To generate interest among their visitors it is vital that online businesses provide information, advice and a good service. If customers receive the satisfaction that they are looking for when browsing your site it is most likely that they will return to your site time and again - which means that they will buy again and again.
What is more, if your customers enjoy visiting your site it is likely that they will recommend the services you offer to their friends and colleagues. This means even more visitors to your site and subsequently higher profits for you.
What you then need to do is utilize this increase in visitor activity. You can do this by creating an ‘opt-in list’. What is an ‘opt-in list’? It is a list of clients that agree to be sent promotional emails on a regular basis.
To send emails to all and sundry would violate spamming laws but if you have a list of people who have agreed to be sent emails by signing up for whatever you are offering, e.g. Courses, Newsletters, catalogues etc. then you have a tremendous opportunity to promote your site on a regular basis. The beauty of this kind of marketing and advertising is that it is free. Because Subscribers have agreed to receive information you can be pretty certain that your emails will be opened and read and that the information you supply will be readily received. Your Opt-in Subsribers list have signed up for a service and have consented to receive your promotional emails. They will be eager to read them and not simply delete them. As your subscribers receive your emails this is a constant reminder of all that you have to offer whether it be services, products, new products, or special deals and promotions. It is a known fact that potential customers do not usually become actual customers until they have viewed your site 7 times. Having a Subsribers list means that you can do just that.
You can present your offer to them repeatedly over a period of time. Thus allowing them to be reminded of your offer and your site over again until they eventually are ready to make up their minds to buy. Also if they are continually being reminded of your offers and get satisfaction when browsing your site they are more than likely to pass on the information they receive to more potential customers as they tell their families and friends.
It is important for your Subscribers to be able to unsubscribe as and when they wish. And you should be aware that they may do this at anytime. This is why it is important that you give your customers what they expected when they signed up. Keep your Subscribers excited in receiving whatever it is they have signed up for e.g. Newsletters, courses etc.and make sure they are completely satisfied with the opt-in marketing strategies you are offering.
To help you build an eager list of subscribers here are some useful tips
- Keep one step ahead of your subscribers by searching out what people are looking for and be the first to give them the news. This way your Subscribers will begin to recognize that you always have new and fresh things to offer them and they will be eager to hear from you.
- Build your promotional materials around what your service or product is all about. Use a little creativity and make them fun and interesting.
For example; if you are selling car parts, put some pictures of what is new in the auto parts world, a new wing door possibly that can fit any car and make it look like a Lamborghini.
Remember ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ (but you need words too). Don’t be too arty, just tease a little.
- If you have a Newsletter write good informative articles. Make sure they give all the information that is needed but at the same time make sure they are light and very interesting. If your Subscribers’ interest is captured by your articles they will click the links that you have put in them because they are eager to read more. Be diverse when writing your articles.
Include something that is humorous, then add good information, then perhaps include something that includes both information and humour.
Remember ‘variety is the spice of life’. Keep your subscribers coming back for more.
It may be that you panic at the thought of writing - either because you can’t write or you don’t like writing. Don’t worry about this. There are many experienced and professional writers that will only charge minimal fees for writing an article.
Professionals are very aware of what is needed and the money that you spend can more than offset by the potential profit you gain from the added sales.
- Another way of using writing is to create an e-book about a subject that is related to your website or business. You can then offer this e-book to your subscribers for free. You will have built up a fair amount of expertise and knowledge in your chosen field. Use that knowledge to help other people who have a similar interest. Perhaps you could create a manual or guide that would assist your subscribers and others.
In fact an e-book such as this can be used as a reference to many people. Share your e-book with as many people and websites possible. However make sure that whoever receives your e-book does not change the links that lead to your site otherwise the purpose of the e-book will be defeated. Again, if you have difficulty writing you can get a professional to write it for you. An e-book is a great marketing tactic and your costs for having it written should well be covered by the added interest and subsequent increase in sales.
- Increase peoples desire to receive your Newsletter etc. by offering e-coupons in your Newsletter. When people avail themselves of an e-coupon they can receive a special discount on any product or service that you decide. To make sure that the e-coupon can only be used once make sure you include a control number.
When your subscribers find they can get discounts by using e-coupons that you provide they will be eager to return again and again in anticipation of receiving further discounts on your next promotion.
So there you have five tried and tested ways to help you build your opt-in list.
To Sum up:
It will be obvious to you that to be able to survive with an online business you need a constant flow of visitors.
Remember it is important to provide a good service if you want your visitors to come back to your site time and time again.
One important method to get quality repeat visitors at no cost is to build an opt-in list of Subscribers to a Newsletter, Courses, Ezine etc. where you can supply your visitors with good information and advice.
If your Subscribers experience benefits when they visit your Newsletter etc. they will return again and again and will mean repeat sales again and again and increased profits time and again.
