You cannot fail to miss the importance of having an opt-in offer. The various website and internet gurus all stress the need to build your list – and you can only really do this if you have a great opt-in offer. But how can you create an opt-in offer that REALLY grabs your audience and makes them WANT to opt-in?
Start by asking!
One of the most overlooked steps is to actually ask your target audience! We spend so much time second-guessing what may or may not be right, when all it takes is to ask them. Look to:
- Create a quick questionnaire, using free platforms (such as Easy Polls or Survey Monkey)
- Ask your social media friends – if using your profile on your social media platforms (or page on Facebook), post an open-ended question or give readers an ‘a or b’ type question
- Post in relevant groups – using Facebook’s own ‘question’ option above the status bar
- Create a blog asking for help
- Ask any existing mailing list you have
Listen to what your target audience want
Once you’ve asked them, actually listen to what they’re saying. Often we find it easier to ‘go with our gut’ or pick what we think is best suited for the product we want to sell, avoiding the need to ask – and when we do ask, we’re so hooked on what we want, we don’t listen to what our target audience want.
It could be that you already have feedback you can use. Do you constantly get asked the same questions? Do your target audience already purchase products from you that indicate what they struggle with? Maybe you’ve had discovery calls that have a common thread of problems or solutions your audience are looking for help with?
Create your offer
Once you have feedback from your target audience, create the offer that most suits what they want. The great thing about your opt-in is it doesn’t have to be ‘War and Peace’ – it can be short – and it doesn’t have to be text-based either!
The length really does depend on what you’re offering, as does the format. For example, you could offer:
- Series of videos or audios
- PDF checklist
- Templates to save time
- Ebook or report (this is where your FAQ’s come into their own!)
- Discovery call
- Teleseminar or webinar
- Free chapters from your book
- Module from your course
- A workbook
- A mini course
The important thing to remember is this – your opt-in needs to be something of value. In most instances, it needs to be a complete thing on its own, something that solves an immediate problem for your audience. You can then advertise it in the very same places you originally asked your audience. Get your opt-in right, and you’ll have your target audience regularly signing up in no time!
How do you feel about opt-in offers? Do you already have one in place that’s converting well? If so, what advice would you give those who haven’t yet got one ready? Maybe you’re putting off doing your opt-in? If this is you, what are your sticking points? Why not share your experiences and thoughts in the comments box below?
Image courtesy of aihumnoi1 – Dollar Photo Club
