Email Marketing – Single Or Double Opt in – That is the Question

Posted by on 12 June 2011

As an email marketer, you understand the value of using an autoresponder when building your email list. You will inevitably face the question of whether to use the single or double opt in option . It is a common question in email marketing and a very important question in my opinion.

Many believe single opt in is better, in that they prefer not to send a visitor through many channels in order to acquire information. Believing less channels equal more sales. This may be true depending on the offer and the list, however along with single opt in generally comes more SPAM complaints for various reasons:

Don’t like the offer…

PO’ed because you’re promoting something for money, even if providing free helpful information initially…

Sending a follow-up email 2 days or 2 weeks later

It can be anything. The thing is when these complaints mount up, you have no recourse to prove these were legitimate requests made through your opt in form. And if they don’t cry spam, single opt in tends to clog your list with non-responsive, tire-kickers. Primary reason, opt in’s are not made to affirm “Yes, I want this information.” When opt in’s take the time to go into their inbox and click a “confirmation link”, they are re-affirming, “Yes, I definitely want to receive this information.”

When requiring a potential subscriber go through these motions, you are pulling them out of acting merely on instinct. You are making them not only say, “Yes.” (passively, unconsciously) but “Yes, Yes!” (consciously, actively).

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I prefer double opt in. Primarily because I spend time and effort creating quality content for my subscribers and I want those who request it to really want it, pay attention when they receive it and truly value what I’m offering.

3 Reasons To Use Double Opt In

One – You make potential subscribers pay attention to what you’re offering – double opt in does just that.

Sorry folks but human nature does not naturally (or on first impulse) value opportunities or information that is readily given to them, sad but true. So it’s up to you make visitors recognize the information they are requesting as valuable and highly-important.

Two – You have confirmed data (proof) that someone at THIS email address, used THIS name on THIS date at THIS time requested information be sent to them after visiting your website, AND they actually clicked a link to confirm the request was made.

Even though anyone can cry foul or in this instance SPAM, you’re safe… protected because you now have valid proof on your side. That is why explaining to visitors “How To Confirm” and “How To Unsubscribe” helps lessen spam complaints.

You want it clear that if they no longer want to receive information from you, then they can simply click unsubscribe in the email (or follow whatever the instructions are for your particular autoresponder system). What I’ve found to be useful is using tags that show the name, email and date a subscriber used to opt into my list at the bottom of each email.

What is particularly irritating is when you’ve done all of the above and someone still chooses to click “SPAM” out of laziness vs. doing as you’ve kindly requested. Can’t control everything can we… but at least we are protected & armed with proof which is the most important thing.

Using double opt in in email marketing eases my mind in a way that allows me to relax without worrying about something coming later to bite me in the butt. You don’t want anything negative (that is within your control to prevent) to interfere with your ability to make money. I’m a risk taker but single opt in is a breeding ground for freebie-seekers and spam complaints. They’re like gnats, troublesome and annoying.

Three – You cultivate & maintain a clean, responsive email list. Email marketing is the easiest way to make fast, consistent long-term income and how you do it is key element in cultivating a responsive list – a list that responds to the information you give them and readily acts on your recommendations by either downloading, purchasing or clicking a link. A responsive list comes as a result of earned trust and respect.

You gain a certain amount of respect when someone has to confirm their request, whether it’s apparent or not, because what you’re saying is, “If you want this content, you will do what I’m asking you to do.” True subscribers will respect that because the initial impression is…

1) you know what you’re doing and
2) you’re in this for the long haul (not just a data collector)

You’re also saying that you respect them in return. As a professional you’re taking extra measures to ensure your information is going to the right place. People respect professionalism. People also value what is made to appear valuable. The value is made apparent once they receive your information and it turns out to be really great content that does something for them.

If your offer or content lives up to its perceived value, you’ve gained a subscriber’s trust. If proven worth taking the time to opt in and confirm their request, they will value what you’ve given them and, more than likely, whatever content that follows. Maintain your newly established reputation and subscribers will trust, value & respect what you have to say.

Possessing a clean, ultra-responsive list (whose numbers are in the thousands) is a treasured goldmine for any serious internet marketer. It’s what we all strive for with each online project.

I’ll conclude by saying getting optin’s to confirm can be very easy when your offer is…

=> Free (unique & cannot be easily found anywhere else)

=> Appealing (enticing; gotta have it)

=> Solves/answers an immediate problem/question (self-explanatory)

When your offer oozes all 3 of these ingredients, people will perceive it as valuable and walk through fire (double confirm their request) to get their hands on it. Although there may be arguments on the side of the single opt in option, my experience has found them to be very weak and not worth their weight.

You know, I hate SPAM as much as the next person and as an email marketer, I certainly don’t want “spam accusations” cluttering my business inbox. If a spam accusation does arise, I can readily extinguish it with valid proof.

I’d rather have a legitimate, responsive list that values what I share (one where I have developed a relationship of mutual trust & respect), than an email list riddled with junk data… incapable of producing long-term, sustainable profits. I want to separate “the genuine & the serious” from “unconscious lookie-loos & freebie-seekers” as much as possible.

Using double opt in as part of your email marketing strategy allows you to do just that. The gains are definitely worth the effort.

Sign up for the Email Marketing Overdrive 6-Figure Jumpstart where you’ll discover short-cut secrets to earning 00′s weekly in email profits and how to improve your opt-in rate by more than 50%. Visit EmailMarketingOverdrive.com

Mic Ambrose is an email marketing & list building expert who shares proven strategies to increasing email marketing profits. Be sure & sign-up for the EMO 6-Figure Jumpstart.


Article from articlesbase.com


Blogs of Interest

    Email Marketing Strategy – Are You Accidentally Sending Spam?

    Posted by on 11 June 2011

    You’d never intentionally spam anyone.  But that may not matter.  According to a 2008 Marketing Sherpa study, 21% of business professionals surveyed said they use the “spam” button to unsubscribe from lists – regardless of whether they opted in to the list in the first place.  And 39% said they use the “spam” button often or very often.  So how do you avoid getting reported as a spammer?

     

    What does the law say?

     

    In December of 2003, Congress established the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act (CAN-SPAM).  This law identifies practices all commercial emailers must follow, spells out penalties for spammers, and gives consumers the right to ask emailers to stop spamming them.  There’s also a bill being considered in Congress that would extend this law to include text messaging on cell phones.

     

    Here’s what you need to know:

    You may not give false or misleading header information. Your email’s “To:” and “From:” lines must be accurate and must identify who is sending the email.

    You may not use deceptive subject lines. The subject line of the email must not mislead readers about the contents of the email.  Deceptive emails are also subject to further Federal Trade Commission regulations prohibiting false or misleading advertising.

    You must give readers an opt-out method. You must give either an email- or Internet-based opt-out method, and it must remain open for 30 days following the email.  Once you get an opt-out request, you must stop emailing that address within 10 days.  You may not sell or transfer opt-out email addresses to any other entity.

    You must identify your email as an advertisement or solicitation. This notice must be clear and conspicuous, and you must let readers know they can opt out of receiving further commercial emails from you.

    You must include a valid physical postal address. This needs to appear in every email advertisement, solicitation, or newsletter.

     

     

    Note that CAN-SPAM does not regulate “transactional” or “relationship” business emails – defined as those emails that facilitate an agreed-upon business transaction or update a customer in an existing business relationship, other than stating such emails may not contain false or misleading routing information.

     

    And of course, if you send email that is considered to be spam by too many people, you’ll lose customers and your reputation.  And no one wants that.

     

    How do you avoid sending spam?

     

    Follow the same email marketing strategy that many national marketers use.  Know your customers well enough to never send spam.

     

    Keep a scrupulously clean list – with readers that have opted in and want to hear from you.  A double opt-in list is best.

     

    Also, make the opt-out message clear and easy to find, to reduce the chance that someone reports you as spam in lieu of formally removing themselves from your list.

     

    But most importantly, send consistently relevant messages that are so compelling, your reader won’t even think about reporting your email as spam.

     

    That’s an impressive goal, and consistently achieving that level of quality can be tough.  But with the right copywriting and a clear strategy, you’ll not only NOT be considered a spammer, you’ll also get a much higher return on your marketing efforts.

     

     

    Beth Carter, Naperville copywriter and founder of Freelance Writing Solutions, helps businesses communicate the messages their customers want to hear.  She’s been creating outstanding website content, white papers, case studies and other marketing collateral for her clients for nearly fifteen years.

    Want to see samples of her work?  Visit www.freelancewritingsolutions.com to see the results she’s achieved for her clients.

    Contact her today to talk about the right message to send to your clients!


    Article from articlesbase.com


    Blogs of Interest

      How To Use Email Autoresponders To Increase Sales

      Posted by on 09 June 2011

      Whether you have an offline or an online business, using an email auto responder to communicate with prospective or existing customers, is an effective way to increase your sales. Email marketing is easy to set up, relatively cheap and allows you to automate a significant part of your business. Read on to gain a better understanding of how email autoresponders will help to increase your sales, with minimum effort.

      Using an autoresponder service is permission based marketing at its best. There are 2 ways in which a prospect’s email address is obtained in order to send them follow up email communications. You are probably familiar with both types and will have seen them yourself.

      An existing customer is often asked to submit their personal details when purchasing or requesting additional information about a specific product. For example, think of a car manufacturer. When you request a brochure for a particular model of car, you will be asked for your details which include your email address.

      The form that you fill out, whether online or offline, will ask if you wish to receive further information. If you tick the box to state that you do, you will be added to an email mailing list. You will then start to receive useful information from that company, related to the information you initially requested.

      The other way to obtain a prospective buyer’s email is by using an opt-in form on a website. These can request a number of details, including name, phone number and even address. An email address is always required to receive further information.

      Once the email address has been entered and the form submitted, the prospect will be added to an email mailing list. Follow up emails will then be sent out on a regular basis to remind the prospect of further information, future deals or offers.

      Being able to obtain an email address by permission has the massive advantage of then being able to continuously drip information on your prospect. Instead of visiting your website once, or buying a single product and then leaving, you are able to create repeat custom from a single initial purchase.

      Email autoresponders allow automation of your email marketing by preloading a number of messages into the autoresponder service. Once a prospect enters their details, they automatically receive an initial follow up message. Further messages are then sent out at regular intervals, reminding them of your offer or service.

      Building an email mailing list is necessary to be able to effectively increase sales. Automating your email marketing allows you to harvest new prospects and then sit back and watch your business grow. Email autoresponders are an essential tool to building an automated online business.

      Ed Hodgson at www.RealIncome2Freedom.com is an experienced online income mentor who works with individuals to start their own automated internet business.

      Click the link to go to his website now to get your free report on how email autoresponders make it easy to profit online and how to build a turnkey internet business of your own.


      Article from articlesbase.com


      Blogs of Interest

        Explore Email And List Building Marketing Tips To Give Your Campaign Expertise

        Posted by on 09 June 2011

        Email and list building marketing tips are the basis of the most popular and efficient method of communication online today: email. Email marketing is both an accepted and expected method of conducting your business online, and has been so for several years.

        However, there are many Email and list building marketing tips which are essential to follow, if you wish your Email presence or campaign to have an effective result, particularly if the entire Email marketing niche is new to you. Acquire as much information about Email and list building marketing tips as possible, to ensure your image is displayed confidently, and appropriately. In so doing, you will be looked upon as someone who could be relied on, and any communication from you will always be welcomed and treated respectfully.

        Although communicating by Email is regarded as a casual and informative means of communication, there are certain ways In constructing and formatting your Email to ensure your message has the right impact. Obviously, this is dependent upon the context of your email, and for what purpose your Email is being sent. Do you have a new marketing campaign to disclose information on, or are you sending a follow-up Email to find out whether the information you provided was of interest?

        Additionally, it is necessary to present the information In the right context, and that it will be treated the way you intended. Everything should be clearly stated, and the recipient will know the exact reason for your communication. Email and list building marketing tips is a subject that contains so much information to assist you, which will guide you In any area you need help on.

        When sending an Email as a follow up to a marketing campaign, it is always of paramount importance to include a subject line. Selecting the right words is critical and a certain amount of research is needed to ensure you Do not choose words that will trigger spam into action and send your Email there. it also needs to motivate urgency, for your Email to be opened and read. so a fascinating subject line is of crucial importance, nothing less than this will do.

        Providing concise and accurate information is vital. not only will it demonstrate a professional campaign, but it will also portray you and your company with an element of confidence and experience, even though you may be a novice. Portraying a confident image usually receives a very favorable response and establishes you In a positive way. Consequently, the receiver will remember to pay close attention to any further communications received from you.

        so it is an excellent idea to ensure you familiarize yourself with as much information as possible, pertinent to Email and list building marketing tips, as this will undoubtedly play a prominent role In your success.

        WV Writing Services is a leader in providing affordable SEO services. Check out our website for email and list building marketing tips and SEO services today.


        Article from articlesbase.com


        Blogs of Interest

          Best Practices for Using an Email Autoresponder

          Posted by on 05 June 2011

          Kutenda shows you how to utilize auto reply emails to connect with prospects and customers. Email autoreponders are a critical way to nurture clients and help convert people to paying customers. www.Kutenda.com
          Video Rating: 0 / 5


          Blogs of Interest

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