How To Create An Email Opt In Offer That Converts

An offer for an email opt in list refers to the freebie you are giving away on your website in exchange for someone’s name and email address.

One of your primary goals on your website should be to convert visitors into subscribers. This email opt in list serves as a list of leads you can later foster a relationship with, move through your sales funnel and eventually do business with. These are also the people who have willingly opted-in to hearing more from you, so it’s a pretty good indication that they are interested in what you have to say.

However, there are successful email opt in lists and there are those which are a total bust (I’ve personally had experience with both.). Your goal is to make sure your email opt in list actually converts, and in order to do that there are a few steps you need to follow.

1. Give your market what they want

Just because an email opt in list is free doesn’t mean it doesn’t require the same amount of attention and research as your paid products and services. The first key in making sure an email opt in list converts is to give your market what they want and need. The best way to do this is to actually talk to them and survey them using a service like SurveyMonkey or TypeForm.

I had one of my business-coaching clients do this recently and the results were astounding. Before sending out a survey to her market, my client (a health coach and network marketer) assumed her audience would want information on nutrition and weight loss. The survey results actually showed they wanted information on skincare. Additionally, she found out they really enjoy video content.

As a result, she’s currently working on a video series which exclusively walks subscribers through a nightly skincare routine using eco-friendly products. Had she not surveyed her market, and instead gone with what she thought they wanted, her email opt in list would not have been as successful.

2. Use your copy to tell your market what they are getting

In your email opt in copy on your site you must let your market know what they would be getting as a subscriber to your site.

For instance, Natalie MacNeil of She Takes on The World makes it explicitly clear that her subscribers will be getting a 14-day course where they will learn how to conquer their business. Website visitors know exactly what they would be getting, and as a result they are more inclined to sign up for her email list.

As a side bar, that’s 14 points of contact she is making with her new audience. That’s a brilliant way to start fostering a trusting relationship early on.

3. Use psychology in your copy

Studies on human behavior show that avoiding pain and inducing pleasure motivate people. At the root of all our decisions, we’re really just trying to avoid painful situations.

That’s why many marketers will tell you to use “negatives” strategically in your copy. For example, instead of saying “Learn 5 Ways to Lose Weight” try “The 5 Mistakes You’re Making On Your Weight Loss Journey.” The latter will peak human interest more because they’ll be dying to find out how to avoid the pain they are currently experiencing.

I tried this on my own website when I rebranded earlier this year and doubled my email opt in list in a matter of a couple of months. Instead of saying “5 Ways Millennials Can Make Money,” my opt-in is actually called “5 Ways Millennials Can Stop Sabotaging Their Chances of Making Money.” Again, this speaks to the core of human behavior by telling them they are currently making mistakes that are stopping them from achieving their goal of wanting to make more money.

The material for both email opt in list titles would have been the same, but by strategically using human psychology in my copy I’m able to reach more people. Just don’t do this all the time. It works with things like your email opt in copy and the occasional blog post, but you don’t want to overdo it and have your market start associating your brand with negativity.

4. Have your email opt in form strategically placed on your website

The email opt in form on my website is placed in strategic locations throughout my website. It’s actually the first thing people see when they reach my website. Additionally, I’ve had email opt in forms on the About page, the Start Here page and at the bottom of blog posts. By using a tool like Google Analytics you can see which web pages are the most popular and add your email opt in boxes accordingly.

Additionally, you may want to consider having a pop-up via a service like LeadPages or SumoApps. Some people may find pop-ups annoying, but speaking from experience they have very high conversion rates. You can also set them so they don’t bombard visitors every time they read a blog.

Final thoughts

“Join My Newsletter” no longer works because no one wants to add more newsletters to their inbox. That’s why it’s important that you actually offer something in exchange for a visitor’s name and email address. Again, it’s just psychology. Your market just wants to know what’s in it for them if they decide to join your email opt in list. By following these tips you’ll be able to create a great offering that actually converts and helps grow your business at the same time.