Email signups: capturing the golden opportunity

In the last column, I noted that a consumer who sign-ups to an email is fully engaged with the brand at that touchpoint, and so represents an extraordinary asset. With the deprecation of third-party cookies and other changes to SEO, particularly uncertainty about Google Topics, the email becomes your most likely form of consistent contact along the sales funnel.

That’s the value of the sign-up. The question that now arises is how to obtain the sign-up.

There will be two points to consider, the lead-up to the sign-up and the moments at the sign-up.

The lead-up is what draws the consumer to the form. This will typically be social media or appearance and quality of messaging on the search engine results page (SERP). You will need to identify the specific point in the sales funnel and draw the consumer to the sign-up using the benefit or attribute that the consumer is seeking.

Here’s a hint. If you are using staff announcements and announcements of participation in initiatives on social, you are not fostering meaningful interaction that leads to the ultimate transaction. What does the audience need? Think about your sales funnel or consumer journey.

To get the sign-up, you need to offer value. That value can be offered in the absence of an incentive (general interest based on the EEAT facets of experience, expertise, authority and trustworthiness) or, better yet, it can be incentivized.

Consider what the incentives are in terms of the sales funnel. Before the purchase, the consumer will want information on the potential transaction. At purchase, the consumer will want to transact. After the purchase, the consumer may want validation, advice on use or support in the form of returns or transaction information. Each of these points of the sales funnel offers the possibility of content as an incentive.

Once you have the consumer at the sign-up form ask the consumer which incentive is the most attractive and capture that for maximum relevance. Nobody wants their time wasted. If possible, use SERP or social media to lead to different forms. At this point you will use the form to emphasize the benefits and / or attributes.

On the very same pop-up capture the email address. Link the incentive to provision of the email address by being on the same page.

Gamify the process. Identify the number of steps and reflect the stage of the sign-up. People will be more motivated to complete an entire process, rather than abandon it. If possible, offer a further incentive with each step.

Given the requirements of the CAN-SPAM Act and GPDR, there must be multiple fields of data to capture. If you go the incentives route using provision of information, this should be manageable, although developing multiple elements of content may be time-consuming. By identifying the attraction and relevance of the incentive, you should be able to identify and prioritize content.

The final step is confirmation for use of data. You need to be very clear on use of data and obtain consumer consent, typically through an email confirmation. If you are using an incentive, it may be advisable to link delivery of the incentive to confirmation of the sign-up.

Your email sign-up is productivity and future transactions. Manage it and use it to your best advantage.