Why your website needs a mailing list
What happens when someone visits your website to have a quick look at what you offer, but they are not ready to purchase just yet?
More specifically, what options do you provide people in the awareness and information gathering stage of the buying cycle?
When these potential customers leave your website, how do they find you again? If they are also gathering information from your competitors, what are you doing to stand out?
One incredibly effective solution is using a mailing list to keep the conversation going. A mailing list is just a collection of email addresses of your potential customers. It allows you to prove your expertise in the industry and build credibility and brand awareness among those interested in what you offer.
It works like this:
A potential customer will recognise a need for what you offer and will begin collecting information from the companies that offer this. This may be done through a Google search, word of mouth, even the Yellow Pages.
Once they have found a handful of companies, they will compare and judge them using the information on the company websites. A very attractive website that answers their questions with minimal browsing time will help make an impression on these people.
Once they have had a quick look at the websites, they may still be unsure about whether to purchase. It could be that they don't need it right now, or that they can't afford it just yet or it could be that they are still unsure if it will benefit their situation. Most consumers, especially those browsing websites for information, are not ready to purchase when they first start gathering information.
This is where a mailing list provides huge value.
By offering your potential customers the opportunity to leave their email address in exchange for more information, they will then become connected to your business through email.
Why email?
Because people in the information gathering stage do not wish to be sold to. You need to provide these people with a non-intrusive way to get the information they seek to them without pushing them. Emails can be opened whenever the recipient feels like it and if the emails were not useful they can just easily unsubscribe or ignore them.
When/if the potential customer is ready to purchase, they will remember your business as the helpful business that sent them the information they needed without being pushy. They get the information they need and you get to build brand awareness and put your name at the front of the queue for when they are ready to purchase.
It's a win-win scenario.
In the next post we'll cover where on your website to place an email collection form, what to send your mailing list and how frequently you should be emailing them.