Are you a SaaS marketer struggling to grow your business? Have you tried giving away free content to increase brand awareness but found it wasn't bringing in the leads you hoped for?
In this post, we will dive into a real-life example of how one SaaS marketer used email signups to grow their business from scratch. We'll break down the key takeaways you can apply to your marketing strategy and show you how to turn free content into valuable leads.
By the end of this post, you'll clearly understand how to plan for traffic spikes, offer something of value in exchange for email addresses, and nurture leads over time.
Example: Social Media Management Tool
Let's look at a social media management tool launched in 2020 (hint: it was and continues to be a client of DataDab). The founders built the V1 version of the website using WordPress and could not create a members area for visitors to subscribe. They knew that if their launch went well, they would have a huge traffic spike in the first few days. But it wouldn't last long. With no way to retain the visitors, they couldn't convert them into leads.
So, they decided to ask visitors to leave their email addresses in exchange for a free 14-day trial of their product. They created a simple form on their homepage, and the trial was only available to those who submitted their email address.
This tactic turned out to be highly effective. In the first week, 10,000 people visited their website, and 8,000 of them left their email addresses to access the free trial. That's an 80% conversion rate!
Using email signups allowed the social media management tool to retain visitors and helped them grow their mailing list. The company was able to nurture those leads and convert many of them into paying customers.
Benefits of Using Email Signups for SaaS Growth
Using email signups as part of your SaaS growth strategy can have several benefits, including:
- Retaining Visitors: You'll miss out on potential leads without a way to retain visitors. Using email signups can help you capture those leads and continue to nurture them over time.
- Growing Your Mailing List: By asking for email addresses in exchange for something of value (like a free trial or exclusive content), you can grow your mailing list and increase your reach.
- Building Trust with Visitors: By offering something of value for free, you're building trust with your visitors. They're more likely to convert into paying customers if they trust your brand.
- Providing Insights into Your Audience: By collecting email addresses, you can gain insights into your audience. You can analyze the data to see who's engaging with your content and tailor your marketing efforts accordingly.
So what can you do?
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| Keep it Simple | Only ask for essential information and keep the form short and easy to fill out. |
| Offer Value | Provide valuable content or incentives in exchange for email addresses to entice people to sign up. |
| Be Clear About Expectations | Clearly communicate what subscribers can expect to receive from you and how often they'll receive emails. |
| Optimize for Mobile | Ensure that the form is mobile-friendly and easy to use on a small screen. |
| Test and Refine | Continuously test and refine your form to optimize conversion rates and improve the user experience. |
Using email signups to convert visitors into leads can be a game-changer for your SaaS business. Here is how you can apply them to your own marketing strategy:
1. Plan for Traffic Spikes
If you're expecting a traffic spike (like a product launch), ensure you have the plan to capture and retain visitors. You'll miss out on high-quality leads without a way to retain visitors.
2. Offer Something Valuable in Exchange for Email Addresses
Offer something valuable in exchange for enticing visitors to leave their email addresses. This could be a free trial, exclusive content, or access to a members-only area.
3. Make the Signup Process Simple and Clear
The signup process should be simple and straightforward. Don't ask for too much information; ensure visitors know what they're signing up for. A simple form on the homepage is often enough.
4. Nurture Your Leads Over Time
Once you've captured leads, make sure to nurture them over time. Use email marketing to stay in touch, offer value, and build trust. This will increase the chances that they'll convert into paying customers.
5. Analyze Your Data and Tailor Your Marketing Efforts
Collecting email addresses provides valuable data on your audience. Use this data to analyze who's engaging with your content and tailor your marketing efforts accordingly. This will help you reach the right audience and increase your conversion rates.
Email signups are a powerful tool for SaaS growth. By asking visitors to leave their email addresses in exchange for something of value, you can retain leads, grow your mailing list, build trust, and gain insights into your audience.
Just make sure to offer something that's truly valuable to your audience, and you'll see the benefits in no time.