Why you should have an email opt-in on your website

You hear it all the time, your customers cannot exist solely on social media. You don’t own your Instagram content, Facebook isn’t going to wrap up your profile and deliver a list of your followers to you when it eventually goes the way of Myspace or Vine. LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, Agency Access, IMDb, YouTube,  it could all go away tomorrow.

The only things that you truly own are the lists and audiences that you build yourself. Your contact lists and emails are everything to your business. (Why not take a moment to export and back up all those Google docs while you’re thinking about it right now?)

I was chatting with one of my photographer clients this week about how often he should be emailing his clients. I usually recommend sending quarterly updates with new work but monthly is acceptable if you have the work and capacity. The key is be consistent. I also recommend having a Top Ten (or 25) list of select clients that you also send more personal check-in emails to on a regular basis. This photographer’s concern was that he wasn’t getting the kind of response that he had hoped for and was worried that he was bothering his clients with emails.

Most of your clients are not going to respond to most of your emails, and that’s ok. They are busy and may not be able to engage in every call to action that you send. You aren’t going to catch them at the perfect time every time. The point is to be in their heads. The point is to consistently remind them that you’re out there and available, creating new and compelling work.

Do you have a newsletter opt-in on your website? 

If not, you could be missing out on potential opportunities.

If a creative producer or potential client likes your work, they want to hear from you. Having an email opt-in gives them the opportunity to be in touch without you getting lost in their Instagram feed, website bookmarks, or filing cabinets.

I recommend having a Newsletter page in your main navigation and/or additional opt-in forms embedded or popping up on your about and contact pages. You should also include newsletter opt-in links on your social media pages, LinkedIn, in your email signature, at the end of each blog post, etc.

If you are using a service like MailChimp be sure to export your contacts from time to time as a back up.

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P.S., Don’t miss out on my 2020 Photography Marketing Calendar and 12-month Strategy Guide. It’s a task by task plan for an entire year of commercial/editorial photography marketing including interviews and personal support.

Get inspired and meet some of my favorite clients and artists: follow me on Instagram @amyvcooper.  

As always, jump on my calendar for a free call. #ImRootingForYou