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In B2B marketing, your newsletter signup page is an important lead generation tactic. But often this conversion opportunity goes to waste because it’s treated like an afterthought. So what else can you put in your newsletter signup page besides the form and “sign up for updates?”
A hell of a whole lot more, Darlin! In this post, we’ll explore copy, design, and strategic tweaks you can apply to your signup page to attract your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and start your nurturing process on the right foot.
Wait, you don’t have a page just for signing up for your newsletter? Fix that now.
When you only place your newsletter sing-up on your homepage, or in your footer of your website, you’re limiting your chances for signing up. This is because it’s harder to market your newsletter when people have to scroll on the page to find it. And usually you already have so much other content on those pages, you’re more likely to make the sing-up form too generic.
By having a page dedicated just for your newsletter, you can get far more creative and inciting in the content. You can also track how well promoting the newsletter is going because you can see the analytics for this specific page versus the post-signup page to figure out your conversion rate.
Anyhoo, here’s the secret to improve your B2b newsletter landing page:
… be so damn clear on the benefits of your newsletter that readers would be SILLY not to sign up! You are trying to convey that being in their mailbox won’t be a waste of their time. Therefore, your page must clearly convey:
- Who the newsletter is for (essential!)
- What to expect (essential!)
- Past issues (ideal to have if possible)
- Proof it’s worth it (ideal to have if possible)
So let’s hop right in and make the following tweaks to your B2B newsletter signup page.
#1 State who the newsletter is for
Seems obvious, but I continue to have to point this out for marketing teams: state exactly who the newsletter is for. You only want to spend energy creating newsletter content for your ICP, so make it obvious who that is. If it comes across as ambiguous, folk will assume it isn’t for them (simply so they can move on with their day). So stop ’em in their tracks by using terms they use to describe themselves. In the B2B world, this usually means title and industry. You can also paint a picture that reflects their current status, so you end up with a formula like: descriptor + title + industry
- “overwhelmed principles at private schools”
- “early-stage ocean-tech startup founders”
- “trans-owned tourism operators”
- “emerging Canadian apparel brands”
#2 Detail what they can expect when they sign up
There’s so many bland and useless B2B newsletters out there, we want to make it clear yours is very much the except. And in B2B, “get a discount” isn’t really an option when you’re selling high-ticket or complex solutions. So you’ll need to be clear on the awesome benefits and outcomes they can expect by getting your newsletter. Now is the time to address the following:
- What are the benefits to signing up? Something positive better happen when your ICP starts getting emails from you. So talking about the benefits of your newsletter can look like how it will save them time or money, make them smarter on a given topic, expand their mind, advance their career, etc.
- What sort of content can they expect? What you put into a newsletter is limited only by your imagination. Should they expect a deep dive on industry trends, or a series of short tips grouped by a theme? Will you showcase the work of other brands in your industry, or keep things feeling feeling like their getting the inside scope of how you run your business?
- How often will they get the newsletter, and when? Denoting this helps with frequency expectations. And also holds you accountable as the newsletter creator to get it out when you promised you will. Doesn’t have to be perfect, but if you say “Biweekly nuggets of inspiration drop every other Thursday” by golly, you better have that done! Still figuring out what that frequency looks like? Say something like “Expect occasional emails…” so it’s clear it’s an ongoing thing they signed up for (then update this blurb once you figure it out).
If you don’t know the benefits, or how often you will send the newsletter out, there’s a bigger issue with your email marketing strategy. It may be beneficial to review your marketing goals and how they align with your ideal audience’s desires that will make them want to sign up.
#3 Offer past issues so they can see what they’ll get
Unless your newsletter is highly time sensitive, there’s no reason not to allow people to read past issues without having to sign up. Imagine going to a bookstore and all the books are behind glass. No way to flip through a book and figure out if you want to buy it. This applies to newsletters, too: let folk read past issues to get a sense if this is worth signing up for. Often this is called an “archive page” and can be found in your email marketing platform settings. Some platforms, such as ActiveCampaign let you choose which issues are public or not. This can be useful when you have both a regular newsletter going out and offer-sensitive issues for launches.
A note on creating a compelling headline that attracts your ICP
Personally, I find it easier to come up with a headline once I’ve written the rest of the page. You could combine anything from #1, #2 and #3 to help create curiosity and interest to read the rest of the page.
In my case, I wanted to emphasize what you get out of my newsletter: satisfaction. The fact I named it “Marketing Snacks” was intentional: I wanted a name that would instantly tell you the main topic, and set the stage that it would be short and snackable.
#4 Show proof that it’s worth signing up for
As you gather replies and comments about your newsletter, get permission to put that feedback on your newsletter signup page as testimonials.
Don’t have any testimonials yet? Run a contest! Once a year I run a contest where in exchange for giving the newsletter a review, people get a chance to win a gift card to buy snacks (because my newsletter is called Marketing Snacks). This campaign is really cheap and easy to run, and giving away gifts is a great boost to your mental health. You could alternatively promise to donate to a charity of the winner’s choice, for example.
You could also leverage social proof by mentioning subscriber counts or engagement metrics. Phrases like “Join over 300 sales professionals” or “Be part of our active queer community” can create a sense of belonging and trust, encouraging more signups.
Extra B2B email marketing strategy tip: don’t forget to segment signups
When someone signs up to your newsletter, your email marketing system should be segmenting them. Depending on your email marketing platform, segmentation is usually done by “tags” or “groups”. Consider what is important information for you to know in order to deliver the best content to prospect in your regular newsletter, or future sales sequences. And then label contacts appropriately when they sign up. I like to bucket my tags/groups based on function using square brackets [ ], followed by a label that will make sense. Some common examples are:
- Where they opted in, so you can track people who opted in from this special page verses or other signup forms on your website: “[Opt In] Newsletter Page”
- Which ICP they are, in case you work with multiple types of clients and they self-select on your form: “[Type] For-Profit”, “[Type] Non-Profit”
Your newsletter signup page is more than just a form—it’s the gateway to building a meaningful B2b relationship.
By clearly conveying the value of your content, setting clear expectations, and providing proof of your newsletter’s worth, you can significantly boost your conversion rates.
Ready to take your email list growth to the next level? Download my free guide, “20+ Ways to Grow Your Email List,” and start implementing these proven strategies today. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to expand your reach and engage your audience more effectively!
