Correctly managing your email opt-in process is very important. When done correctly it will increase response rates, enhance your brand reputation, and even increase the possibility of customers becoming evangelists for your brand. In fact, email subscribers who have come through an advanced sign up or "welcome program" can have email open rates over 40%, and up to 10% increase in response rates.

For a successful email welcome program, follow these 5 key steps:

1. First point of contact – the sign up form.

Don’t make people search your site looking for a place to enter their email address. Make it clear and concise and above the fold (for the average screen size and resolution).

Incentivize – be descriptive in the language used at this stage. You could also think about including an offer; however I would recommend testing the effectiveness of this.

Average:

Better:

Bit better:

Very good:

2. Simple data capture at the first stage.

Ask quick and relevant questions at first – not long-winded, irrelevant, boring-looking questions. Always ask yourself why you are asking for this data and how you are going to use it. Personalization? Analysis? Or “just because it might be interesting”?

Not enough:

Way too much at this stage:

Perfect:  

3. Double-opt in confirmation email.

The most common question I’m asked is “Why should we use double-opt in”. I have written about this before (Read: Should you use a confirmation email? Pros and cons).

The real reason why is because it builds an inbox relationship. People have to open the email, read the email and click on the email. It also gives you the opportunity to remind email subscribers to add your From address to their whitelist or address book to ensure future delivery of your email marketing to the inbox rather than the junk folder.

This is the first email new subscribers receive from you – better make it a good one!

4. Preference page after subscribers are "active" and fully opted in.

This is the perfect opportunity to collect some preference data about new subscribers. You can then use this preference data to segment your list to send future email communications that are timely and relevant to people.

5. Whitelisting, incentives, calls to action, sample e-newsletters, social and viral elements.

At every stage of the email welcome program you should always include customer service-type information. This will encourage more email opt-ins. It also gives people the chance to invite friends to sign up, and the chance to be social.

Nice whitelisting and information:

Lots of Perks:

Good social:

Finally, I’m a big advocate for A/B split and multivariate testing. Why not test an incentivized sign up vs. a non-incentivized sign up? This will allow you to analyze if offering the discount, that is affecting your bottom line, is actually required. You can also test the subject lines on the confirmation email and the welcome email.

Summary:

If you include and get the following right – you can expect an increase in response rates from your email subscribers:

1. Clear and concise first point of contact

2. Simple data capture at the first stage

3. Double-opt in confirmation email

4. Preference page after subscribers are active and fully opted in

5. Whitelisting, incentives, calls to action, sample e-newsletters, social and viral elements

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