A Bird’s Eye View of Opt-Ins

Most online follow up campaigns begin with an opt-in on a blog, website or squeeze page. The new subscriber discovers he has to provide contact details in order to get those wonderful 3 free WordPress Templates.

Nowadays, this is no surprise to most people: But if your customer is in a niche not connected with internet marketing, he may feel surprised and annoyed… or “held to ransom”.

But he really wants those WordPress templates – the green one is perfect for his new Pond Plans blog!  So, grudgingly, he types in his name and email address… and his journey through your follow up system begins…

Making First Contact
	
The first thing to ensure is that his first experience with providing his contact info in exchange for a promised reward is a good one.

This means it has to run smoothly, without too many multiple opt-ins and without what he might view as complicated instructions.

Then – after your “thank you” – your product has to really delight him. In fact, he should feel so happy with it, he’s actually looking for other products or freebies from you, right away.

And just at the right, most natural moment, you have to delight him by offering him a chance to get more templates (or graphics, or a video blogging instructions – whatever best compliments your opt-in product). For a fee that fits with his budget (which you’ve researched your market enough to know).

While he’s still thinking about it, you start sending him your follow up email tips and information, cementing yourself as a trustworthy “friend”.  Only after he’s received enough of these to feel that the exchange is not one-sided, do you present your next, perfectly tailored offer.  

He could click your sales page without hesitation and purchase your offer straight  away… but it so happens he had to rush his 2 year old daughter to the clinic that morning, to get that pea taken out of her left ear. So in a couple of days, when the excitement has died down, you send a simple reminder, which he’s glad to get…

That’s how you should be thinking – from behind his eyes, in his shoes – as you set up your opt-in offers.

Do it like this, and you’re well on your way to creating not just a one-time customer, but a loyal, frequently-purchasing fan.