“We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts.”
– Jeff Bezos

If subscribers are guests at a party, how do you invite them and get them to accept the invitation?

First, why do people go to a party?

• For something to do.
• To be entertained.
• To enjoy the company of friends or family.
• To network.

How does this relate to your invitation to join your list? The underlying reason for all of the above is that the person is going to get something they want out of going to the party.

What will someone get out of subscribing to your list? You need to be clear on the benefits of joining your list so you can include those benefits in your invitation.

Unlike most parties, your invitation is going to be unexpected and the person invited probably won’t know you. This is why your invitation to join your list is like an invitation to a special event, something like a charity function or business seminar.

I don’t know if you receive invitations to these things in the mail or not, but I do. And they all have something in common … they are eye-catching. They not only make the event look like something very special, but they often suggest that you are very special for being invited.

Online, when you are inviting someone to join your list, you can do something very similar. Make your opt-in box and/or squeeze page appealing to the eye. That doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be fancy with a lot of graphics, it just needs to be clean and well groomed.

Also, focus on your guest. Focus on the benefits they will receive from getting your opt in bonus and subscribing to your list. Make them feel special.

If you treat your prospective subscribers as valued, invited guests, you will be able to grow a quality list much more quickly.

Related Posts:

• What Is Opt-In Listing Building?
• The Single-Action Website: Landing Pages, Squeeze Pages and Minisites