I started business blogging with marketing information products while I had training going on the side.
As a campus student, I was doing it as a part-time job.
I will paste posters at notice boards to advertise the products at hostels and department. I will drop flyers randomly at places such as banks or restaurants.
At the end of the first month, I made one sale.
During a query from my trainer, I realized where I was doing it wrong.
Instead of persuading people to an opt-in webpage, I was directing them to visit the sales letter webpage which comprises of the product description, price, delivery mode, bonuses and other information.
I keep seeing online business owners commit this same mistake. This is not going to result in sales.
Many prospective buyers are unaware of your product or service.
No one is ready to buy your product or subscribe to your service on the first visit. You are not Apple or Coca-Cola of this world.
Therefore, give them time to learn about your business or product launch.
In other to get their time, you need their contact details for re-connection through emails or phone call.
That’s why an opt-in webpage is important.
When it comes to marketing online and successfully selling your products and services, you can’t neglect email marketing.
It’s one of the processes for a well-crafted business blogging strategy.
Therefore, the right action to take is to persuade readers to an opt-in page and not a sales letter.
Nevertheless, if you are advertising a product that doesn’t need marketing such as food or cloth, use a sales letter.
What is an opt-in page?
An opt-in page also called squeeze page is a landing page for generating prospective buyers for an offer.
In other to attract them, you will give them free sample of the product or anything valuable and it will be delivered using their contact details such as name, email address, and phone number.
To achieve the mission for generating prospective buyers, web links that takes readers out of the page will be reduced to the most essential web links.
This is one of the features of a landing page.
The most essential web link is the call-to-action button such as signup or download.
Others based on priority are company privacy policy, company terms and condition and social media share button.
Structural arrangement of an opt-in page
It’s combination of headline and content.
1. Main headline
A headline is the title of the opt-in page. It should be concise, communicate the problem you want to solve for visitors, what they will get and how they are going to get it.
For example, if it’s to download an eBook, start the headlines with an action word “Download this report: learn how to start a profitable blog”.
If it’s to sign up for a newsletter, start the headline with “Signup”.
Let readers know what they are about to do. It makes the message easy to understand rather than wasting their precious time.
For instance, the image below says “download this report” as its main headline.
That’s Concise!
2. The content
This is where you will explain what the headline is about. What is in this free offer, the important and benefits of the gift and how valuable it will help solve their problem.
You have to communicate in a manner the reader will be convinced and take action as you want.
Make use of bullet points in the explanation and add white spaces. It helps in understanding what the offer entails and making quick decision.
Helpful tips to write the content for your opt-in page
i. Start the content by explaining what the gift is all about.
ii. Write what the readers will benefit from the gift.
iii. Bold the important phrases.
iv. Be brief and straight to the points.
v. Place the opt-in form in right hand section. It’s one of the best positions for converting based on research.
Use the same action verb used in the main headline. For instance “download” as the form button.
vi. Finally, add social media sharing button. Though, it’s optional.
Conclusion
This is a clear approach to create an opt-in page for your business blogging. Remember, it is critical to online marketing.
It’s the page you will use to capture email subscribers and carry out email marketing which is where most sales will be made.
Learn from my story. Start your business blogging on the right and firm foundation by promoting an opt-in page.
This is the free offer you want to give targeted audience to understand your business and become interested in your premium offers.
