Cool Email Idea: Using Incentives to Grow (and Maintain!) Your List

What: Using Incentives to Grow (and Maintain!) Your List

Who: Rock Creek Outfitters

Why we love it: Lots of retailers use contests to encourage newsletter sign ups. Rock Creek does it one step better with a simple approach that drives high dividends for subscribers and sales. First, they partner with manufacturers to provide the contest prize. This promotion is viewed as so valuable by manufacturers that Rock Creek has the sponsorship sold out a year in advance! That also ensures that the prize is really valuable to subscribers. Even better, Rock Creek not only allows but actively encourages subscribers to re-subscribe every month for a new entry. What a great list maintenance idea! It doesn't change the economics of the contest, but it offers a real incentive for consumers to come back regularly, and when necessary, change their email address, refine their profile or update their zip code. Plus, it discourages unsubscribes - after all this could be your lucky month!

What would make it better: Use the re-subscribe opportunity to collect more data per subscriber. Perhaps offer a manufacturer's discount on the featured product line, or additional contest entries in exchange for deeper data. More data will help Rock Creek send more relevant email, as well as provide feedback for the merchandise team.

Bonus points: What a great privacy statement at the point of collection! Rock Creek explicitly states that they don't sell, rent or trade email addresses. This type of information can greatly increase sign ups.

Check it out: www.rockcreek.com

Think your email qualifies as a cool thing? Send it to us!