Converting More Free Downloads to Paid Customers
by Sean Cohen
Published on this site: May 20th, 2005 - See
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Do you give web site visitors the opportunity to download
a free trial of your product or service with the intention
that they will come back and purchase? How are you following
up with these visitors? Asking them to fill out a form and
immediately giving them the download on the next page is not
the best way to generate a quality optin list. Collecting
accurate optin information from these visitors is essential
to follow up education and making the sale.
Download giveaway optin conversion is extremely simple when done
with the correct process. Unfortunately many businesses are leaving
significant profits and subscribers on the table by using the wrong
methods.
The Wrong Way
A visitor comes to your site and they fill out a form to request
your free download. Upon submission of the form they are taken to
your thank you page where you provide the link to download.
This person has been given your download but you have not given
them a reason to subscribe to your list. They might have given you
a fake email address and in all likelihood did give you a fake email
knowing that they just need to get to the next page to receive your
information. Since you can't follow up with them you might have
lost a sale.
The Correct Way
Insert the AWeber optin form on your site. Within eye site of this
form provide information about the importance of subscribing to
your list. Add value to your list by giving them compelling reasons
to subscribe. Make it clear that the download link will be provided
in the email they receive after confirming their subscription.
On your thank you page (or redirect page) they are taken to after
they fill out the form you need to provide information on verifying.
Verified opt-in allows you to ensure that the person subscribing
did so with his or her own email address and didn't provide a fake
or malicious email. Let the visitor know that they should check
their email inbox. Tell them what the subject line of the email
says so they know what to look for. Convey that they must click
on the link inside to verify and receive the download link to your
product.
In the autoresponder they receive after verifying, give them the
download link. Since they are subscribed to your list and have confirmed
that the address they provided is valid you can effectively follow
up providing more information about using the free or trial software,
training tips, and further benefits or features earned by becoming
a customer.
Using these techniques you are sure to increase your sales when
converting free downloads to paid customers.
Sean Cohen, Director of Client Relations & Development
of Newtown, PA based AWeber Communications, Inc. an optin email
service provider. With 7 years managing optin follow up and newsletters
for small businesses. Learn more: http://www.AWeber.com
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