Regardless of whether you rely on a full-sized landing page or sign-up box to increase your subscriber list, the goal is still the same - get people interested in what you have to offer. Because you have only a few seconds to peak a visitor's interest, you need to be as clear and upfront about the benefits of signing up. Because there are thousands of online newsletters, article databases and other sources for people to get information from, you need to work extra hard to build and maintain an email marketing list.
Send a Clear Message
Landing Pages
Landing pages are typically used to increase bulk email lists or sell products. When using a landing page to increase your list, provide a quick introduction to your marketing campaign.
For example your landing page may include the following: 'Learn more about email marketing today when you sign up to receive my daily tips. Each tip will provide useful information you can use in your campaign right now. With over ten years of Internet marketing experience, I know you will benefit from my many successes and mistakes!'
This landing page clearly states what people will receive when they sign-up. Phrases such as 'learn more' encourage without sounding pushy or too sales-like.
Sign-Up Boxes/Forms
If using sign-up boxes or forms, you may have even less room to tell visitors what they will get when signing up for your mailing list. Try to squeeze as much information as possible into one or two sentences: 'Learn more about email marketing today when you sign up to receive my daily tips'. This is enough to generate interest and remain clear about what you're offering.
Newsletter Samples
Provide samples of previous newsletters on the landing page or on website and social media pages to give visitors a chance to see exactly what they're signing up for. This is a great way to showcase your expertise and writing skills. Samples also help build trust with potential subscribers.
Include the full text or an excerpt on the landing page or website - don't include a link to a recent newsletter. Even though this sounds like a good idea, you don't ever want a potential subscriber leaving your landing page or sign-up form for any reason as they may not come back.
Keep Forms Simple
Even though you will want to gather as much as data as possible about new subscribers, especially if segmenting your mass email list, refrain from doing so until after they sign up. Keep forms very simple to encourage people to sign up immediately. Ask for an email address and first name. If you offer multiple newsletters or articles, create a short list and let subscribers choose which ones they want to receive.
You can always send a follow-up survey in your welcome message or during the first week subscribers receive email to learn more about them.