There is nothing like permission based marketing.Yes, I’m talking about opt-in email or subscription lists. When your customer click yes, you have to ask yourself: what was it that the customer wanted when he/she selected yes? What was it that the customer didn’t see value in when he or she clicked no? If you keep these questions in mind, you’ll be able to master the art of email marketing, but not before then. Keep asking questions and you’ll arrive at the right answers. In fact, take my last experience as an example. I was thinking. I was asking questions and these are the answers I arrived at, but first here’s what happened to me.

Last week, I’ve signed up for several different websites and as if it were in the sign up guidebook, there was an option to opt in into the company’s email marketing campaign. I know it a email marketing campaign. Why do they still call it a newsletter? Anyways,  I’ve been thinking about the check mark that says something like this: Would you like to sign up for our newsletter about our new products and services, discounts and sales and how to blah, blah, blah.

I always check no. Who really wants more email? More non-personal Email? Not, I. I’m web savvy enough. I’ll find it when I need it. Then, the other day, as I am signing up for something, I see something specific:

  • Would you like to know when blank comes out?
  •  Would you like a free trail or demo of blank when it becomes available?
  • Would you like to know when we are going to be in your area?
  • Would you like a copy of our free ebook on blank when it is ready?

This specific thing that they were offering me was interesting to me. I WANTED IT. So, I subscribed and I gave them permission to market to me and keep me informed.

When you give the consumer what they want and when they want it, you have a better chance of selling to them at the time you want to sell it to them.

Now that your customer has signed up for something specific, the trick is how to be personal in a email marketing blast. If your customer wants something specific, you can give it to them in the same email that services multible customer/client groups. Ergo, the need to create groups in the first place. You can create the groups physically and divide the list (two campaigns, instead of one) or create a email template where your groups know where to look. In their hast to get to their section, it is likely that they will skim the other sections and receive more information then they would have received had they clicked no from the beginning.  

In conclusion, offer something specific when you want people to opt-in. Generics are a thing of the past. People know how to get the generics from your site. Give them what they want when they want it.

 Agree, disagree, like or dislike? Your comments are much appreciated?

P.S. If I saw something like: “Dude, we don’t have time to waste your time, but we would like to update you when we have something good to share? What say you?” I think I would opt-in.

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