You’ve identified a hot topic that your ideal customers care about and created an information-rich document called a lead magnet that you want to share. But how do you actually capture your website visitor’s email address? What tool/s do you use? As with most things in the digital world, there are lots of options to consider. One of our favorite ways is a lightbox popup.  

 Chances are you’ve experienced LOTS of these…you visit a website, and at some point, a box pops up over the page you’re on asking for your email address in exchange for:

• A lead magnet

• Notification of future sales

• Special discounts

The timing of these popups can vary. It can be as soon as the site opens, appear after 10 seconds or when it detects a visitor is about to leave.  

 We know people have mixed feelings about popups, and you’re first thought might be, “no way! I hate them.” And we get it. We don’t want to annoy our potential customers either. BUT a lot of it is in the messaging and conveying the value you’re delivering to your ideal customer. Remember, it’s ALWAYS about them. And the lead magnet you’ve created is content-rich and of significant benefit to your site visitors, so hopefully, they don’t see it as an annoyance but instead an opportunity.

So how do I put a popup on my website?

You can start by reaching out to your website developer. 

If they provide monthly maintenance/hosting for your site, you can talk with them about adding a popup. Ask for their professional opinion on optimal ways to collect a site visitor’s email address as they may have great success with other methods.

But I don’t have a website developer…

No worries! The technology has gotten much more user-friendly over the last several years. 

And in many cases, you can do it yourself with a bit of patience. Good services to consider include:

• MailChimp

• ConvertKit

• MailerLite

Or ask your entrepreneurial friends for their email service recommendations.

 Once you have a basic popup created and you’ve confirmed it’s working correctly (never assume, always TEST), now you’re ready to start growing that list. When using any email service provider, please read all the T’s & C’s, so you don’t violate any privacy laws.

 Take every opportunity to ask your ideal client if they’d like to join your email list. This can include:

• At the end of a discovery call with potential clients

• Networking calls or events with your peers

• Sending an email to past clients. It’s the perfect opportunity to reach out to those you haven’t spoken with in a while

• Speaking at an event? End your presentation with your website address and an invitation to receive helpful information

 Once you start growing your list, send valuable content regularly to keep your subscribers engaged. Content should continue to deliver helpful information to your subscribers and should be focused on things they care about.

 How often you send emails is largely a personal preference. You may want to send emails multiple times per week, once a week, or maybe only every other week.  But whatever regular is to you, make sure it’s a schedule you can stick with.  Consistency is key.