What is an opt-in? And why do I need one?

Sep 1, 2017

If only there was a simple way to populate your email list with interested, engaged, enchanted and relevant peeps that actually listened to – and loved – what you had to say.

It’d be like magical cleaning elves but for, you know, your business. Every night you go to sleep with the same-old mailing list subscribers then in the morning you wake up and voila – new subscribers! New fans! New buyers!

Imagine the possibilities. You’d finally have a pathway to truly connecting with your target audience and building a relationship with them. It’d be less about hustling and more about heart.

This, my dear sweet boss lady, is the value an opt-in holds, quite simply because it captures email addresses. And not just any email addresses, the email addresses of your target market. Aka the peeps you’ve been killing to get in front of.

And now that you know that, it’s wham bam, thank you ma’am, article kaput …right?

Well, because I’m a little extra, I’m going to go further and share more reasons why an opt-in needs to be a fundamental element of your marketing strategy.

But before we do that …

“Wait, what the flip is an ‘opt-in’?”

An opt-in is basically an opportunity you serve up to your target market, giving them the choice (or option) to sign up to your mailing list. For some people, the ‘sign up here’ button is their opt-in. Like, ‘sign up to receive my weekly musings’ and ‘drop your deets into this box to get my bi-monthly newsletter’. That sort of thing.

But because you’re savvy af I’m going to assume that you’re going to want to next
level this sh*t, which means your opt-in (and mine) looks a little different.

When I refer to an opt-in, I’m talking about a key element of my sales funnel. It is designed to attract the interest of my target market and persuade them that giving me their email is the best thing they could possibly do for their business. 

Part of this persuasion lies in giving them something – something valuable – for free.

In the past I’ve created opt-ins that deliver free eBooks, eGuides, infographics, email scripts, eCourses and more.

But, I hear you say, “how do I figure out what your opt-in should be?”
Here’s my foolproof process for coming up with a kick-ass opt-in:

1. Think about your ideal client (the more specific the better)…
2. Journal a list of problems they have…
3. How could you help them solve those problems?
4. What product or tool could you create that embodies that solution?

Let’s go through an example. 
Say you are a designer who specialises in wedding stationery.

1. Think about your ideal client: Women who are planning a wedding in the next 6-24 months. 

2. Journal a list of problems they have: They feel like they don’t have enough time
or help when planning their wedding.They don’t know about invitation etiquette or how much is a reasonable amount to spend on stationery. They are overwhelmed with choices and decisions. 

3. How could you help them solve those problems? Helping them find more time (lists!). Educating them on invitation etiquette. Helping them ditch the the stress of making decisions. 

4. What product or tool could you create that embodies that solution?

  • Checklist for invitation info & requirements
  • Swipe file of different invitation wording categorised in styles, ie. formal, casual etc
  • A video tutorial of how to create a clear & concise pinterest board for your invitation inspo
  • Consistent wedding stationery checklist (where you can list everything they will need)
  • Ebook with a list of ways to personalise their invitations so that they are unique 


Getting the hang of it? 



Let me remind you again why an opt-in is SO important for your business….

• Buyers usually visit a website eight times before they make a purchase. Having an opt-in will help you capture their details so you can continue wooing and winning them over (and persuading them to take that valuable next step: buying).

• With consistent and high quality content (i.e. email marketing), you can convince your audience that you’re the go-to person within your niche.

• Opt-ins help you connect with your audience on a more intimate, personal level.

• Opt-ins increase conversions (i.e. turning browsers into buyers).

Sounding like a no brainer?
Ready to rock and roll with your own opt-in & learn how it works in your sales funnel?

Join me for FREE webinar all about Sales Funnels for designers! 
Reserve your seat here.

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