If you’re focused on building your email list, you probably have at least one opt-in offer already. But how well is your offer converting? If the results haven’t been quite as good as you imagined they might be, it could be time to look at your opt-in with fresh eyes.
The mistakes we make with our opt-in offers range far and wide, from offering something your audience doesn’t want or need to being a ‘nice-to-have’ rather than a ‘must-have.’ And in truth, given the sheer number of people offering an opt-in gift in exchange for an email address these days, there’s a lot of clutter to cut through to convince your target audience that what you’re offering is worth their time.
Luckily, there’s a few simple guidelines you can follow to make sure the next opt-in offer you create is one that your audience can’t resist.
1. It solves a problem they’re experiencing right now.
A good opt-in offer identifies an existing problem and offers to (at least partially) solve it right now. The key is to make sure the problem you’re solving is specific and something that requires a solution. This is ultimately what makes your offer valuable.
Once you’ve created an offer that solves a real problem, you need to convince people that your opt-in offer is the real deal (aka it works!). In other words, even though your offer is free, you still need to sell it to your audience. Your audience isn’t giving you money for your opt-in offer but they are giving you perhaps the next best things – their time and space in their inbox. Write your squeeze page copy to position your opt-in offer as the solution to their biggest problem and you’ll be absolutely irresistible.
2. It is highly actionable.
Your opt-in offer should be something your audience can act on. Many people make the mistake of offering something like the first chapter of an eBook without realising it contains little actionable content. Don’t just give your audience something to think about, give them something to do. Great opt-in offers inspire and educate your audience to take action in their life or business. Think about what you could offer that would have your audience scrambling for a pen and paper to take notes and write a to do list! Can’t think of anything actionable you could offer? Try a simple one-page checklist or a two-page workbook to guide them through a difficult task within your expertise.
3. It is consumable within 15 minutes or less.
A short opt-in offer is a good opt-in offer! Most people are time poor and have a relatively short attention span, particularly when they’re online. Make your offer consumable within 15 minutes to ensure it is completed and used. Opt-in offers that are used are going to produce much bigger results for your audience than those that sit unread in an inbox. And results mean they’re much more likely to come back to you for more. Good examples are a five-page eBook or a 10-minute video workshop.
4. It aligns closely with the products and services you offer.
Though it might seem obvious that your opt-in offer should align closely with your product and service offering, this is one that many new business owners get wrong. Your free offer should align closely with your paid offerings, meaning it appeals to the same target market and falls into the same broad topic area. This will ensure that the people you are attracting to your email list are the kind of people who will move on to buy your paid products. (Once you’ve impressed them with what you’re giving away, that is!)
Your next step
By following these four guidelines, you’ll ensure you create an opt-in offer that is enticing, actionable, highly valuable and leads people to your paid products. If you have an opt-in offer already, consider whether it meets these four criteria. If you don’t have one yet, it’s time to get to work.
Need a nudge to get your opt-in going and strengthen your community? The One Woman Shop Building Your Online Community e-course is here! Click on the image below to learn more.
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- How to Create an Opt-In Offer Your Audience Can’t Resist - June 17, 2015
Thank you for publishing this post One Woman Shop. I’m very excited to be featured, and I hope your readers find this post useful in creating their own irresistible opt in offer.