by Wikus Engelbrecht
23. June 2010 22:41
Fact: Happy subscribers are more like to pass along positive news about your business that unhappy ones.
Keep your subscribers happy and soon their friends will be subscribing and then their friends will subscribe as well, and then their friends…you get the idea.
So what are the best ways to keep subscribers happy and at the same time increase the size of your mailing list?
I know you’ve heard this one! Make sure that emails contain relevant information. It’s usually best to only include content that is business-related. Really think about what your subscribers want out of your emails. Why did they sign up in the first place — was it to get discounts, find out about upcoming events or learn about new products? Create content based on what your recipients want from you, as well as what you can offer your customers.
Listen to your subscribers. Do your best to cater to subscribers’ wants and needs when it comes to communication - which channels of communication do they prefer? Social networks or perhaps mobile messages? If so, engage with subscribers on their chosen network as much as possible. Open up social accounts for your business and engage in mobile marketing.
Of course, this is all assuming that you already have some subscribers. How do you develop that list of original subscribers?
Well, first, make subscribing simple. Subscription forms should be easily accessible; include them on every page of your website. Forms don’t need to be lengthy eyesores, just include a space for potential recipients to enter in their email address—quickly and painlessly. An email address is all you need in the beginning. The best relationships are those that develop over time, so don’t worry about not gathering too much information at first; besides - people are less likely to subscribe to a long, complex and tedious form than to one that is simple, to the point and only takes a few seconds to fill in. You’ll learn more about your recipients as you send messages. Keep in mind that with GraphicMail’s reports and statistics features, you can always gather data based on a recipient’s email opens and clicked links.
To further encourage a sign-up, provide reasons for subscribing to the mailing list. What will potential recipients get out of giving their email address to you? Is there any incentive for them? Also, make the entire process professional, quick and easy. Send new subscribers a professional and positive confirmation email. I always encourage a double opt-in process– your business will come across as professional, with less of a chance of being labeled as spammers.
Finally, it’s always a good idea to gather feedback from unsubscribes. When someone opts to unsubscribe, include an optional form for them to complete asking them about their reasons for unsubscribing. Study this feedback and, if necessary, use it to change your strategies. Perhaps there is another way to communicate with these lost subscribers.
Happy subscribers and a healthy mailing list mean higher open and click-through rates, and ultimately higher sales conversion rates. Isn’t that what you signed up for?
