Here at UpSellit, we frequently talk about the importance of high quality lead capture strategies. Why? Because having a customer’s email is powerful.
A well-developed email list expands your customer base, allows for effective remarketing, and builds customer loyalty. Best of all – you won’t have to spend a dime on placement. That’s power.
For many companies, the best way to beef up an email list is with a simple incentive. For example:
“Enter Your Email and Receive: 20% Off/Free Shipping/A Mystery Gift/An Exotic Cheese Platter” – I could go on.
Inboxed incentives are a staple of ecommerce for good reason. They’re simple, effective, and a create mutual benefit. Fortunately, offering an incentive isn’t the only way to utilize lead capture. Let’s look at several lead capture strategies that don’t require giving out discounts.
1. Utilize Exclusivity
Country clubs. Speakeasy bars. Secret organizations. An air of exclusivity adds an instant element of attractiveness to a group. Psychologically, most people want to be a part of something “exclusive” and “for members only. This is your chance to fill that need.
One of the best ways to expand your list is to think of it as a club rather than a string of email addresses. Customers love feeling like they’re part of a small, elite group.
Even if your list has thousands of subscribers, make the user feel special. Terms like “insider” and “in the know” help communicate this feeling, even without promising an incentive.
Offer “first looks” and “exclusive access” to upcoming products. Tell users they’ll be “the first to know about new lines/collections/updates”.
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2. Availability Alerts
Speaking of exclusivity, people tend to want what they know they can’t have. When a product sells out, that would normally entail a lost conversion. Instead, you can offer to alert the customer when stock is replenished. Not only will you recover the conversion, you’ll build you list. It’s a twofer.
Availability Alerts combine urgency, fear-of-missing-out, and powerful list-building to keep customers engaged and set the stage for long-term email remarketing capabilities.
3. Offer to Save Their Cart
Cart abandonment has been a problem for ecommerce from the very beginning. Despite attempts to mitigate it, abandonment rates remain consistently high across industries. This is partly due to widespread lack of purchasing intent.
Often, ecommerce customers aren’t browsing with the explicit intention of buying an item. Essentially, they’re doing digital window shopping. That’s where Save Your Cart notifications can become extremely helpful.
Similarly to availability alerts, Save Your Cart notifications accomplish two things at once. They help recover a nearly-lost conversion while adding to your list. They offer added convenience and personalization to the shopping experience while assisting your lead capture and conversion efforts.
4. Design a Quiz
New Media giant Buzzfeed helped popularize the use of online quizzes. We’re not suggesting a “Which Character of The O.C Are You?” quiz. Instead, this is your chance to channel your expertise into an engaging and helpful lead capture tool.
Your quiz doesn’t have to be long, but should ask enough questions to create personalized product recommendations. Ask just enough to questions to winnow out irrelevant suggestion, while keeping it short enough to hold customer interest.One popular version of this strategy is a “perfect gift quiz.”
In essence, the customer answers questions about a potential gift recipient, then receives personalized gift recommendations via email. This allows you to build you list while adding a fun and engaging element to your site.
Building Your List
Creating an engaging lead capture strategy doesn’t have to be expensive. By actively engaging customers on your site, you’ll increase intent and grow your list.