Do you want to take things to the next level with your business blog visitors? An effective opt-in offer invites your most interested readers to become your future clients or customers.

What are Opt-in Offers & What Can They Do for Your Business

An effective opt-in offer is a key strategy for inbound and permission-based marketing. Basically, you offer something of value to potential customers in exchange for their personal contact information. Usually, people who opt-in join a mailing list and are considered warm leads or future customers.

An effective opt-in offer helps you build a list of potential customers who want to hear from you and are interested in your product. In other words, the best offer must target your ideal customer. Afterall, there is no point in targeting people who do not want or cannot afford your product or service.

In the content marketing world, an informational resource like a white paper, ebook, or printable tip sheet are popular opt-ins. Some retailers or service businesses offer a new client discount as an opt-in. Arts and entertainment organizations may offer event invitations as opt-ins. Some brands use a sweepstakes or contest as an opt-in. The choices are endless and specific to your brand and your business.

Before you create your opt-in, strategize how you will follow-up. For most small businesses and brands, the purpose of the opt-in to start a relationship. You build or expand a mailing list from your opt-ins. Plan to make your e-newsletter or mailing list into something your customers look forward to reading. A retail shop may include style tips and flash sales. A business-to-business list may include curated news in your industry along with special offers and motivational content.

How To Create Your Own Effective Opt-in Offer

Choose something that plays to your strengths and expertise. Not only do you want the offer to attract your leads, you also want the actual “gift” to engage them and inspire them to become your client or customer.

Ideas to Consider When Planning Your Offer:

  • Choose something that would appeal to your ideal customer and ideally would not appeal to people who would never buy from you.
  • Offer something of value; you want your lead to look forward to receiving an email from you. Remember most people hesitate to share contact information due to the prevalence of spam and scams. Entrepreneur shared ideas on how to create an opt-in your visitors will love.
  • Set up a tracking method so you know when the offer is redeemed and can follow-up.
  • Don't be spammy. Yes, there is a fine line between spam and promotion. Once you cross that line, you will lose your lead.

Examples of Common Opt-In Offers:

  • Ebooks, white papers, or informative publications
  • E-courses and webinars
  • Invitations to online or offline events
  • Discounts on products or services
  • Other downloadables like ecards, GIFs, podcasts, audiobooks

After you create your opt-in offer, you need to set up your “sales” funnel. This is important since the main purpose of an opt-in is to generate great leads and to form relationships.

  • Create a compelling landing page that sells your offer and collects the customer's information. For low-value opt-ins, you may want to keep the commitment low. For example, if you are offering a free ebook consider asking only for their name, city, and a valid email address. For higher-value opt-in's you may ask for more information.
  • Be sure to disclose that you will add them to your mailing list. Offer fun, useful, or motivating content, and exclusive sales on a regular, but not-to-frequent basis via your list.
  • Have a system in place to keep track of your list. You may want to require two-factor authentication to ensure your lead is actually interested.
  • Deliver the offer and add the customer to a follow-up list. Choose your follow-up well as a hard sell follow-up may result in losing a potential customer. Look into automation tools that follow your opt-in from landing page through follow-up. HubSpot is one popular automation tool that some brands use to manage their opt-in and sales funnels.

An effective opt-in offer strengthens your content marketing strategy. Contact us to learn more about how to grow your business.