As you are planning to build your new website, there are many factors and elements that you should consider. How will you make your website an effective lead generation tool? How will you engage and “capture” your web traffic? And, as a customer retention strategy, how will you stay in touch with your past, current and prospective customer base? A one-size-fits-all solution is an autoresponder backed by an email marketing strategy.
An autoresponder is what lies behind a contract or sign up form on your website, it automatically responds to interested customers. For example, someone is browsing on your website, they click a button that says, “Sign up for special offers.” Then they fill out their name and email on a form and click submit. Once they submit the form, they will automatically get a customized message from you and will automatically be added to your email marketing database list.
As we guide our customers through the Branding Map Process, we contemplate on what type of autoresponder will catch attention and readership for their email marketing strategy and their crowd. This could be any number of things ranging from a white paper, an offer or a giveaway. Something that is branded, but also something that is enough of an incentive for interested customers to be willing enough to exchange their email to find out more.
I’m not afraid to admit, I am a great couponer. Back in my college days, when we’d do anything to get delicious free food, my friends had a shared Google spreadsheet that outlined which restaurants gave free meals for your birthday if you signed up for their email list. Obviously, some offers were more generous than others and I started getting selective on what offer was really “worth it” for me to put my email in and get on a mailing list. I learned quickly that once you sign up for an email list, it’s not always easy to get off of it.
There’s a reason why people hesitate to give out their email address, so you have to make your autoresponder enticing enough for them to forget that fear. Below are a few tips on creating an effective autoresponder.
Catch attention with a catchy headline
BuzzFeed has owned the concept of anything titled “[Insert number] Things That ____” For example: “15 Things You Didn’t Know Your iPhone Could Do.”
Highlight your expertise
If you’re giving away information, like a whitepaper, a minibook, a countdown article like BuzzFeed, use this as an opportunity to showcase your expertise in a creative way.
Specialize
Your offer or information is not just for anyone and everyone, it should be a specific audience that will generate a better quality of lead.
Special offer help… I mean really help
Offers and coupons help get new customers in the door. Lower the “risk” of trying a new product or service with a coupon that automatically gets sent to any new email sign up. Make sure your coupons are trackable to better gauge the effectiveness.
Now just because you have an autoresponder on your website doesn’t mean sign ups will start flooding in. I’d describe it more as a trickle that is directly correlated to the rest of your website health. The more traffic you have on your website, the more sign ups you’ll get. If you have an enticing offer for your autoresponder, you’ll increase the probability of sign ups. A simple “sign up for our email newsletter” doesn’t always win the battle.