Okay, so you want to market to your email list...but wait - you don't really have one yet. You can easily start to build an email list by placing a small subscription sign-up form on your home page and asking for subscriber email addresses in exchange for your e-newsletter.
But hold on a second, who needs another e-newsletter? You need to sweeten the deal by giving away something for FREE.
Tip 1: Give away something for FREE. Everyone likes to get something for nothing. Giving away a FREE e-book or report is a great way to prompt someone to sign up for your email or e-newsletter list.
Offer your visitors a FREE download of a special report or e-book that is targeted to them...something that makes them handover their email addresses in exchange for your valuable FREE information product.
Say something such as, "Grab your free Copywriter's Success Report (a $39.95 value.) when you subscribe to the FREE New Copywriters e-newsletter!"
Now that you've got a FREE offer, here are some more tips to help you promote it and continue to build your email list:
Tip 2: Promote your FREE offer in your sig line. Use your sig line, also known as a signature line, to promote your FREE offer. Your sig line is what you put after your name on your email messages. You should put your name, contact phone number, email address, website address and then a sentence about your FREE offer. Don't get carried away with your sig line. If it is too long, it can be frustrating for the reader.
Example: Jane Doe, SEO Expert
Phone
Email address
For a copy of my FREE report, "Mastering SEO Basics", visit:
yourwebsitename.com
Tip 3: Post a FREE ad on Craigslist. Promote your FREE offer by posting an ad on Craigslist.
It is a high traffic site and you can use this to your advantage. Post an ad telling visitors to claim their FREE report by visiting your website. Post your FREE ad under large city categories for maximum results.
Tip 4: Promote your FREE offer in your e-newsletter. Place a blurb about your FREE offer in your e-newsletter. If the recipient forwards your e-newsletter to a colleague or friend, this is another way to get the word out about your offer and potentially add to your list.
Tip 5: Promote your online FREE offer on your offline business card. Print a blurb about your special giveaway or FREE offer on the back of your business cards. When you hand out your business card, your offer is on the back and gets carried around with the recipient. Even if they hand the card over to someone else...it gets the word out.
Example: Want to learn more about SEO? Download a FREE copy of this informative report, "Mastering SEO Basics", at: yourwebsitename.com
You can easily increase your email list even if you choose two or three of these tips and put them into practice. These are just a few no-cost, low-cost ways to help build your email list, your business and ultimately make sales.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
10 Easy Tips to Boost Your Landing Page Conversion Rates- Part 2
Last week I covered first 5 out of 10 easy steps you can take to tweak your landing pages and boost conversion rates- this week I’ll cover the last five:
Tip #6 - Make sure the primary search keywords are in your headline, subheads and copy. You should do keyword research to find out what keywords your prospects are using in their search for your product or service. Integrate these keywords into your headline, subheads and copy.
Tip #7 - Match the exact keywords from the originating sales page or email copy to the landing page copy. This re-emphasizes that the prospect is in the right place. Don't just mimic the theme of the originating page, but also the keywords and copy. Conversion rates are 25% higher when the exact keywords are repeated on the landing page.
Tip #8 - Maximize your form buttons. Here are a few recommendations when using form buttons:- Don't use "reset" buttons. They can be clicked accidentally, clear the form information and cause frustration so that the user abandons the page.
- An "Add to cart" button is better than a "Buy Now" button. It gives the user the perception that he or she has more control over the sale. "Buy Now" seems more intimidating.
- Use action-oriented copy on your submit buttons, they outperform the plain, "Submit" button.
For example: "Click here to get your Top 10 Landing Page Tips report" may get more clicks than, "Submit". It is best to try and match the original headline copy or offer in the submit button copy.- Test button copy. Different copy on buttons may do better on different landing page offers. One size doesn't necessarily fit all in this case.
Tip #9 - Avoid lengthy forms. Do you enjoy filling out those long-winded forms online? Your prospects are no different. Avoid fields that are unnecessary. Every question or form field you put on a form lowers the conversion rate. Dump the fax number field. Only put form fields for data that you really need to collect; otherwise, you risk having the prospect abandon your page.
Tip #10 - Give the user a more secure feeling on landing /checkout pages. Place an extremely short "privacy" statement by the last form field or close to the submit button to give the prospect confidence that their information is secure. Don't make a lengthy statement, this can cause panic and give the opposite impression.
An example of a short privacy statement would be something like the following: (i.e. We value your privacy and don't give any of your information to other parties.)
Tip #6 - Make sure the primary search keywords are in your headline, subheads and copy. You should do keyword research to find out what keywords your prospects are using in their search for your product or service. Integrate these keywords into your headline, subheads and copy.
Tip #7 - Match the exact keywords from the originating sales page or email copy to the landing page copy. This re-emphasizes that the prospect is in the right place. Don't just mimic the theme of the originating page, but also the keywords and copy. Conversion rates are 25% higher when the exact keywords are repeated on the landing page.
Tip #8 - Maximize your form buttons. Here are a few recommendations when using form buttons:- Don't use "reset" buttons. They can be clicked accidentally, clear the form information and cause frustration so that the user abandons the page.
- An "Add to cart" button is better than a "Buy Now" button. It gives the user the perception that he or she has more control over the sale. "Buy Now" seems more intimidating.
- Use action-oriented copy on your submit buttons, they outperform the plain, "Submit" button.
For example: "Click here to get your Top 10 Landing Page Tips report" may get more clicks than, "Submit". It is best to try and match the original headline copy or offer in the submit button copy.- Test button copy. Different copy on buttons may do better on different landing page offers. One size doesn't necessarily fit all in this case.
Tip #9 - Avoid lengthy forms. Do you enjoy filling out those long-winded forms online? Your prospects are no different. Avoid fields that are unnecessary. Every question or form field you put on a form lowers the conversion rate. Dump the fax number field. Only put form fields for data that you really need to collect; otherwise, you risk having the prospect abandon your page.
Tip #10 - Give the user a more secure feeling on landing /checkout pages. Place an extremely short "privacy" statement by the last form field or close to the submit button to give the prospect confidence that their information is secure. Don't make a lengthy statement, this can cause panic and give the opposite impression.
An example of a short privacy statement would be something like the following: (i.e. We value your privacy and don't give any of your information to other parties.)
Monday, August 10, 2009
10 Easy Tips to Boost Your Landing Page Conversion Rates – Part 1
According to web landing page eye tracking studies, you've got approximately 8 seconds to grab your prospect's attention. People scan web pages quickly from left to right--so it is important that your landing pages have proper layout and easy readability.
There are 10 easy steps you can take to tweak your landing pages and boost conversion rates- to keep things brief, I’ll cover the first five this week:
Tip #1 - Headlines count. One of the first places your prospect's eyes focus on is the headline. A prospect scans the headline for particular words that grab his or her attention. Put the headline at the top of the page. Make your headline a benefit-oriented headline that integrates keywords.
Tip #2 - Use caution with images. There is nothing wrong with using images to add some interest to your pages, but use caution. Don't just throw up an image for the sake of putting something up. Use images that are relevant because images can distract the prospect away from the message you are trying to communicate. Product shots draw attention. Stock photos usually don't perform as well as a "real-life" photo. Images should have a real purpose; otherwise, you only distract the prospect from reading the message. Copy near an image seems to get special attention, such as captions. Take advantage of this and write captions that relay information with a purpose.
Tip #3 - Layout of landing page elements. Keep the landing page layout simple. Try to keep your landing pages to a one-column, no more than two-column style. Having more than one column increases the chance of distracting the prospect and moving them away from your primary selling message. Don't place any other elements to the left or right of your sales copy message. This will encourage the prospect to move away from the sales message and pay more attention to the distracting elements.According to a webinar on eye-tracking in relation to landing pages, Marketing Sherpa publisher, Anne Holland, said that her team increased conversion rates by 64% simply by tweaking elements on a product landing page. (No sales copy was changed.)
Place the following elements in this "simple" format, (one element right after the next) to improve your conversion rates:
• headline
• subhead
• image
• copy
Tip #4 - Make pages that are easy to read. Remember the average prospect only stays an average of 8 seconds. You need to keep their attention with pages that are easy on the eyes. Prospects will not stay around to try and figure out how to read a difficult page.
Follow these rules for easy readability:
Don't use too small a font size. Use at least a 10pt font. Using a 9pt or smaller is too difficult to read.Don't use serif fonts (this is used for print). Use sans-serif fonts for online copy.
Use black text on a white background. Don't use white text on a black or dark background (even though pale gray text is fashionable, it is difficult to read).
Keep your copy flush left.
Don't center the headline, subheads or the copy. This is a common practice on the web, but it makes it difficult to read. Try to keep the headline to one line, but if a headline is more than one line, keep it justified left-don't center long headlines. Centering a headline confuses the brain.
Tip #5 - Ditch navigation from the page. The landing page should be used primarily to sell your product or service. Don't take the precious time you have to capture the prospect's attention and divide it with yet another distraction-a navigation bar. Remember the landing page is to try and sell the prospect.
Stay tuned next week for the last five!
There are 10 easy steps you can take to tweak your landing pages and boost conversion rates- to keep things brief, I’ll cover the first five this week:
Tip #1 - Headlines count. One of the first places your prospect's eyes focus on is the headline. A prospect scans the headline for particular words that grab his or her attention. Put the headline at the top of the page. Make your headline a benefit-oriented headline that integrates keywords.
Tip #2 - Use caution with images. There is nothing wrong with using images to add some interest to your pages, but use caution. Don't just throw up an image for the sake of putting something up. Use images that are relevant because images can distract the prospect away from the message you are trying to communicate. Product shots draw attention. Stock photos usually don't perform as well as a "real-life" photo. Images should have a real purpose; otherwise, you only distract the prospect from reading the message. Copy near an image seems to get special attention, such as captions. Take advantage of this and write captions that relay information with a purpose.
Tip #3 - Layout of landing page elements. Keep the landing page layout simple. Try to keep your landing pages to a one-column, no more than two-column style. Having more than one column increases the chance of distracting the prospect and moving them away from your primary selling message. Don't place any other elements to the left or right of your sales copy message. This will encourage the prospect to move away from the sales message and pay more attention to the distracting elements.According to a webinar on eye-tracking in relation to landing pages, Marketing Sherpa publisher, Anne Holland, said that her team increased conversion rates by 64% simply by tweaking elements on a product landing page. (No sales copy was changed.)
Place the following elements in this "simple" format, (one element right after the next) to improve your conversion rates:
• headline
• subhead
• image
• copy
Tip #4 - Make pages that are easy to read. Remember the average prospect only stays an average of 8 seconds. You need to keep their attention with pages that are easy on the eyes. Prospects will not stay around to try and figure out how to read a difficult page.
Follow these rules for easy readability:
Don't use too small a font size. Use at least a 10pt font. Using a 9pt or smaller is too difficult to read.Don't use serif fonts (this is used for print). Use sans-serif fonts for online copy.
Use black text on a white background. Don't use white text on a black or dark background (even though pale gray text is fashionable, it is difficult to read).
Keep your copy flush left.
Don't center the headline, subheads or the copy. This is a common practice on the web, but it makes it difficult to read. Try to keep the headline to one line, but if a headline is more than one line, keep it justified left-don't center long headlines. Centering a headline confuses the brain.
Tip #5 - Ditch navigation from the page. The landing page should be used primarily to sell your product or service. Don't take the precious time you have to capture the prospect's attention and divide it with yet another distraction-a navigation bar. Remember the landing page is to try and sell the prospect.
Stay tuned next week for the last five!
Monday, August 3, 2009
3 Easy Steps to Get Your Email Delivered, Read - And Boost Sales!
Let's face it--everyone that's signed up for an e-newsletter, e-course, downloads, or buys products or services online gets "e-blasted" daily with promotional email.
So--if you're using email to market to potential customers, how do you increase the probability that your email messages get delivered and read in a time of SPAM filers? Here are some great tips from Jimmy D. Brown, author of, "How to Actually Produce Profits By Using the Power of Email Marketing."
Step 1: The first step is to use "downloadable" email messages to deliver your e-newsletter, free report, e-course, or online information.
A "downloadable email message" is an informational message that announces to the subscribers on your list that the information they want is ready for access as a download. This means rather than delivering the information within the actual email message, you give the subscribers a link to the information so that they can download the information as shown below:
Example:
Subject: The latest edition of the Daily E-Newsletter is available!
Dear Subscriber: The latest edition of the Daily E-Newsletter is available for download at the following web address: (your download link goes here).
Have a nice day.
Sincerely,
The Daily E-Newsletter Staff
Why use the "downloadable email message"?
- The email is much more likely to get passed SPAM filters because the length of the email text is significantly shorter-instead of hundreds or thousands of words, your message is only around 50 words-making it easier to pass through the filter tests and obstacles.
- The subscribers "download" the information as a "file" they save to their computer and keep, so they perceive it has having more value.
- It gives your download a longer shelf life than if the information was sent in an email. Why...because the subscribers would more than likely scan the information in an email and file it away or delete it. When it is a downloadable file it is saved on the subscribers' computer-now they may view it again at a later date.
But how do you get them to look at it at a later date...
Step 2: Use "keyword phrases" as your downloadable filename. Subscribers may see the file weeks or months later on their computer. If you name the file with a recognizable name...this increases the chances that they will open the file again, read it and potentially buy or revisit your website.
Example:
Use recognizable filenames such as: lose-10-pounds.pdf
rather than unrecognizable filenames such as: lose10.pdf
Be careful not to make the filenames too long. You want them to be instantly recognizable to get the subscribers to click and open.
Step 3: Link the subscribers to a download page that is on your website with a link to the downloadable file rather than just putting a direct link to the download in the email.
You want to direct them to your website so that they potentially see other products or services on your site that they may be interested in. Even if their not interested in buying today, they may bookmark the page and visit it later.
So--if you're using email to market to potential customers, how do you increase the probability that your email messages get delivered and read in a time of SPAM filers? Here are some great tips from Jimmy D. Brown, author of, "How to Actually Produce Profits By Using the Power of Email Marketing."
Step 1: The first step is to use "downloadable" email messages to deliver your e-newsletter, free report, e-course, or online information.
A "downloadable email message" is an informational message that announces to the subscribers on your list that the information they want is ready for access as a download. This means rather than delivering the information within the actual email message, you give the subscribers a link to the information so that they can download the information as shown below:
Example:
Subject: The latest edition of the Daily E-Newsletter is available!
Dear Subscriber: The latest edition of the Daily E-Newsletter is available for download at the following web address: (your download link goes here).
Have a nice day.
Sincerely,
The Daily E-Newsletter Staff
Why use the "downloadable email message"?
- The email is much more likely to get passed SPAM filters because the length of the email text is significantly shorter-instead of hundreds or thousands of words, your message is only around 50 words-making it easier to pass through the filter tests and obstacles.
- The subscribers "download" the information as a "file" they save to their computer and keep, so they perceive it has having more value.
- It gives your download a longer shelf life than if the information was sent in an email. Why...because the subscribers would more than likely scan the information in an email and file it away or delete it. When it is a downloadable file it is saved on the subscribers' computer-now they may view it again at a later date.
But how do you get them to look at it at a later date...
Step 2: Use "keyword phrases" as your downloadable filename. Subscribers may see the file weeks or months later on their computer. If you name the file with a recognizable name...this increases the chances that they will open the file again, read it and potentially buy or revisit your website.
Example:
Use recognizable filenames such as: lose-10-pounds.pdf
rather than unrecognizable filenames such as: lose10.pdf
Be careful not to make the filenames too long. You want them to be instantly recognizable to get the subscribers to click and open.
Step 3: Link the subscribers to a download page that is on your website with a link to the downloadable file rather than just putting a direct link to the download in the email.
You want to direct them to your website so that they potentially see other products or services on your site that they may be interested in. Even if their not interested in buying today, they may bookmark the page and visit it later.
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