Streamline Your Sidebar
If you have a signup form in your site’s sidebar but aren’t getting as many new list subscribers as you’d like, Derek Halpern from Social Triggers says the best way to solve this problem is by taking a “less is more” approach.
Instead of cluttering your sidebar with everything from link lists to category sections, his recommendation is to remove everything but the essentials. In his case, this means only having a signup form and a popular posts list. By stripping away visual clutter, you can ensure visitors focus on what matters most.
Test Different Designs
After building a targeted email list, many business owners are disappointed that it doesn’t convert as well as they expected. Although it’s easy to assume that your list isn’t actually interested in what you have to offer, the fact that it’s very targeted means this probably isn’t the real cause.
Instead, the issue may be that you’re not properly connecting with them. Whether your call to action isn’t grabbing their attention or there’s a problem with your layout, taking the time to test different designs and elements can significantly increase your conversion rate.
Don’t Miss Out on the Holidays
The holiday season is a prime opportunity to put your email list to work. Because people are actively looking to make purchases during this type of the year, all you have to do is give them a compelling reason to pull out their credit card.
At Practical eCommerce, Hal Licino has put together a list of the top five ways to make this happen. His tips include: target seasonal behaviors, understand past pricing preferences, update shopping & product line wishlists, allow frequency adjustments and offer mobile versions.
Start Promoting Early
Many business owners assume that they shouldn’t talk about a new product or service until it’s 100% ready to be sold. However, Adriana from Pixel 77 makes the point that your email list is the perfect tool for building excitement about new offerings that you have in the pipeline.
What’s great about using your list in this way is not only is it a great promotional avenue, but you can also gain valuable customer feedback.
Avoid the Spam Folder
Although it seems like common sense, Ashley Zeckman of TopRank brings up the important point that many email marketing efforts are hampered as a result of issues with the spam folder.
To ensure that you don’t inadvertently prevent recipients from seeing your emails, avoid common problems like subject lines with spammy phrases, multiple exclamation marks or using all capital letters.
What other techniques have helped you improve your email marketing efforts?