There is a temptation when planning a campaign to gain subscribers to your email marketing list, to wander down to the stock room to see what is not moving and then picking that as the offer. But if nobody wanted it when it was new why should they be overcome with desire now that it is forgotten?
What you need for an offer in your campaign is something which your target audience really wants and you can afford.
The first essential is to define the demographic you are after. For those just starting out in the business of email marketing this might well be a very broad description, limited to age, income, employment, that sort of thing. For those who are established and have sufficient details you might be after someone quite specific.
So what can you afford to entice them to sign up to your email marketing list?
There are four main types of offer:
1. Information
This has the distinct attraction of often not costing you an awful lot. It might be an insight into new forthcoming legislation, or perhaps a review of products, such as, for instance, a new London show. It could be that you have invested in research to put you a little ahead of your competitors but now they know all about it, the information loses a lot of its value to you. Disclosing this information to the world at large, probably with the heading “What our competitors do not want you to know”, could encourage quite a few people to sign up. It might also hurt your competitors just a little.
2. Money
We are not talking cash of course, but a reduction in price of a sought after item, or the more complex ‘buy one, get one free’. You could be running a prize draw but if the product has considerable intrinsic value then you might well be overwhelmed by those who sign up merely for the item. On top of that of course, it costs quite a bit. Conversely, if the product is a bit scrag end the probability is that no one will be enticed.
3. Special treatment
If you sell tickets to venues where celebrities will perform or merely attend then a chance in a lottery for 20 fans to attend the pre-opening meal can be really exciting for some if they can see their idols chew.
4. A bit of fun
Do not underestimate the value of a bit of levity. One of the most popular YouTube type videos is out-takes. Newsagent’s shelves are creaking under the weight of celebrity gossip.
How about offering a chance to be the first to sample the new computer game, bungee jump or have a track day with the latest car model.
Obviously each of these headings has considerable subheadings. Whilst at first glance the choice seems to be vast, in point of fact your email marketing software will show you what would really make your target sit up and take notice.
The offer can make or break your campaign. Take a bit of trouble over it.
