THE MORE THE MERRIER!
A GUIDE TO INCREASING YOUR
SUBSCRIBER NUMBERS
Increasing the number of subscribers in your mailing lists is just one of the ongoing challenges many of us face. You’ve seen the ROI email campaigns can provide and you want to get your messages out to the masses, but that can take time when you’re busy building lists full of
genuinely interested people. It takes even more time to get those all important email addresses if you’re only relying on your website sign-up box!
The key is quality, not quantity!
Remember that the focus should be on the quality of your data rather than how much you’re collecting. Engaging only with those who are interested and interacting with your emails is the key to getting a higher ROI, as well as better inbox delivery rates. Afterall, if your emails aren’t even reaching the inbox, what good is your well-crafted copy and design?
Grow your own!
Purchasing piles of questionable third party data may see you with nothing but a direct ticket to the junk folder! And that’s if you’re lucky; worst case scenario you could end up in a mess where consent and deliverability are concerned.
Organically grown data is proven to outperform purchased data in terms of opens, clicks and conversions, also providing you with the peace of mind you never quite get with purchased lists. Organic data sees far fewer bounces, unsubscribes and complaints too, so we’d always recommend keeping your focus on growing your lists organically.
Remember...
3rd party leads are ice cold!
Subscribers you’ve acquired yourself have pro-actively opted-in. They’re therefore automatically much more engaged than someone on a third-party list, who isn’t expecting to receive any
communications from you.
It’s not ‘good’data
People who’ve opted in to hear from third parties still don’t necessarily know it’s you who’ll be contacting them. They may have shared their information, but they haven’t said they want to hear from you specifically, so you can’t assume they want your emails!
You don’t know these people!
They haven’t asked to hear from you so you don’t know anything about their previous activity, or where they’ve came from in the customer journey. They simply fit a loose profile which doesn’t detail any preferences or activity for
you to go on.
If you insist on purchasing data, there are some legitimate providers data out there, who are certified in providing data matching criteria you’ll set. But this won’t get you the type of return you want to see from your email activity, especially after all of the hard work you put into making your emails great.
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WHERE TO START
Ensuring success with email starts with a great strategy, which starts with gathering that key piece of information; the email address. Ultimately, you want to gather more subscriber information, but an email address is the only starting point to sending out your campaigns. That’s why we’ve come up with this guide to gathering more email addresses, showing you how you can think outside of the ‘sign-up on our homepage’ box and get a little more inventive with your methods of gathering data.
With that in mind, what’s covered?
WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN Lightboxes Page 4
Text Data Capture Page 10
Events Page 15
Competitions & Giveaways Page 15
In-store Data Capture Page 6 Google Adwords Page 12 Social Media Page 15 Website Sign-up Page 15 Facebook Sign-up Page 8 QR Codes Page 13 Guest Blogs Page 15 Email Sharing vPage 15
WHAT ARE THEY?
A lightbox is a pop-up box which appears on your web page, prompting your visitor to enter their details - usually for a newsletter sign-up. It’s essentially a data capture form, appearing as a box that fades into view, usually overlaying a central part of the web page while the rest of that page is faded out, bringing maximum attention to the lightbox.
Lightboxes have been around for a little while now, but have gained momentum in recent years, being used by more and more brands as a method of data capture.
WHY USE ONE?
Typical stats for the average website show a visitor split of 35% new and 65% returning. Using a lightbox to engage with new visitors is a great way of getting them to subscribe to your email communications when they first visit your website, tapping into this new audience. Without the use of a lightbox brands often rely on website call to action buttons, hoping visitors will find their sign-up form, click through and then sign-up to receive email communications. But subscription forms can often be missed, whereas the ‘sudden’
appearance of a lightbox draws attention to the call to action and gets visitors to subscribe straight away.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The page visitor can either enter their details or exit the form, still staying on the page they visited, with the form only appearing once per visitor. This makes this method optional for the potential subscriber, not pushy or intrusive at all but a great way of encouraging sign-ups from those web visitors you’d have otherwise missed.
A typical implementation would see a lightbox appear once per visit and repeated on subsequent visits once enough time has passed. The definition of ’enough time’ depends on the frequency the average visitor comes to the website. Ensure that the lightbox doesn’t appear too often as this can annoy your visitors.
Timing is everything
Lightboxes can be a good interruption for a visitor to your homepage, when timed correctly. Ensure your lightbox pops up relatively soon after your visitor hits your page - waiting until half way through the time they spend browsing can make it an annoyance and means they’ll be more likely to exit the form without even looking at what you’re asking of them.
Give your visitor the option
It’s important you don’t push the sign-up too much or it’ll annoy your visitor, so highlight the X or ‘Close’ option to exit the form, should the visitor not wish to subscribe. This will give those who want to the opportunity to abandon your form quickly and easily - remember; they’re still on your site and could still purchase so all’s not lost.
Think about what you’re asking
What you include in your lightbox depends on the information you want to collect. You may need information like date of birth if your campaigns contain links to adult content, but otherwise you should keep your questions to a minimum, as too many requests can be off-putting. We’d recommend just asking for the email address, or maybe the visitor’s email & name at most - other information can be captured further on in the customer journey, through your welcome programme for example.
Try using an incentive
This is optional as it’s not always relevant, but many brands choose to use an offer or an incentive to encourage visitors to complete the form. If you already offer a promotion to first time buyers this is a great place to advertise that, like feelunique.com have done in the example we’ve shown.
Keep it short and sweet
The form should be quick to read, complete and submit. Readers should be informed that they’re subscribing to email communications and the opt-in should be obvious so the
subscriber has to take positive action to subscribe and is aware of what they’re doing. Keep the copy simple and get to the point quickly so visitors know what you’re trying to do.
IMPORTANT! Ensure you provide a link to your privacy policy and ask your subscriber to tick a box to confirm their opt-in.
Be clear
The last stage in completing the form is submitting the details your recipient has entered, so make the submit button stand out. Test out different colours to see what works best for your brand and what gets the best results, taking into account the psychology of colours and what works well with the rest of your site.
Say thanks!
Thank the subscriber for signing up and give a clear call to action to encourage the new subscriber to navigate around your website as intended. If a welcome offer exists for new subscribers, encourage them to look at their inbox for their introductory offer to encourage them to spend straight away.
WHAT IS IT?
In-store data capture aims to capture information from your in-store customers and venue visitors. Think ‘bricks to clicks’ - this method brings together online & offline by encouraging your in-store customers to sign-up for digital communications.
WHY USE IT?
If you operate a number of stores or venues but you’re not collecting data from your visitors, you could be missing a trick. Collecting email addresses from those in-store customers who aren’t signed up to your campaigns already means you’re widening the scope of your messaging, as well as encouraging repeat purchases by driving your customers back with future emails.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
There are a number of methods you can use to collect customer data in this way;
Digital sign-up points
For example, a stand holding a tablet device which shows a data capture form. The customer is presented with the opportunity to enter their details at one of the multiple points within your store, gathering email address and opt-in information, linking straight back to your Communicator mailing list and CRM system.
This non-invasive technique relies on the customer to be pro-active in entering their details, so your messaging around the stand should be clear and persuasive. It also means the customer is able to verify their own information, bypassing the chance of advisor errors like misspelling.
Point of sale form
A point of sale form is a great method to use whilst a transaction is being carried out. Providing a form for the customer to fill out is a great time filler while they’re waiting for their purchase to go through and it’s something which can be easily promoted by the sales assistant.
Encourage sign-ups in this way by briefing sales staff to ensure consistency in the way the method is promoted - keep a pile of forms by the till point and no other distractions.
EPOS
Another method carried out at the point of purchase, many modern EPOS systems allow till operators to capture customer email addresses during the checkout process. The sales advisor is presented with an on-screen prompt asking the customer for their details. This type of immediate data capture means the information taken is automatically synced back to your Communicator mailing lists and CRM system, so your new subscriber will benefit from being entered straight into your welcome cycle while your brand is fresh in their mind.
Test your incentive
Incentives can vary from “Win £250 to spend in-store” to “Get a FREE £10 voucher” or “Free loyalty points when you sign-up”, but they should all encourage email registration no matter what data capture method you’re using. Of course, test which type of incentive you use and the language you promote it with to see what works best for your audience.
As always, keep it sweet!
Your in-store forms should be quick to read, complete and submit, even more so for your printed postcards. Keep copy to a minimum, ensuring it explains exactly what the purpose of the form is. If it’s a digital form, use a large CTA button to ensure the information is submitted and if it’s a printed form use large entry boxes to provide plenty of space for your new
subscriber to enter their details.
Honesty is the best policy
Be explicit with informing your subscriber exactly what they’re signing up for - trying to hide what you’ll do with their information isn’t going to benefit anyone! If you can, include an opt-in tick box (this can be pre-checked if it’s a digital form, as long as your customer has the option to un-tick it), so that the subscriber can truly process what they’re doing.
Be grateful
Say thanks! Whether it’s a digital form leading to a ‘thank you’ landing page or your sales advisors ensuring they thank the customer for providing their details, this will provide a positive experience for new subscribers.
Don’t ask for too much!
As with any data capture, it’s best to keep what you’re asking for to a minimum where you can, so that you’re not putting potential subscribers off giving you their information. Stick to just the email address or the name & email address at most, with an opt-in box. That way, you can ensure the process is quick and easy, then you can gather further information later on in the customer journey.
Receipt prompts
For those customers who’ve chosen not to subscribe using your other in-store methods, a URL or QR code printed onto a sales receipt is a handy last attempt at gathering their details. Use a URL linked to your sign-up form with 1 or 2 lines of text explicitly setting the expectation, like “sign-up to be the first to hear about new products and promotions”. Or use a QR code which links the customer straight to a dedicated landing page, holding a few lines of copy promoting the sign-up and your data capture form.
WHAT IS IT?
Social media has grown in importance over recent years, with nearly all of our favourite brands having adopted its use here or there... if you’re not using it you could be missing out!
Facebook is one of the most popular social media channels used by consumers and can be used by brands to capture new email subscribers, using the Communicator Facebook app. The app provides integration between your company Facebook page and your Communicator mailing lists, so your social followers can sign-up to receive your emails (and their data feeds straight into your mailing list), whilst remaining in the realms of your social page.
WHY USE IT?
Your social fans (those people who’ve ‘liked’ your page and follow you socially) aren’t always signed up to receive your emails... things just aren’t always that straightforward! This could be down to a number of reasons, and not all bad - maybe they’ve just never really thought about hearing from you via email as your social posts have sufficed so far, or perhaps they’ve never been presented with the opportunity to sign-up. Either way, there’s a group of people who fall under the category of ‘non-subscriber/social fan’ who you could be targeting to sign-up.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The sign-up option is located in a prominent place at the top of your Facebook page, so that visitors to your page are presented with a clear option to sign-up to your emails, shown in the John Smedley example below...
This method keeps the process of signing up nice and easy for your subscribers, but means you’re tapping into an audience of potential new sign-ups that you wouldn’t have otherwise been able to get information from... win, win!
You can find instructions on how to install the form via the Communicator app Facebook page.
Keep your forms consistent
Make sure you keep your social data capture forms consistent with your brand and the other assets on your social pages, as well any forms you use elsewhere.
Use the opportunity to gather valuable information... but stay relevant!
Data capture forms which sit within a social environment allow for a little bit more leeway when it comes to what you’re asking your subscribers. This means you can get away with asking a little bit more than you would want to in-store or at the checkout... but it doesn’t mean you’re free to ask for reams of information! Just a couple of extra questions to kick-start the campaigns you send your new subscriber.
Moss Bros demonstrates this really well by asking their new subscribers for a clothing
preference and a location, but nothing more so that the subscriber isn’t likely to abandon the form all together!
WHAT IS IT?
Ideal for customers on the go, text data capture lets potential subscribers sign-up when and where they wish. This makes it a great method for targeting sign-ups from mobile-centric
customers - research shows we’re now more mobile savvy than we’ve ever been, with some of us spending hours of our day glued to our smart phones. In fact, the stats show we can’t even put down our mobiles while socialising or during meal times - a little shameful for us mobile maniacs but a perfect opportunity for marketers!
WHY USE IT?
The amount we rely on constant contact with our smart phones as a society means you’re already winning half the battle - your potential subscribers have their mobiles readily available; you just need to make your ‘text in’ information as easily accessible. So consider where you place your keyword & short code information - your customer is on the go so your promotion needs to be too. Think about incorporating it onto your sales receipts, shopping bags, promotional flyers and event stands.
It’s important you make it easy and convenient for consumers to engage with your brand, so gathering data in this way is a key part of that approach. What’s more, your customers will appreciate you making the process simple for them.
Use text data capture to encourage sign-ups in your venue on posters and interactive boards. Or, use your shortcode & keyword combo to enhance your print ads, like Coca Cola below, who’ve focussed on just gathering mobile numbers...
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Text data capture works by firstly choosing a keyword specific to your brand or the campaign you’re running (you can set this up with your Account Manager). Your subscriber then sends a text message with this keyword, followed by their email address to a short code set up by us, specifically for you.
As well as collecting email addresses, this method will also collect the subscriber’s mobile
number due to the method they’re using to send in their details. All you have to do is ensure you state what your subscribers are opting into in the areas you advertise your short code (i.e. email or both email & text campaigns if appropriate). Alternatively, use a double opt-in option with this method, where the sign-up text triggers an email prompting your new recipients to confirm you have consent to use both their mobile number and email address in future campaigns.
Include an opt-out message
This isn’t just a tip, it’s a must! For transactional text messages you don’t need to include an opt-out, but it’s a legal requirement for all promotional ones. Be sure to include an opt-out option in the form of ‘Text STOP to...’ followed by your short code - that will do the job.
It’s not a one way system!
Ensure you send a reply to your new recipients using a triggered dispatch. This could be either an email or a text, whichever medium you see fit, taking the opportunity to thank the recipient for signing up and providing further, relevant content where appropriate.
Be campaign-specific
It’s worthwhile setting up different keywords for different campaigns, both keeping your messaging consistent and allowing you to easily track new sign-ups from specific campaigns, to see how successful your messaging has been.
Promote!
Of course, you need to efficiently promote your keyword & shortcode message to see success with it. Here’s just a few ideas of where you can do so;
• On printed literature like brochures, postcards, promotional flyers etc. • TV and radio adverts as a quick call to action
• In-store/venue - at till points, on receipts, in-store brochures and shopping bags • On your website where appropriate
• On your social media channels as a quick means of encouraging social sign-ups
WHAT ARE THEY?
Google Adwords, often referred to under PPC, is the system developed by Google assisting Marketers in promoting their products and services within the Google search engine and
affiliated sites. They take the form of text ads, placed at the top of Google’s search results when someone searches for phrases related to what you’re offering via your product or service.
WHY USE THEM?
In 2012 Google added the ability to add data collection boxes into their paid ads. Starting out as a bit of an experiment but having gained momentum since, they’ve become quite popular among many brands.
Using Adwords in this way provides a quick and easy sign-up method for potential subscribers without asking them to leave their search results page, but provides an extra method of data collection for you by picking up sign-ups from subscribers who may not have otherwise visited your website or subscribed before.
HOW DO THEY WORK?
It works just as shown below, by adding an email address box into the left hand side of the ad you’re using at the time, in order to encourage more sign-ups from those searching on your paid phrases. Then, you pay per lead collected and bid the same way the usual Google AdWords advertising works.
OUR TOP TIPS... OR SHOULD WE SAY ‘TIP’
There’s not really much for us to say on this one as you don’t have too much (or any) control over the design of the ad and the data collected. The email address is the default data being collected, but that’s great for you as that’s all you need at this stage!
What we would say is that it’s worth speaking to you Account Manager about using
Communicator Connect and Connect+ Integration once you have your Adwords in place. This will automate the data collection process directly into your Communicator mailing list, so your subscriber will benefit from a real-time subscription and things like your welcome programme, in turn allowing you to gather further information as soon as possible.
WHAT ARE THEY?
A QR code (Quick Response code) is the trademark for a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code). They’re typically made up of multiple black squares arranged in a square pattern on a white background, although you can get a custom QR code made specific to your brand, as Makro have done below, or a quirkier ‘ultimate’ QR code which is specific to your product or campaign, like Pedigree’s.
WHY USE THEM?
QR codes are used by many brands to push users through to a specific landing page or online form. They work by being scanned on a mobile device which automatically redirects the user to a specific landing page, holding a data capture form which gathers information feeding straight into mailing lists and the CRM system.
Although sometimes seen as dated, using a QR code is a fast method of data capture from the subscriber’s point of view and ensures a quick, seamless journey through to the landing page. They’re beneficial as they bring together online media and offline, with QR codes being created as a printable asset on a number of different marketing materials;
• Till receipts • Direct mail • In-store promotions • Point of sale • Advertisements • Business cards • Shop windows
• On plaques to provide more information in your venues, like museums and art galleries • On your food menus or product packaging, but only where relevant!
Choose your place wisely
Choosing where you place your QR code is vital to its success. It may sound a little obvious, but make sure you stick it somewhere it’s easily accessible for your potential subscriber to scan - we’ve seen a few too many examples of ill thought-out placement, take a look.
Keep to the task at hand
As with each of the other methods we’ve discussed, don’t beat around the bush! Keep your promotional copy encouraging a code scan clear and concise; keep your data capture forms and landing pages on the other end consistent with your campaign message and focus on the action you want your subscriber to take.
It’s right to be sceptical
There are so many irrelevant examples of QR codes out there that it causes us marketers to be a little sceptical about their use, but it’s good to be cautious. Use your cautious attitude to your advantage - analyse your use of QR codes in detail, try it, test it and if you decide your code isn’t adding any value to your campaign or where it’s placed then it needs reconsidering.
Take inspiration from others
QR codes are a proven and effective way of capturing data, but it’s often easier to find the bad examples than it is the good! So don’t be afraid to take some inspiration from the brands that’ve done it well.
OUR TOP TIPS
Some more tips to help you gather those all important email addresses;
Events
Gather opt-in consent from your stand visitors at the trade shows and exhibitions you attend, as well as the events you run yourselves. If you’re B2B you may already receive lead data, which you might from B2C events too, but changes to email marketing permission laws coming in at the end of 2015 will mean this won’t always be enough.
Being pro-active about gathering the email addresses of those stand visitors who want to hear more from you, with explicit opt-in consent, will pay off in the long run. It means you won’t be caught short in future when it comes to proving consent.
Social channels
We’ve already covered our Facebook sign-up app on page 8, but it’s important to make sure you don’t overlook those channels where there aren’t similar tools available yet.
You can still promote email sign-up on channels like Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Pinterest by effectively using your company bio and ‘about’ spaces. Think wisely and include a URL with a clear call to action, like “Sign-up for emails” or “Sign-up to be the first to hear from us” in order to tap in to these social audiences.
You can also use your social channels to promote campaigns which require an email sign-up, like offers and competition entries, covered further down in this list.
Social sharing
Using share to social buttons within your emails not only widens the scope for how far your message can reach, but means you’re also accessing groups of non-subscribers. If your content is of interest then they’re more likely to sign-up!
Guest blogs
If you regularly blog on other industry sites then a big WOOHOO for you! Your content is out there and you’re doing a great job. So use these opportunities to grow your own lists too; include clear and concise call to action links for readers to subscribe to your emails, both at the end of your blog posts and within your author bio.
Competitions & giveaways
Use competitions and giveaways which require an email address as part of the entry form, as an incentive for signing up. Working the same way as a data capture form, this information will sync directly with your Communicator mailing lists so the subscriber is signed-up in real time.
But don’t be sneaky about it! You must remember the opt-in box so it’s clear they’re signing up for emails, too.
It’s not a game of hide and seek! Consider the positioning of your website sign-up box - if you have to work for it, potential subscribers do too... and chances are they won’t! You need to make it easy for new subscribers to sign-up by keeping your sign-up box in a prominent place. Important areas to have your sign-up boxes would be your homepage, blog page, company info page and contact page.
Email sharing
Many subscribers forward emails onto a considered audience of friends and family (considered meaning the subscriber has thought your products or information would be of interest... and they know their friends best!). This holds a great opportunity for you to tap into this new
audience, so adding a subscribe link to your email messages means these people will be able to subscribe easily, without having to go out of their way to find your web page.
Use text like “Been forwarded this email? Subscribe here” or “Don’t miss out on anymore news! Click here to subscribe” to encourage your reader through the sign-up process.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Time to get cracking! We hope you’re now inspired and raring to get started with the methods we’ve told you about.
No matter how effective your current email marketing activity is, a successful email strategy starts with the recipient offering up their email address and agreeing to receive your
marketing emails. Making the most of your data capture processes will help you grow your email database, increasing the conversion opportunity your email marketing presents you with.
Remember...
In today’s busy world where consumers are inundated with marketing messages, it’s always best to get the message across quickly with a good call to action. This is something you should be mindful of when capturing data.
Not forgetting the most important thing...
Take a note of the data source when collecting data in order to obtain a record of where the data originated. This allows you to discover which marketing routes work well for new subscriber collection, also covering your back if you ever run into data and consent issues.
ANY QUESTIONS?
For more help and advice like this and to access our library of free resources, visit the Communicator blog and resources sections at www.communicatorcorp.com.
Alternatively, get in touch...
+44 (0) 844 870 8971 [email protected] @CommCorp