Pop ups are mini windows that open when a user takes a particular action. That action could be anything from reaching the site, clicking onto a particular page, or even leaving the site.
Many businesses use pop ups in collaboration with joint venture partners as a way of sharing traffic, but they’re also great ways to trap users’ email addresses so that you can keep them informed and send them marketing material. It’s very effective.
So how do you add pop ups to your site?
One of the best things about pop ups is that they’re dead easy to produce. It takes just a few lines of script inserted into the <HEAD> part of your website. You don’t need to hire a programmer to do it for you. I’ll give you the script right here. All you have to do is paste it into place and customize it to meet your needs:
<SCRIPT TYPE="text/javascript">
<!--
function popup(mylink, windowname)
{
if (! window.focus)return true;
var href;
if (typeof(mylink) == 'string')
href=mylink;
else
href=mylink.href;
window.open(href, windowname, 'width=400,height=200,scrollbars=yes');
return false;
}
//-->
</SCRIPT>
Don’t worry about how the code actually works; the important thing is that it does. Simply swap the parts in bold for the name of your link and the name of the pop up.
Of course, you’ll still need the trigger that gets the pop up popping:
<A HREF="popupbasic.html" onClick="return popup(this, ‘notes’)">The link</A>
Use that as the link, with the right URL and the word ‘notes’ replaced by the name of your page, and you’re in business.
Finally, when you build the pop up page itself, make sure you include the following line of code:
<SCRIPT TYPE="text/javascript">
<!--
window.focus();
//-->
</SCRIPT>
This just makes sure that your pop up stays in front of the main window instead of disappearing behind the browser and getting lost. Very important, otherwise your users won’t see it to sign up.
So pop ups are dead easy to make. Anyone can do it. But there’s no point in having a working pop up if the pop up itself doesn’t have persuasive enough text to close the deal. There are a number of sales tactics that you can use on your pop up to make sure the user actually fills in the form and sends you his details:
1. Give them a reason to play
If you really want to make sure your users hand over their email addresses, offer them something in return. Free reports are good, e-books are fine too. In fact, anything that’s free and relevant is likely to get results. You don’t have to go overboard here; if you can find a goody that won’t cost you anything, fantastic. If you’re going to pay, make sure it pays overall.
2. Make the Title tell
The title tag of your pop up isn’t going to push it up the search engine listings, but it’s still important. If you leave it out, or worse, write something daft, like “mypopup”, no one’s going to take you seriously. Be professional and you’ll achieve professional results. Use a real title.
3. Use a hard-hitting headline
I talk about headlines in more detail later in this chapter. I can’t stress how important these are. You’ve got about two seconds to grab a reader’s attention and make them read. That’s the job of your headline. It’s got to focus on the benefits the user can expect by signing up:
“Increase Your Sales By 127%!”
“Learn How To Speak Swahili In Three Weeks Or Less!”
“FREE Marketing Newsletter! Sign up here!”
Use a duff headline and you’ll get a duff bottom line.
4. Keep it slim
If your users have to wait more than a few seconds for the pop up to download, the chances are they’ll close the window before it’s finished. Use minimal graphics and make sure everything’s optimized before you put it on the server.
5. Make it sexy!
Slim doesn’t mean the same as dull. You can still use cool colors and attractive fonts, but make sure the pop up looks professional. The copy has to be easy to read, and the whole page has to be good on the eye. Balance and simplicity are key when it comes to pop up design.
6. Offer a close button
You might think it’s a good idea to keep the pop up open until the user signs up. But if they’re not going to register to get the benefits you’re offering, are they likely to opt in just to get rid of the pop up box? And if they do, are they likely to buy from you? Keep your users happy; let them close the box easily if they want it out of the way. Maybe they’ll go ahead and buy something instead.
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