17 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
17 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Use MailChimp For My Sign Up Page (Newsletter) Or Another Option?

by brianboyer
14 replies
Hey everyone. I have been working on a website of mine and it is about finished but one thing I am starting on is creating a sign up page to gather e-mails.

So I figured I would just use MailChimp, design a page that offers something free, and have people sign up to a newsletter that way. Since I am not a designer, I am trying to find an easy way to make the sign up page look appealing and to capture the attention of people so that they will sign up.

I think the free e-books may need to be replaced with something better but I am not sure.

Right now it is just a plain html, bad looking page http://boyerblog.us2.list-manage.com...&id=b58b06fbc0

So my questions are :

  1. Should I design the sign-up page with MailChimp or should I use something else to create it? Looking for free or a low cost.
  2. What would be ideal to offer people that is related to the boating/fishing niche?
Any other input you may have about a squeeze page for a niche like this would be appreciated. Thank you.
#design #landing #mailchimp #newsletter #option #page #sign #squeeze
  • Profile picture of the author Vimal Gobin
    1. Don't use Mail Chimp. Hopefully Alexa will drop by and send you some links that explain why you shouldn't use Mail Chimp, but just to justify my suggestion, let me just say that Mail Chimp doesn't directly appreciate affiliate promotions.

    GetResponse is free upto 100 subscribers, then $10/mo. Imnica Mail costs $3/mo and has a $1 trial for the duration of 1 month.


    2. I can't answer that


    Hope I helped though!!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616080].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Darren Hodgson
      Originally Posted by Vimal Gobin View Post

      1. Don't use Mail Chimp. Hopefully Alexa will drop by and send you some links that explain why you shouldn't use Mail Chimp, but just to justify my suggestion, let me just say that Mail Chimp doesn't directly appreciate affiliate promotions.

      GetResponse is free upto 100 subscribers, then $10/mo. Imnica Mail costs $3/mo and has a $1 trial for the duration of 1 month.


      2. I can't answer that


      Hope I helped though!!
      I second that, unless you're creating all of your own content, don't use mailchimp. If you use any affiliate links in your emails you will most likely have your account shut down.

      I use aweber, good functionality. There are plenty of free templates around that look good. You don't want to make you're squeeze page look too flashy, if you do it'll distract them from signing up!!
      Signature

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616169].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Vimal Gobin View Post

      Hopefully Alexa will drop by and send you some links that explain why you shouldn't use Mail Chimp, but just to justify my suggestion, let me just say that Mail Chimp doesn't directly appreciate affiliate promotions.
      You never know your luck ... this post (and its links) are my "opening offer".

      Sorry, I don't know anything about fishing, and all that it entails ... I don't even know what linkbait is ...
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616200].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Vimal Gobin
        Originally Posted by Darren Hodgson View Post

        I use aweber, good functionality. There are plenty of free templates around that look good.
        Yeah, Aweber rocks!! But OP wants free or real cheap; that's why didn't suggest it.

        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        You never know your luck ...
        I knew you wouldn't resist a Mail Chimp thread!
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616262].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author brianboyer
    Thanks I will check that out. I didn't know that about Mail Chimp.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616159].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Steven Miranda
    Sadly Mailchimp is not the best option for 3rd part products. I do use them with my own services I market and love it. Much better than Aweber.. and the like. Get response is close 2nd though.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616187].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author SocialBlasting
    Using Aweber has been the best $19 per month I've spent so far on any IM tools! Mailchimp isn't too big on aff marketers, although I suppose it would work if you were selling your won products.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616193].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author brianboyer
    Signed up for GetResponse right now. I will let you know how it goes. Thank you for the recommendation!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616218].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author brianboyer
    So far GetResponse is an amazing service. Loving the extra features like the survey options and tons of templates. Much better than MailChimp. I'm glad I asked.

    For surveys and sign ups, should you do a single or double opt in?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616268].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by brianboyer View Post

      For surveys and sign ups, should you do a single or double opt in?
      For me, it depends on the niche. For boating/fishing, personally, I would use single. But opinions will differ, and many people hold them very strongly and firmly on this subject!

      My perspective is that using confirmed opt-in will significantly reduce the size of your list. If, later on, people are going to forget that they subscribed to your list and "report spam", having confirmed their opt-in at the time they joined it isn't going to stop them.

      In my 8 niches, I have 5 single opt-in lists and 3 confirmed. I wish with hindsight that I had 7 single and 1 confirmed.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616330].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author brianboyer
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        For me, it depends on the niche. For boating/fishing, personally, I would use single. But opinions will differ, and many people hold them very strongly and firmly on this subject!

        My perspective is that using confirmed opt-in will significantly reduce the size of your list. If, later on, people are going to forget that they subscribed to your list and "report spam", having confirmed their opt-in at the time they joined it isn't going to stop them.

        In my 8 niches, I have 5 single opt-in lists and 3 confirmed. I wish with hindsight that I had 7 single and 1 confirmed.
        Ok thank you for that information. I am working on a sign up page and survey right now to see if I can get results from my traffic. Appreciate the replies so quickly.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616347].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Vimal Gobin
    Glad to have helped

    Most people will encourage you to go the double opt-in way. However, let me try to give you an unbiased "ups and downs" of both.

    Single Opt-in

    Visitors just have to put in their email address and submit WITHOUT having to confirm. Meaning they will get your promotions and emails.

    The downside: More spam complaints due to people forgetting that they signed up or due to wrong email address entered or due to people who want to annoy other people by entering their email address in your squeeze page.


    Double Opt-in

    They will HAVE TO confirm that they signed up. This typically reduces the number of people who receive your emails as some of them simply forget to confirm.

    Less spam complaints and proof of them confirming if they decide to personally go after you (logs of IP, date etc etc).


    Also, I think that once you choose double optin on GetResponse, you cannot go back to single optin.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616339].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Vimal Gobin View Post

      Also, I think that once you choose double optin on GetResponse, you cannot go back to single optin.
      Ah ... is that so? This is really worthwhile knowing, thank you.

      On the "eggs and baskets" principle, I'm thinking seriously about opening a new autoresponder account for my next niche (I'm with Aweber at the moment and I like them and have no complaints, but don't want to continue to add lists there forever and would feel a little more comfortable with another account elsewhere). GetResponse is my obvious "next one" to try, I think ...
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616385].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author brianboyer
    Mine was set to double opt-in by default but I just unchecked it and it says it saved to single....hmmm. We will see.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4616660].message }}

Trending Topics