With Zapier, you can use Verdn to incentivise newsletter signups with impact. For example, you can offer to plant 10 trees for each new subscriber, instead of offering deep discounts.
Giving impact has the added benefit of becoming a new touchpoint between you and your customers. Each end-customer get their own impact timeline to track updates about their impact over time.
This article will use Klaviyo as an example.
Important note
This article assumes that you already have a form to collect emails, and that this form is connected to your email marketing software of choice, like Klaviyo or Mailchimp. If this is not the case, please set this up first. Every software has a slightly different setup. For the above, you can find resources here:
Steps
- Creating a Verdn 'Zapier API' account
- Creating a Zapier account
- Setting up a Zap to pledge impact on newsletter signups
1. Create a Verdn 'Zapier API' account
We have written up an article on how to set up a Verdn Zapier API account, which you can read here.
2. Create a Zapier account
Creating a Zapier account is easy, and it's free to get started. Here is a sign-up link. You only need your name and work email to create an account.
3. Set up a zap that triggers impact for each newsletter signup
To get started, log into Zapier and click the large "Create Zap" button in their interface.
Zaps have two components; triggers and actions. In our case:
- Newsletter signup via Klaviyo will be the trigger
- Planting 10 trees via Verdn for the subscriber will be the action
We will go through each in turn.
3.1 Connect Klaviyo so that newsletter signups trigger impact
3.1.1 Choose app and event
For this initial step, you simply select Klaviyo and say that some "New Event" will be the trigger.
3.1.2 Choose account
Add in your public and private API keys from Klaviyo. You can find them in Account settings.
3.1.3 Set up trigger
For this example, the trigger will be "subscribed to list", which will be customised further in subsequent steps.
3.1.4 Test trigger
When testing, Zapier will find a recent subscriber. In this case, it found chris+zapiertest1@verdn.com
3.2 Connect Verdn so that impact is actioned for new signups
3.2.1 Choose app & event
- Look up and select the Verdn app.
- Choose the Event you want. You can choose between:
- Planting trees
- Recovering ocean-bound plastic
- Restoring coral reefs
3.2.2 Choose account
To connect the account, you need to input an API key from the Verdn dashboard, which you can log into here.
Important: we recommend you first test Zapier by generating a test API key. You do so by flipping the switch in the left-side menu panel, and then generating a key on the Account page.
3.2.3 Set up action
To set up the action, you need to set up a combination of required and optional fields.
- Recipient name (required)
Use the 'Person First Name field'. This will go into the impact timelines and emails we send to your subscribers. - Recipient email (required)
Use the 'Person Email' field. - Number of trees to plant (required)
Select the number of trees you want to plant for each signup. - Send timeline link email (required)
Change to 'false' if you don't want your signups to get their impact timeline. Defaults to 'true' - Reference code (optional)
This field is optional, but must be unique per zap, if provided. In this example, leaving the field blank would mean that any newsletter signup would trigger tree planting. If instead you set the three properties in the screenshot above, the same person signing up for the newsletter twice would not receive a second impact pledge. - Custom pledge name (optional)
If you want, you can set a custom name to the pledge. This name will appear on the impact timelines, and the emails linking to them. In this example, we'd recommend naming it something like "newsletter signup"
3.2.4 Test action
At this point, Zapier will take the subscriber it found earlier, and pass it to Verdn, to test the connection.
Again: we recommend using Verdn's test API key so that you are not charged for tests like this.
If everything works correctly, an impact order will now appear in your Verdn Dashboard. Navigate to "Impact Orders" and look for an entry like theone below, matching the details that Zapier highlighted:
The subscriber will receive an email explaining the positive impact you've pledged on their behalf, and this email will link to their unique impact timeline. Even test orders create impact timelines. Here is the one that was generated for the above order:
4. Do another test with a new subscriber
If we navigate to our website, we should now be able to submit an email and trigger another impact order. If you keep the test API key for now, you will not be charged while you experiment.
Once submitted, the new order appears in your Verdn dashboard:
Once you're confident:
- Turn off test mode in the Verdn dashboard
- Generate a live API key
- Update your Zap with this live API key
- Start delighting your new subscribers
5. Tweak signup messaging
It's worth mentioning to your website visitors that subscribing is good for the world. Spruce up the form to attract eyeballs and increase the subscription rate.
Beautiful.