Opt-in page palavering

WA (not sure he wants his name shown) asks about phone numbers at the opt-in: === Hi Ben, As I'm building out my list, I noticed one of the things that is stopping a lot of people from signing up is my requirement to have them give me email AND phone number. These folks seem to have no problem with giving the email, obviously, but are suspicious of why I want their phone number. I understand the benefit of capturing phone numbers for my business -stopping bots and trolls in their tracks and also having another way to reach out to my customers in case my ESP deplatforms me. Unlikely, since my email service provider is Berserker Mail but I guess you and Troy are not immune from joining from the dark side… Anyway, my question: How do you explain the benefit to the customer for why you require phone numbers for your opt in page? === A very good question. And since playing with forcing the phone vs not, here is what I told him: (Slightly edited) 1. My experience of collecting the phone never got me a single question about that. Doesn’t mean people didn’t get turned away. I suspect a few people thought it some kind of security problem even as they cheerfully whore their info out to Facebook, Amazon, Google, etc without thinking twice. But I can’t say I ever was asked. 2. It also did zero to my opt-in numbers — no big or small loss of leads — and may have even gotten me more opt-ins, though I can’t say for sure either way. One thing it definitely did do, however, was amp up my confirmed opt-ins significantly. 3. Not long ago I went back to just requiring email and no phone, since I want to host my opt-in on my own site. And BerserkerMail isn’t yet set up to be able to capture phone that way, and has to be on the BM servers. But the way I use my mobile app - as a YouTube alternative basically - does not require me needing their phone to opt-in to my list. 4. Since removing phone I have notice several bots trying to auto fill, but luckily we have ways to foil them. (We have some 50+ ways to help our clients get incredible delivery and stopping bots from being able to opt-in is just one of many…) 5. Eventually I will go back to capturing phone when it can be hard coded onto my own page on my own servers. 6. With all the above as context - my guess in your case is your opt-in premium isn’t turning them on enough. If it was they’d bite the bullet and do it. So think about ways to make it irresistible and anything delivered by your mobile app super irresistible… so they get pissed if something happens to go wrong because they need whatever it is you are offering. Do with this info what ye will. With BerserkerMail you can capture their mobile or not. Ideally, you want your customers on as many media you control as possible. Especially these days with everyone’s shaking finger hovering over the cancel button. If you want a free test drive of BerserkerMail go here: [https∶//www.EmailPlayers.com/berserker]( Ben Settle This email was sent by Ben Settle as owner of Settle, LLC. Copyright © 2021 Settle, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this email may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from Settle, LLC. Click here to [unsubscribe]( Settle, LLC PO Box 1056 Gold Beach Oregon 97444 USA