Publicity is a necessity for any business to thrive. It is no wonder that businesses remind customers who they are and what they offer. A subscription form is one way you can make your customers feel informed and let them know you’re taking interest in them.
Subscription Form Basics
A subscription form allows customers to sign up to your mailing list. The form asks for basic details such as name and email address to add to a list of subscribers. Businesses use subscription forms to build a database of people they can send emails to, with consent to do so too. If you sell multiple products, you can use the form to find out what customers want; you don’t want to advertise baby-related content to a couple in their 80s.
In South Africa, any company that sends emails is subject to two laws: the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), and the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI). You can read up on these in our Spam Guide.
For full details on subscription forms and how they work, read our Create a Subscription Form tutorial.
Design Considerations
The truth is many companies have seen the benefits of subscription forms. Jump on board, and encourage your readers to sign up to your list with these design considerations:
What’s in It for Me?
It’s a question people ask often when signing up for anything, so consider this question when creating your subscription form. Remember that your potential contacts want to know what they can expect from you, and how frequently they should be expecting it.
Presentation is Everything
Ensure that your subscription form stands out on the webpage. Find the balance between flashy and professional with the colour scheme. In short, don’t make it feel like a pop-up banner for free smileys.
Keep it Simple
All you need on a form is a name and email address, and if necessary, you can add a few more fields with name and email as the only compulsory fields. Ask new subscribers to fill out their profiles at a later date, or send a Getting to Know You email asking for that information.
Private Property
Assure subscribers that their information is safe in your hands and won’t be shared with other companies. Spam is a real problem. Don’t be that guy.
Sharing is Caring
Place social media links or sharing buttons to the form and encourage your customers to share the form. They might know yet another prospective client right up your alley. Your best referrals come from your clients.
Thank Your Subscribers
Show appreciation to your subscribers for their time. Encourage them to come back to your site with a follow-up mail, once again thanking them for signing up.
