TOC #154: On my hands and knees for this...
(December 5, 2023) [EMAIL MARKETING SERIES 2/4]: How to write the best opt-in copy
I don't get down on my knees that often—
Wait.
Oh my god, First name / friend, get your mind OUT of the GUTTER!
I know I talk about dating stories sometimes but Christ almighty, I'm NOT talking about THAT. 🙄
What I MEANT was that I'm not often — FIGURATIVELY — on my hands and knees begging for something.
I have self respect, ya know? If it involves begging, I don't want it. I don't even concern myself with thinking about it.
("If he wanted to, he would" and all that.)
But… there is ONE thing I'm going to beg for, and it's this:
STOP asking people to “join your email list.”
Because this will be the response:
→ Why should I?
→ What's in it for me?
→ How often are you gonna email me?
→ Is it even good?
→ What are you gonna email me about?
...among probably many other questions, all along the "um, why?!" variety.
But when you give people a REASON to subscribe—aka when you *tell them* why they should want to—the response is more like this:
→ Cool, sure, I want these emails!
→ That sounds awesome, gimme!
→ I wanna learn about that, yay!
→ Sign me up, what a deal!
→ Sounds interesting, I'm in!
→ FRICK YEAH SARA I'VE NEVER BEEN MORE PUMPED ABOUT ANYTHING IN MY WHOLE LIFE
...or something like that.
To instantly improve your opt-in copy (and get more subscribers on your list!), all you've gotta do is give your potential future readers something to be excited about.
TELL THEM why they should want the thing.
TELL THEM the benefit of the thing.
TELL THEM about the transformation the thing provides.
TELL THEM what they get when they download the thing.
No one is going to subscribe from a weak ass call to action like “join our list” or “stay in the know” or “get updates” or “freebie alert” or … you get the picture.
Lead with the why — aka the why they'd want it — and you'll be golden.
If we haven’t had the chance to *virtually* meet yet, hi! I’m Sara Noel—website copywriter and marketing mentor for creatives, copywriters, and all-around cool people. If you like my content and you want even more BTL in your life, here are a few ways you can connect with me:
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