You can’t expect to rapidly grow your email list without investing a little effort into it. The times when people signed up for newsletters just for the fun of it are over.
Nowadays, you have to win people over. And what better way to do that than using Opt-in bribes.
Opt-in bribes are simple files your target audience can download in exchange for their email address. The more attractive the opt-in bribe, the more emails you’ll collect.
But just so you don’t get stuck thinking about what you should use for your next email opt-in bribe, here are 10 ideas you can use for your next launch!
Recipe book
Let’s say that your company spent years developing a perfect cocktail glass, made explicitly for tall drinks. You wouldn’t want all those years to be a complete waste if your launch fails, would you?
To prevent that, you need to start generating traction way before the actual launch. Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Start today. But how do you do that with such a specific product?
The best way to sell it before it even comes into your customer’ hands is to show how your product would be used. That’s how you’ll make people crave and want it.
So if you’re selling a cocktail glass, give them a recipe book for “5 best tall drink recipes your friends will talk about weeks after your party.”
If you’re introducing a new food product to your store, launch a recipe book using that product to create amazing and unforgettable dishes.
This recipe book approach also works for any DIY or arts & crafts related products. The trick is to show your audience the final result. That’s how you’ll convince them to leave their email address and come back for more.
Unique discount
Getting your first customers can be hard. When you’re trying to sell your product to people who don’t know you yet, the hardest thing to earn is trust.
But offering them a unique discount makes it easier. Not paying a full price for a product they hear about the first time will make this an easier sell. But once you get that customer through the door, you just created an opportunity to turn that into a longterm partnership.
Want to take it to the next level and turn your lead generation campaign into a runaway success? Use a Reward Level Referrals campaign and set up multiple milestones, each “milestone” offering a bigger discount. The more friends they’ll refer, the bigger the discount they’ll receive.
Researchers have discovered that redeeming coupons leads to an increase in oxytocin levels and a decrease in stress levels. So why not make your future customers happy from the get-go?
Free Shipping
When you’re shopping online, there’s always this one thing at the back of your mind → how much is the shipping going to cost?
The price you’re paying for a product is one thing. But people often abandon their shopping carts right after they see the shipping cost. If you’ve been selling online for a longer time, we would bet most of the questions you receive are shipping-related.
Why not get rid of that fiasco right at the beginning and use a free shipping opt-in bribe? Not only will you convert your website visitors at a higher rate, you’ll also acquire their email addresses, which you can use for communicating future promotions. Win-win!
Stylebook
Let’s imagine an average person online shopping for new clothes. The biggest challenge of online apparel shopping is imagining how to combine your new clothes with existing ones you own. You want to look good, stylish. But if you’re not a professional stylist, it’s hard to plan your new outfit from scratch, not even owning all the pieces.
If you’re running an online apparel store, put together a StyleBook of all products you sell and how to best combine them, and offer that as a unique opt-in bribe.
What kind of jeans would go great with that bright orange shirt you’re selling? Does that black blazer need black pants, or would any other colors work?
Show your audience what the outcome of their purchase might be. Once they start imagining themselves wearing those new wardrobe pieces, they’ll simply have to have them.
This StyleBook opt-in bribe also works for fashion consultants! Get creative!
Ebook
Classics never go out of style! The same is true for an Ebook!
Whether you’re a consultant, own an online store, have a software business — giving away a valuable Ebook is an evergreen and truly effective strategy to collect more emails for your launch.
The fact we love about Ebooks as opt-in bribes is there are no limitations in terms of:
- The length of the Ebook,
- The design and look of it,
- The actual content of the Ebook.
Your book can be as long as you want it to be. It can be either 3 pages long, packed up with vital information. Or a lengthy one spanning over 30 pages. Your choice.
It can be as simple as black text on white paper. Or you can take your time and neatly design it into an art piece.
You can make your Ebook into a purely informational document. Or you can insert a marketing page, promoting your product or services.
The sky is the limit. Find out what’s best for you.
Checklist
While creating an Ebook can feel like too big of a time-investment for some, there’s a solution that will cut the writing process in half. Or even more.
Checklists are typically one-pagers, focusing around one topic you’re an expert at.
For example, if you’re selling a smartwatch, you can create a checklist of 5 health stats you need to keep track of every day to stay healthy.
If you’re an Ecommerce consultant, you can create a checklist of 7 things they need to be careful of when launching a new product.
And checklists work for software companies too! If you own a software company for lead generation, you can create a checklist of … 10 ideas for email opt-in bribes you can use for your next launch.
Check out our Design Checklist here!
Video Tutorial
Do you want to take it up a notch and supercharge your lead generation? Then you seriously need to consider recording a video tutorial or even a short video series and putting that up as an opt-in bribe.
Sure, it takes a lot more effort to do this than simply write an Ebook. But the reward is worth it.
You’ll generate more leads because people will recognize that effort. Videos are also better to engage with; your audience will consume it faster than a traditional Ebook.
Think of the videos you can record. Maybe even take an idea you’ve had for an Ebook and turn it into a short course.
And you don’t need professional gear to do that either. Your mobile phone will suffice.
Calendar
Selling seasonal products? Or offering services that largely rely on specific dates?
In that case, a calendar opt-in bribes are something you should consider.
While coming up with a calendar for your business isn’t difficult, creating that document presents a challenge you should keep in mind. And that’s the design of the document.
Your calendar can simply be a list of essential dates your audience should pay attention to, but it’ll attract significantly more attention if you design it into a proper calendar.
You don’t need to be a professional designer to do that. You can use software like Canva, and your result will look like it was done by one.
Shopping Guide
Every one of us that ever shopped online knows the overwhelming feeling of endless choice when it comes to buying a product.
What should you be careful of? How do you know the product fits your requirements or needs? What should you consider before buying a product?
These are all the questions your potential buyers/customers have. You can answer these questions right off the bat by creating a Shopping Guide opt-in bribe.
If you’re selling beeswax, you can create a “5 things to be careful of when buying organic beeswax” shopping guide.
If you’re selling coffee, try the “3 taste tests to determine which coffee is perfect for you.”
Even if you’re selling services, you can still take advantage of the “Shopping Guides” and create a “6 ways to determine if you need [insert your services] or not.”
Worksheet
There are 2 types of opt-in bribes — non-interactive and interactive.
Non-interactive opt-in bribes like Ebooks, checklists, free shipping, are something your target audience downloads and consumes at their own time, without your feedback. This approach is great for you if you want to have a more passive approach to your lead generation.
However, if you’re interested in engaging your target audience early on, then you should try interactive opt-in bribes, such as worksheets.
Worksheets are typically … well, the name suggests it — sheets of work. They’re generally interactive tasks you provide to your audience to help them make progress. Usually, there’s some sort of accountability structure in there as well, such as reporting back to you when they finish a task.
Here are some worksheet ideas to help you get started:
- If you’re an apparel store, you can create a worksheet that will help your audience determine their fashion style through interactive tasks,
- Service providers can develop worksheets that will help their target audience start with [service you provide],
- Software creators can create worksheets that will help their potential users get started with using their software solution.
Creating these worksheets also isn’t complicated. Just make sure to incorporate a feedback loop into the process.
Bonus: Free Sample
Online shoppers often wonder: Does this actually work? What about the ingredients? What better way to validate your product by offering leads a free sample as a prize!
Opt-in Bribes for all types of businesses
There’s no ultimate best opt-in bribe you should develop. Every business is different, and every business should decide for themselves what fits best for them.
If you want to follow a path of least resistance, Unique Discount, Free Shipping, or a Checklist opt-in bribes are where you should start.
If your business is more visual, try the StyleBook, Calendar, or Shopping Guide approach.
If you don’t care about how much effort you’ll need to invest, you just want to maximize your potential, try the Video Tutorial opt-in bribe.
If you want to keep it traditional, look no further than an Ebook. It always works!
Or if you’d like to introduce some interactiveness to your opt-in bribe, try the Recipe Book or Worksheet.
There’s something for everyone. You just got to start somewhere.