How to Ask for Your Customer’s Email Address… and Actually Get It!

Transcript

Hi I’m Carmen Sognonvi. Have you ever tried asking your customer for their email address and they turned you down? In this video, I’m going to share with you exactly how to phrase the question so you can avoid rejection and start building that all-important email list.

Email marketing is an such an inexpensive and effective way to stay top of mind with your customers and keep them coming back to buy from you. But if you ask your customer for their email address and they say no, you feel like a jerk, and you’ve lost the opportunity to keep in touch with them.

So what can you do about it?

The first thing you have to understand is that you shouldn’t take it personally. People are just so inundated with email these days that they’ve become very protective of their inboxes.

The thing is – there is a way not only to get your customer’s email address, but to make them happy and excited to hand it over to you.

But before I tell you what it is, let’s start by going over how NOT to ask.

“Would you like to join our mailing list?”

Um, no.

“Can I have your email address?”

Heck, no!

Why doesn’t it work when you ask that way?

If you ask a yes or no question, you make it way too easy for someone to say no! Plus, you’re not giving them any compelling reason why they should hand over their email address to you.

Then what’s the right way to ask?

If you want to ask and get a customer’s email address, you have to take a matter-of-fact approach, and just make it part of the process of doing business with you. Here are the 3 things you need to do in order to accomplish that.

Give a compelling reason

Give your customer a compelling reason why they should give you their email address. What awesome thing can you give them? I’ll share 4 examples with you in just a minute.

Assume they want the awesome thing you’re offering

Once you’ve come up with the awesome thing you’re going to offer, don’t ask “do you want it?” Instead, assume that they want it, and move onto the last part, which is…

Ask what’s the best email address to send it to

Don’t ask permission. Instead, let them know about the awesome thing you’re offering, assume that they want it, and simply ask them to clarify which email address is the best one to use.

So those are the principles, but here’s how you would actually phrase it.

“I’m going to send you [awesome thing]. What’s the best email address to send that to?”

See how simple that is? The key is to say it with confidence, be matter-of-fact, and don’t seem like you’re begging.

Now I’ll break down a few different scenarios for you, and suggest some examples of the awesome thing you could offer your customers.

1. Help them get the most out of their purchase

If you’re a hair salon, as the customer is paying, you can say: “I’m going to send you a tip sheet that has great advice on making your new hairstyle last. What’s the best email address to send that to?”

Everyone wants to get the most bang for their buck, which is why this approach works so well.

2. Invite them to an exclusive group

If you’re a clothing store, you can say: “I’m going to send you an invitation to our private sale club, so you can pick out what you like before the clothes go on sale to the public. What’s the best email address to send that to?”

Everyone wants to feel special, and that they’re in the know, so offering exclusivity works really well.

3. Offer them a discount on their next purchase

If you’re a wine store, you could say “I’m going to send you a 20% off coupon that you can use with your next purchase. What’s the best email address to send that to?”

If I know I can save money, it gives me a reason to come back to this particular shop instead of the wine store around the corner.

4. Give them an irresistible freebie

If you own a restaurant, train your servers to take an interest in their customers and say something like: “I really enjoyed working with you, so I’m going to send you a gift certificate that you can redeem for a free dessert next time you have dinner with us. What’s the best email address to send that to?”

Everyone likes free stuff, but if your server is able to say it in such a way that makes it seem like he’s doing a personal favor just for this customer because they’re so awesome, that creates an even greater impact.

So remember…

The secret to getting a customer’s email address is to simply make it part of the process of doing business with you. Keep it matter-of-fact, project confidence when you ask, and you’re likely to get it.

Now here comes the part where I ask you for YOUR email address! If you found this video useful, you should sign up for email updates from me because you’ll get more great tips on how to run a successful local business, along with occasional special offers. If you’re already on my blog, just fill out the form below. Or if you’re watching this video elsewhere, go to visit www.carmensognonvi.com/newsletter

Thanks for watching! Next time you ask a customer for their email address, try this technique and let me know how it works for you!

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