What is an Opt-In… And Why Should You Care?

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So you’re blogging to get your name out there as a bankruptcy lawyer, and building a following of readers who care about what you’re saying. That’s great – it feels good to read a heartfelt comment from a reader, thanking you for being a beacon of light in the muddled mess of cyber-info. And you can hope that some of your readers will keep coming back – and maybe even eventually become your client.

If you’re not getting visitors to opt-in, though, you’re missing out on a boatload of opportunities to connect with them.

I’m sure that you’ve seen that little box on a blog or website where you can fill in your name and email address (hint: look to the right of this page and you’ll see what I’m talking about). That’s called an opt-in form. Most of the time, the webmaster or blog owner will offer you some kind of bonus – a report or “how-to” guide, for example – to get your contact information. You get valuable information, and they get your email address, so it’s a winning proposition for everybody.

By voluntarily submitting your contact info, you become an “opt-in”. That means that the owner of the site can send you email without fear of being accused of spam (the email equivalent of telemarketing calls), as long as you’re told how you can opt out.

As a lawyer, why would you want to get your readers’ contact info?

Think about it from a reader’s standpoint for a minute. Let’s say you stumble onto this great blog, and it’s filled with useful, relevant advice that you can actually use. Maybe there are even a few products on the blog that you wouldn’t mind buying at some point.

You’re reading along, and mid-sentence, the phone rings. A potential client is on the other end, so you can’t really let it go to voicemail. So you take the call, meaning to get back to your reading in just a bit. The second you hang up, though, another call comes in… and then it’s time for a consultation… and then you have to be in court an hour later…

You can easily see where this is going. As useful and downright important as that blog was, you were pulled away from it by other obligations. By the time you’ve dealt with all of the phone calls and meetings, you’ve forgotten all about the blog. Maybe you remember a few days later, but then you can’t find it again.

Do you want your prospective clients to forget about you?

I certainly don’t.

This is where the opt-in form becomes such a powerful marketing tool. Offer your readers something of value – for example, a guide to handling credit card debt, or a report showing how to avoid mortgage scams – in exchange for their contact info. People will gladly share their email addresses if they know they’re going to get something useful out of it.

Once a reader has opted in… you don’t have to worry about wandering off and forgetting how to find you again. You can send them newsletters, announcements, email courses, free information …. anything that will benefit your subscriber. You’ll not only keep yourself (and your practice) in front of your readers, but you’ll also become the “go to” attorney because of the wealth of knowledge you share with your opt-in list.

Photo by Donna Grayson.

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