Seven Tips to Give Your Email-Marketing Signups a Boost

It is true that customers can begin their journeys with your brand from many different touchpoints, both online and off. During these all-important first moments, it is critical that companies really “Wow!” potential customers — ideally, earning their email sign-ups for future company news articles, literature, and resources. Following, are our top seven email-marketing tips for ensuring potential customers become official customers!

1. Use Behavioral Indicators to Dictate a Tailored Email-Capture Strategy.
   Use your website visitor’s onsite behavior to dictate the precise moment that an email-capture campaign would yield the highest rates of return without sabotaging the user experience. “The response variance between a static and behaviorally-driven email capture program is upwards of 300 percent,” according to Bounce Exchange’s Conversion Optimization team.
2. You Do Not Have to Provide an Incentive Right Away.
   Chances are, if a customer is in your store or visiting your website, he or she already knows about your brand and is interested for one reason or another. Following up on the first tip, use data to dictate whether you should offer something in exchange for an email subscription. In many cases, if you clearly communicate the value of the program, customers will not need additional offers to convince them right away.
3. Ensure You Clearly Communicate What Subscribers Are Signing Up for.
   Here is where you establish trust: clearly communicate what subscribers will receive and that you will not use their email addresses for any other purposes. Do not opt them in to sister brands, partnerships, or other types of communications without first gaining their consent.
4. _**Keep Your Sign-Up Form Simple.
   **_Remember, this is the beginning of a new level of the relationship, and most folks do not like to share too much information too quickly. Too many personal-information fields can result in sign-up form abandonment. So, initially, ask only for an email address. Then — maybe during a welcome or onboarding program — guide new users to a preference center through which they can control what information is shared with you and when.
5. **Determine the Appropriate Permission Strategy.
   **At a minimum, you should only email customers who have opted in to receiving your emails. Depending on the types of communications you are sending or the country in which your subscribers are located, a confirmed opt-in may be required. Always consult with your legal team (and/or your email-marketing provider’s deliverability team) if you are unsure about what level of permission is needed.
6. _**Check Syntax and Validate at Time of Capture.
   **_Make sure you have basic rules in place to check the email syntax on your capture fields. If you have a high bounce rate for new-to-list email addresses, look into an email-validation service that flags invalid email addresses at the time of capture so that the user can correct any mistakes he or she may have made.
7. _**Kickoff with a Well-Planned Onboarding Strategy.
   **_Avoid subscribers judging you as a spammer because you immediately start blasting them with too many emails and offers. Use your initial communications to set the right tone with your subscribers and encourage their continued engagement.

There is an evolving science to converting one-time visitors to known prospects to loyal customers. Follow these tips to help guide you through these crucial initial moments in the customer journey. Most importantly, deliver consistent, valuable services, and do your best to build solid relationships with your customers based on exchanges of value and trust.