Growing an eCommerce email list can be done in many of the ways I mentioned in 8 great tips to grow your email list. There is one growth method an eCommerce website can use that most other websites can’t though.
Giving new customers a coupon if they subscribe to receive your newsletter is a great incentive if done correctly.
If a customer is interested in the type of product you sell and they were already thinking about purchasing, a coupon may be the tipping point. That could be the final incentive to move them forward to their purchase.
You aren’t losing out on anything if they were going to buy already, but you’re gaining a valuable subscriber which means you can further build your brand with that customer.
There are a few things you need to keep in mind to successfully use coupons as an incentive to gain email list subscribers.
Value
The coupon you offer must have value in your potential customer’s mind. Depending on the cost of your product, the value of the coupon may vary from 10% up to even 50% off.
It’s important to test to find the ideal coupon for your product and your store. It’s also important to let people know what the value of the coupon is so there’s no guessing going on. If a customer has to guess, they’ll assume it’s not worth it.
Make It Known
Beyond letting people know what the value of the coupon is, make sure you’re telling the customer if they subscribe they’ll get a coupon. Every chance you get tell your customer what they’ll get if they subscribe to your newsletter.
Make it known to the customer that they will get a coupon for their next order and take the opportunity to point out some other benefits they’ll receive in your newsletter. If a customer has to hunt for your newsletter sign-up form then they’ll never subscribe. If they don’t know what they get if they subscribe, they’ll never subscribe.
If the coupon for signing up isn’t easy to find, or in a customer’s face, it’s going to be forgotten and won’t do you any good. There is more than just making it known, though.
Make It Easy
It needs to be easy for a customer to subscribe and receive their coupon. A customer should never have to jump through hoops or try to figure out how to get their coupon.
“When will I get the coupon?” should never be a question your customer asks. Either they receive the coupon instantly once their email is verified, or you tell them exactly when and how they’ll receive it.
Ideally, the coupon is instant so as soon as someone subscribes and verifies their email address, the coupon is received. This is easy to do in MailChimp.
Nothing To Lose
You have nothing to lose by offering a coupon to grow your email list. It’s great for your long-term eCommerce email marketing strategy.
An eCommerce email list is an easy and effective place to grow brand awareness and continue to draw past customer’s into your store.
Always be sure you’re keeping the following points in mind when setting up coupons for customers who subscribe:
- Give your customers the value they’re looking for, a deal they can’t refuse.
- Let customers know they’ll get a coupon if they subscribe.
- Make getting the coupon easy and instant if possible.
For more tips for growing your email list that aren’t specific to eCommerce, but are useful, check out all 8 tips to help you grow your email list.