Collecting the email addresses and contact information of highly targeted customers is one of the most important elements of effective Email Marketing. The following sections list some tactics for collecting contact information online, in person, and in print.
Collecting Information Online:
Placing a sign up link in the form of text box, button or text that usually links to a sign-up form or confirmation page is a great way to collect information through explicit permission
Text boxes: These allow your subscribers to enter information without clicking-through to an additional sign-up form. Text boxes can ask for an e-mail address, or they can contain several fields making up an entire form.
Buttons: These are graphical representations of a link that takes the subscriber to a form to complete and submit. Buttons can be images with text inside, flashing boxes, icons, or other creative graphics.
Text links:
These are short headlines of plain text linked to a sign-up form. Text links are ideal if you want to add an option to subscribe within the context of other information or if you would like to put a line of text in your e-mail signature.
Check boxes:
These are usually employed on multiuse forms to save additional steps. For example, someone who is making an online purchase already has to fill in her name and address, so adding a sign-up.
Whether you use textboxes, buttons, text links or any other form, try placing them at different places. You can place a sign-up link almost anywhere HTML is possible. Try adding a sign-up link to the following locations:
On every page of your website
In your e-mail signature
On your blog or personal website
In banner ads and online advertising
On other websites (with permission)
In the emails of non competing business (with permission)
In online directories
On your articles
Collecting Information in Person
Whenever you start verbal communication with anyone, ask for the person for his or her contact information or email address and also explains the person benefits of joining your email lists.
Some of the ways to connect with people are –
Swap business cards
Ask whether that person's preferred e-mail address is on the card.
Place a guest book on the counter in your store or office
Keep a guest book in your car so you can ask people anywhere to sign it.
Place a basket for business cards on your table at trade shows and events
Make sure to place a sign on the basket that states your intent to send e-mails.
Train your employees to take down customer information
Ask anyone who answers the phone in your business to ask for e-mail addresses and permission when customers and prospects call.
Collecting Information through Print
Here are some ideas to collect the information through print
Send a postcard offering an incentive to return the card to the store
For example as a free gift or an entry into a drawing with the recipient's e-mail address filled into a space on the card. Be sure to explain your intended usage and also ask permission in the text.
Position your sign-up incentive to add value to your print offer.
For example, you could print, Free child's haircut with subscription to our preferred customer e-mail list.
Add your sign-up incentive to the back of your business cards.
For example, a discount dollar-store's business card could include, Our e-mail list members save 10% more! Join online, in person, or by phone.
Purchase an intuitive domain name and place it in your print advertising to promote signups.
In the preceding example, the discount dollar store could purchase a domain such as www.JoinMyEmailList.com and point it to the sign-up form on the company Web site.
What Type of Information to be Collected
Essential Information:
Professional: This includes following
Preferred e-mail address
Product lines or services of interest
ZIP code (if you conduct events or have multiple locations)
Personal: This includes
First name
Opinions and Preferences
Getting to Know Your List Members Better:
Open ended questions: "What you usually prefer to have in dinner"
Communication type: You can always ask your prospective customers about the type of information they are interested in. Following is the sample of some of the information that can be included
Monthly Newsletter
Discounts & Special offers
New Product Announcements
Parties & Events Invitations
Press Releases
Tech Support & Product Tips
Service Intervals Reminders
Last-Minute Appointments Special
Demographic interests: try combining demographic questions (such as age or income) and interest questions together as one category so that a customer doesn't have a privacy issue. Below is a sample of this
Spare-no-expense travel destinations
Singles-only event invitations
Golfing with kids younger than 12
Entertaining with limited space
Gardening on a budget
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