There is a lot of fear, uncertainty and doubt out there lately among email marketers. I see it all the time — from vile comparisons between email service providers, to which secret “strategies” in manipulating their lists of people to do something. It’s not the marketer’s fault, it’s the cut throat nature of the email marketing industry. In this piece, I cut through the chaff to explain the truths about double (confirmed) opt-in for marketers’ lists.

A lot of marketers are naturally hesitant from  switching their style of email marketing (or any marketing for that matter) to a state of inbound marketing. It’s said to be more difficult and the results don’t necessarily justify the efforts involved. In the industry of email marketing,  there are single and double opt in methods of how you send emails to subscribers.

Many marketers are uncertain if double opt in works, and surely there are some who flat out knock it because they are resistant to change. It’s a game of numbers and based on how many operate today, single opt in works better. However, there are a number of misconceptions in how double opt-in is implemented and what people say about it.

From a consumer perspective, it’s much more respectful and it endows more good faith in how you market if you give people a chance to confirm their information and actually request it. I can tell you that I love confirming my request when I sign up to things because it shows me the marketer cares that I requested it and not just some bot. It also allows me to whitelist the sender with my ISP, if desired.

Myths and Truths about Double Opt-In

1. Myth: It’s an obstacle. When you make people double opt-in for a free report or white-paper, making double opt-in the barrier between them receiving what they requested isn’t what it’s meant for. That is, don’t use double opt-in under the guise of a download or other transactional technique.
2. Myth: Nobody Confirms. A misconception is that people don’t confirm their details if they don’t have to. In reality, people who value your relationship and emails on a regular basis will confirm their opt-in, effectively giving you permission to send them mail. The bottom line is that even transactions can become relationships and it’s the marketer’s job to preserve that.
3. Truth: Higher response percentage. As a trend, people who are confirmed opt-in have higher response rates and open rates. While these aren’t the only metrics, they are the key ones. Per capita, single opt ins are not nearly as engaged as double opt ins.
4. Truth: Fewer spam complaints. Because people are on a confirmed opt-in status, and they have established a relationship and even added you to their address book; you will rightfully earn fewer spam complaints and opt-outs.
5. Truth: It’s an investment. Our conversion specialist, Cody Jones, adds that a confirmed opt-in list pays its dividends in the form of becoming a trusted list among email marketing providers. Further, he confirms an earlier point, you can’t trick people into it — you gotta earn their trust the right way.

I hope this gives you enough information to consider switching to a confirmed opt-in model. In addition to resulting in more revenue, conversions, efficiency… it’s also consumer-friendly and will even help you at making sure you don’t inadvertently upset people.

Have you gone to a confirmed opt-in model? If so, how has it benefit your business?

[Photo credit by shawncampbell on Flickr]

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