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Listbuilding/opt-in newbie here, asking for advice...

by lee schmidt
9 replies
I'm a total newbie to listbuilding and opt-in stuff, but I hear over and over from everyone that "the list is where the money is at". So I decided to do a little experiment. For the past 3 days I've been sending PPC traffic to a little 1-page review-style landing page that displayed a few clickbank products in my niche (each pays ~$20/sale). At the top of the page I also displayed an opt-in box, which ended up capturing 20% of every visitor's e-mail address and first name. Despite this seemingly "ok" opt-in rate, I only got TWO immediate sales. So basically the experiment's been a huge failure so far, spending way more than I made.

However, I now have an e-mail list of ~100 people who opted in (I'm using aweber), and they will be receiving a little "mini course" with 7 e-mails spread over the next two weeks. Each e-mail also has a link back to my review page with the clickbank products listed. The idea is that hopefully they'll return to my site, and buy a product through my aff links.

In your experience with e-mail lists and the setup I've described above - can I expect to make a significant amount of sales between now and 2 weeks from now when the little mini-course ends?

I know this depends on the niche, the e-mails, my site, etc. - but I'm just trying to know whether I can label this thing a FAILURE right now or if I should wait until the people on the list get their 7 e-mails in the next two weeks. I'm not sending any more traffic, so any sales will come from people clicking my link through their e-mails.

What do you think?
#advice #listbuilding or optin #newbie
  • Profile picture of the author Stan_Levingson
    In my experience I've found it's best to focus on marketing 1 product (and make your landing page about that product) and then send your opt ins emails mainly about that product and why they need it, as well as some bonuses to keep them interested. You have the right idea but you might be going about it all in the wrong way. Could you PM me a link to your landing page? I will happily give you some feedback.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Birch
    Basically you are asking your site visitors to either optin, or buy
    via your link. There will be many people who come to your page
    unsure of the way they should go and they click right away to
    someone elses site who gives them a single option - either buy
    or opt in.

    Offering a mini course is buy far the most profitable way to go
    because your customers may well buy off you time and time
    again.

    So, IMHO you will earn far more money in the long run by having
    a dedicated squeeze page capturing your visitors addresses.

    Stats have proved time and time again that it takes up to seven
    emails before someone purchases - so you mutiply your chances of
    success seven fold by doing it this way.

    My 2 cents worth . . .
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  • Profile picture of the author jeffczyz
    Lee,

    It's too early to label this as a failure. You have to look at several things here.

    First, you stated you had 20% optin rate. That isn't terrible. I'm assuming what you were offering was access to a 7 day email series?

    You need to calculate how much each of of these leads cost. You also need to begin offering them something to buy sooner than the end of the 7 day email sequence.

    Depending on your niche, those people may be more spontaneous buyers and they lose interest before they ever reached the end of your course.

    Yes, you need to have more contact with them.. ie the 7 or so contacts with them... but I've seen that number drop dramatically when you offer good content first.

    Give them some really good stuff up front. A report they can read immediately that provides value. You need to give them something that they can consume right away and see the value, the convert them to buyers quickly.

    Jeff
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    • Profile picture of the author Jude.A
      Don't be quick to label it a failure. As far as i'm concerned, you're doing good. You just have to be patient and finish the e-course but you can begin to promote your offers from now, you don't have to wail till after the 7-day ecourse.
      I wish you success.
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  • Profile picture of the author truesouth
    Hi,

    I have a small question...

    Interspire Email Marketer works for list building? Is it appropriate?


    Very informatives posts, thanks!


    Fernando.
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    "Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new." Brian Tracy
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  • Profile picture of the author entrepreneurjay
    I would not give up if I was you 100 subscribers is a great start, and yes the money is definitely in the list if you want to build a viable business online keep growing that list. I also would try to generate free traffic to build your list articles, blog commenting, you can start a warrior special offer here for $20 bucks i hear it works great. Just keep sending traffic to that squeeze page.

    Good luck!
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    Mastering Blogging with Chat GPT: How to Make AI Generated Text Undetectable
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  • Profile picture of the author amin-lelieveld
    @Lee Schmidt. I would advice you to not focus on the fact that people are not buying immediately. Let me explain why. Your main goal should be building your list and creat a relationship with your subscibers.

    The reason why most people don't buy the first time is because they don't know you and if your product will meet their needs. I advice you to build trust and a good relationship. Most of the time people buy after the 4 or 5 time and so it is important to become their friend. Give good info and content and let them know that your are here to help.

    Quick tip: do not send an offer or spam tham with affiliate products. Take one step at the time. After they know more about you you can do whatever you want with them.

    About the high advertising cost: I would try other way's to do your marketing. There are hundreds of low cost or even free marketing strategies.

    Have a wonderful day and let me know if this info has helped you with your business.

    Amin Lelieveld
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  • Profile picture of the author jennypitts
    Maybe using traffic exchanges would have better results with no risk because it's free. Solo ads and social networking are other options for you CJ links and ads.
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    Traffic Exchange - Solo Ads - Contact Solo Ads
    Social Networking For Internet Marketers to Increase Traffic to Referral Program or Site.
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    • Profile picture of the author lee schmidt
      Hey guys, thanks for the advice.

      I think what might be happening is that in my particular niche, the buyers are more spontaneous and more likely to buy if I show them the sales page directly. The niche is so small that honestly, there is really only 1 product that can be sold in this niche. I have a feeling that these buyers don't really need to be on an e-mail list...they are 1-and-done buy-it-and-gone type of people. Today I'm running a PPC campaign directly to the sales letter and I'm actually having a profitable ROI and its not even noon. I can easily spend 500+ per day in this niche via PPC, so if the ROI is say 20%, this could turn into a 100/day profit campaign.

      I'll be able to track if anybody buys after coming from my e-mail link, so that will be interesting over the next couple weeks to see if that happens.

      Also it will be interesting to see my stats at the end of today.

      I know lots of people successfully use PPC for profit, so I'm going to figure out how to do this as well
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