Boost Email Engagement with This Proven Sign-Up Form Strategy

Your sign-up form isn’t just a box—it’s the first step to building a connection with your audience and the foundation of an email strategy.

Yet, so many businesses still rely on generic “Sign Up for Updates” forms that fail to engage or inform.

Let me share a quick story about an e-commerce client, specifically in hardware and home improvement, and how we helped revamp their email marketing by rethinking their signup strategy.

The Old Approach: Generic Pop-Up

The initial form was straightforward: “Sign up for emails to receive product updates and how-to guides.” While it appeared across landing pages after a user visited two or more pages and had slight variations for mobile and desktop, the conversion rates were modest:

• Desktop: 0.48%
• Mobile: 0.35%

It worked, but it didn’t tell us who these subscribers were or how to best communicate with them.

The Shift: Personalized Signup Forms

We realized the client had two very distinct customer groups:

1. Do-It-Yourselfers (DIYers) tackling home renovation projects.
2. Contractors professionally installing products.

Since both groups had unique needs, we came up with a new sign-up form that started with one simple, crucial question:

“Are you a contractor or a DIY enthusiast?”

• Step 1: Choose your persona (contractor or DIY).
• Step 2: Share your name and email.
• Step 3: Get a personalized welcome series based on your choice. 

The Results: Engagement and Conversions

This email straetgy for a personalized approach worked better—way better. Over six months:

• Mobile Submit Rate: 0.9% (nearly tripled!)
• Desktop Submit Rate: 0.64%

Even better? From the start, we could segment the audience, leading to more personalized welcome emails. (Tip: You can ask this same question in the Managed Preferences section)

Why Personalization Works

With segmentation in place:

• Contractors received tailored emails encouraging them to join the contractor program, highlighting perks like special pricing and expedited quotes.
• DIYers got practical resources like “How to XYZ,” giving them confidence for their projects.

This email strategy drove real results:

• DIY Welcome Email #1: 
• Contractor Welcome Email #1: 

The emails that followed in each flow had similar, impressive results. 

To further leverage this strategy, we consistently utilize this audience data by sending two versions of each monthly email campaign. Contractors receive emails focusing on helping them grow their businesses, such as tips on efficiently quoting projects. In contrast, DIYers receive content that guides them in selecting the best products for their projects and provides how-to advice.

Takeaway: Why “Sign Up for Updates” Isn’t Enough

When you just ask for an email address, you miss the opportunity to learn about your audience and start a meaningful conversation. Instead:

1. Understand Your Audience: Who are your key customer segments?
2. Tailor Your Signup Form: Ask relevant questions from the get-go.
3. Deliver Targeted Content: Send personalized messages that speak directly to their needs.

By being intentional, you can turn your email signup form from a passive lead capture tool to drive engagement and sales.