by Sonja Jobson

What if I told you that you were losing potential email subscribers right this very minute? That, as you’re reading this, a perfectly suitable subscriber just left your website without opting in for emails?

If you understand how much money a quality email list can add to your bottom line, then you’d probably be pretty upset. It’s understandable.

But listen, don’t get too bummed out – there is a solution to your problem. And it happens to be quick and painless.

The following three tweaks will get your opt-in in top shape so you can start snagging more subscribers and stop missing out.

Tweak #1: Opt-In Copy

“Subscribe for Updates.”

That one little line is the kiss of death when it comes to email marketing.

And I see it happening all the time.

How many “updates” are you just dying to read right now? Really, how many?

Your website visitors are busy and totally swamped with content and emails and blog posts and social media updates. They don’t want another piece of email in their inbox unless it’s going to deliver something great.

Tweaking your opt-in copy could be the single most effective way to snag more subscribers, and all you have to do is 1) get specific and 2) highlight a benefit.

Continuing with our original example, “Updates” is a very vague description. What kind of updates? How many and how often?

People want to know exactly what they are getting into, so be absolutely clear about what you are offering.

For example:

• “Weekly discount codes…”
• “3 Webinar recordings…”
• “Free eBook…”

After you’ve gotten specific about what you are delivering, you need to tack on a benefit in order to make your offer sound enticing enough for people to take you up on it.

What value will your subscribers get out of what you are offering? To illustrate this point, let’s add a benefit to each of the specific examples above:

• “Weekly discount codes that will save you over $100 dollars”
• “3 Webinar recordings that will teach you to manage your time like a superstar”
• “Free eBook with my most popular money-saving strategies of all time”

These offers tell people exactly what they are going to get, and why they should get it.

Which would you pick: “Updates” or “My 5-step formula for growing your email list past 2k subscribers”?

I thought so.

Tweak #2: Placement

Have you ever seen those email opt-in forms stuck in the footer of your favorite websites? Probably not – because you probably didn’t think to look down there.

In order to grow your email list, your opt-in forms need to be positioned where visitors will see them.
Placing an opt-in form in your site footer is fine, as long as you make sure to place it in other, more visible locations as well.

Here are some of the most effective locations for an opt-in form:

• In the header of your website
• Near the top of your side bar
• In the body copy (preferably the first half) of your about page
• At the end of a blog post
• “Above the fold” (visible portion of the screen without scrolling) on your home page

Don’t limit yourself to just one location – place your email opt-in all over your website. People enter your website at all different points and move around it in different patterns. Make sure they have plenty of opportunities to run into your email opt-in form.

Tweak #3: The Call to Action

Your call to action for your opt-in form is generally that little bit of text within the “subscribe” button. And the problem is, most of those buttons actually have copy that says “subscribe”.

Just as it is with your opt-in copy, the most effective calls to action are both specific and compelling.

Instead of “subscribing” to an email newsletter, visitors could click “Get my free tips now”. Or, instead of “singing up”, they could click “Send me my eBook” or “Start saving money” (whatever relates to your offer).

What tips do you have for improving your opt-in conversion rates? Share them with us in the comments.

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Sonja Jobson helps small business owners learn how to market their business in a way that fits their brand, schedule, and personal style. Want to learn how to create a stress-free marketing plan that will save you loads of time? Take her FREE 5-Day Marketing Dare.

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