows you to easily add value via an automated text and / or message reply. So make sure you take this opportunity to thank the recipient for their action and direct them to further relevant content. 15

16 Promoting your Keyword & Short Code There are many ways that companies can implement text data capture campaigns. Here are some ideas belo Offline Printed literature TV adverts In-store / Outdoor advertising Sales receipts Online Website Social Media Channels communications Mobile Applications 16

17 Recommendations Source It is always a good idea to capture the data source when collecting data in order to obtain a record of where the data originated. This allows you to discover which marketing routes work well for new subscriber collection. Content In today's busy world where consumers are inundated with messages, it is always best to get the message across quickly with a good call to action. This is something clients should be mindful of when putting together a data capture form embedded in a lightbox or thinking of collecting data using Google AdWords or text messaging. Data Our recommendation is to focus on growing your list organically as opposed to purchasing data lists. Organically grown data usually performs far better in terms of opens, clicks and conversions. This type of data often experiences less bounces, unsubscribes and complaints too. However, if you would like to purchase data, then please get in touch with your Account Manager who can put you in touch with trusted data partners. Remember to focus on quality of data rather than the quantity. Engaging with those who are interested and who are interacting with your s is key to getting a higher ROI from marketing as well as better inbox delivery rates. Get Inventive Don't wait for people to visit your website and leave their details. Broaden your search and get more inventive with Communicator. The Communicator platform can integrate with many different platforms to gain maximum exposure while giving the ability to capture relevant data from people who are interested in your brand. Social Media - Why not allow your subscribers to share their s with friends on Facebook or Twitter and gain new subscribers by referral. You could even add in a promotional offer for new subscribers to sweeten the deal. s - Why not add a subscribe link to your messages? Many subscribers forward their s to friends directly from their inbox. Adding a subscribe link to the is a simple but an effective way of getting new subscribers. 'Have you been forwarded this ? Subscribe here' 17

18 Summary No matter how effective the current marketing activity of your business is, a successful strategy starts with the recipient offering up their address and agreeing to receive your marketing s. Making the most of the beginning of the process will help you grow your database, and increase the conversion opportunity that marketing presents. The DMA currently value the average address at 9.11 so it's really important to ensure that when collecting new data, it is valid, opted in and is going make this return for your business too. Always have a strategy in place and contact your subscriber data wisely. Contact your Account Manager if you would like further assistance with growing your subscriber lists. 18