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The money is in how you treat your list.

by andybeveridge
19 replies
You will hear time and time again that the money is in the list. The real truth is the money is in how you treat your list, and that relationship starts from day one. It is very easy in the early days of your list building campaign to get carried away with numbers. It is exciting to look at your inbox each morning and see a few more subscribers, but the important factor is how you look after those new sign ups.
Remember that this ever growing list of subscribers, is after all just a bunch of people like you and me. You have to build trust before you start selling. You have opened the door to this relationship by giving something of value away, but now you must continue this courtship. Talk to your list, offer advice and ask questions. Find out what they want. Listen to them.
So we now know that trying to sell to a list too early will have negative results, but ignoring your list will have the same effect. If you leave your subscribers alone for too long, they will forget who you are. Then the free gift that you gave away in the first instance will be for nothing. Its easy to get caught up in the whole list building mentality and forget about the most important part of the whole procedure. That is continuity with your list.
The realationship that you create with your subscribers will make or break the financial success of your list.

Andy Beveridge
#list #money #treat
  • Profile picture of the author Frank Murphy
    Very very said! The gold is in treating your subscribers like gold!
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  • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
    I used to believe in holding back on making offers until
    later on in the relationship - but not now.

    The money is not necessarily just in the relationship you
    have with your list.

    How so?

    I've built many lists in the past where I've delivered a lot
    of value before asking for the sale.

    Want to know what can happen?

    You can end up teaching your list not to buy.

    As an example, I built a list where I had a great relationship
    with my subscribers because I shared valuable information
    with them.

    I'd get e-mails back thanking me for the content. I even
    had a few raving fans.

    Here's the curious thing though...

    When I looked on my buyer's list, some of the raving fans
    weren't even on it!

    So although the relationship with the list members was great
    that didn't necessarily translate into optimal earnings.

    Now, I still give a lot of valuable content to my list members
    but I present them with offers much earlier in the relationship.

    After all, the offers I make to my subscribers are intended to
    really help them to get to the next level so why would I hold
    back and not give them the opportunity to do that as soon
    as possible (if they so choose)?

    In the early days, I share content and make soft offers.

    Having a good relationship with your list is a pre-requisite to
    sales - but it's not the full story.

    Instead, I focus on the behavior of my list members:

    - Do they open and read my messages?
    - Do they click through to the links I send them?
    - Do they buy the offers I present to them?

    More accurately, I'd say that the money is in the behavior
    of your list.

    (Some people may say that this is verbal masturbation but
    I've found it to be an important - and profitable - distinction).

    Dedicated to your success,

    Shaun
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    • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
      My opinion is, it goes to the WHY of having a list.

      And what you expect the list to do for you. So, the money, really is in how your list treats you.

      I prefer to have a list of 1000 BUYERS than a list of 100,000 who opted in for a FREE thingy and will continue to "expect" freebies...and I agree, much of that is training the list.

      But, again, my opinion, not enough THOUGHT goes into the reasons why and how to build your list.

      And it goes to knowing what kind of a customer you want. Many "gurus" will say, nonsense...take their money.

      We see that every day of the week.

      But, when you take the time to identify the kind of customer you want and set your business on the course to intersect with these kinds of customers, you will encounter fewer headaches, problems and spend less time "serving" the list and more time having the list serve you.

      Deciding on the KIND of a list you want, should be Square One.

      THEN, you can build the list you want and it becomes MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL.

      gjabiz





      Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post



      ... the offers I make to my subscribers are intended to
      really help them to get to the next level so why would I hold
      back and not give them the opportunity to do that as soon
      as possible (if they so choose)?

      Instead, I focus on the behavior of my list members:

      ... I'd say that the money is in the behavior
      of your list.



      Shaun
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      • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
        Originally Posted by gjabiz View Post

        Deciding on the KIND of a list you want, should be Square One.

        THEN, you can build the list you want and it becomes MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL.

        gjabiz
        Yes - mutually beneficial is the key.

        You give them valuable content and relevant offers and
        they give you their attention and money in return.

        All successful and long-lasting relationships are based on
        trust and some give-and-take by both parties.

        Go for Win-Win every time.

        Dedicated to your success,

        Shaun
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  • Profile picture of the author andybeveridge
    A good reply Shaun. I particularly like, You can end up teaching your list not to buy. I can identify with that. It would be so easy to put them into a place where they are wary to tread.
    This is still about the relationship with them though. The point I am making is that in the early part of list building, it is so easy to get caught up in numbers. When that is not the most important issue in my opinion.

    You have made me think about splitting my list up into sections. Something that had not even occured to me before. So I thank you for that.
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    • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
      Like I said, a good relationship with your list is a pre-requisite
      to making money.

      I used to think that selling to my lists too soon was a bad
      thing until I changed my perspective on the offers I was
      making.

      The offers you make to your list should truly add value to
      their lives (as well as your content).

      I'm not for hard-selling to my lists - at any point in the
      relationship.

      I just now believe in making gentle offers at the outset
      so that those who want to benefit from my offers can
      do so.

      Then as the relationship develops I'll make more focused
      offers as well as sharing valuable content throughout.

      Dedicated to your success,

      Shaun
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      • Profile picture of the author Matt Morgan
        Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

        Like I said, a good relationship with your list is a pre-requisite
        to making money.

        I used to think that selling to my lists too soon was a bad
        thing until I changed my perspective on the offers I was
        making.

        The offers you make to your list should truly add value to
        their lives (as well as your content).

        I'm not for hard-selling to my lists - at any point in the
        relationship.

        I just now believe in making gentle offers at the outset
        so that those who want to benefit from my offers can
        do so.

        Then as the relationship develops I'll make more focused
        offers as well as sharing valuable content throughout.

        Dedicated to your success,

        Shaun
        This is a valid point, as im sure many marketers marketing in this new relationship building way with their list might over deliver too much content, so that the list gets so used to Free content and immune to purchasing affiliate products etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author thebitbotdotcom
    So, how often should you hard sell, then?
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    • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
      Originally Posted by thebitbotdotcom View Post

      So, how often should you hard sell, then?
      That depends upon your definition of hard sell.

      To me, hard selling is where the seller jumps on your
      balls and puts undue pressure on you to buy.

      Therefore, I don't hard sell at any point.

      I do, however, send out some e-mails where I sell
      exclusively and invite the subscriber to buy an offer.

      Mostly though, I'll send out great content together
      with a related offer in the e-mail. And I may send
      out some pure content e-mails too.

      It depends upon my objectives and the list.

      Dedicated to your success,

      Shaun
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  • Profile picture of the author nyrsimon
    I think there have been some excellent comments.

    The approach I take is building that relationship, finding MY voice and TRAINING the list.

    Yes people need to be trained. I think Dan Kennedy calls it training the herd (could be wrong - not had enough coffee yet!)

    I train (or try!) them to expect value from me. Sometimes that is tips, sometimes free products and sometimes recommendations for products I like.

    Simon
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  • Profile picture of the author waken
    Ah.. that's just another variable of the general saying "Money is in the list".
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  • Profile picture of the author Luke McCormack
    Shaun

    Never a truer word spoken. Its all about the balance between over delivering and getting a commission.

    I have learnt the balance from testing, testing and you guessed it, more testing. Some niches respond to immediate promotion (i.e golf) others to more quality info (i.e IM)

    Regards

    Nigel
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  • Profile picture of the author Richnana
    Within 4 emails you need to ask for the sale. That way you can filter that list in a heartbeat because you have some freebie seekers only. As long as you know that the product or service that you are offering will really benefit them. Go ahead and make the money.

    A free report that provides the basics for what it is they joined your list to learn is the intro to the list building effort. The questions they ask regarding the report more relationship building. But we did say that the MONEY is in the LIST. You're not looking for LOVE.

    You don't want to abuse your subscribers by offering them the biggest bunch of bulls*** because you are a JV partner. Be honest and provide them only those products and services that you know they need to be successful online.

    You do your list a disservice by holding back information (even if you make a profit from it) that will help them also make a profit. They will love you for it.

    The best response you can get from your subscriber is "I just made a sale" thanks for letting me know about the xyz software.
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  • Profile picture of the author TheNewGuy2010
    One thing is for sure.............there is no one
    right way" to do things.

    Everyone can have their own theory but the beauty of it is, just about anything reasonable will work.
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    Gone Fishing....
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  • Profile picture of the author levmonch
    Is there really money in the list? Don't you got to pay alot for sending those emails?
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  • Profile picture of the author sidpoudyal
    Andy Beveridge,

    I totally understand where you are coming from but having more subscribers will not make you more money. Also, you want to treat your CUSTOMERS like gold. If you have a buying list then you start keeping them loyal. There is no reason to hold back on offers simply because you think people will unsubscribe. If they are not going to buy then THEY SHOULD unsubscribe. Having those subscribers in your list is not doing a bit of good for you.

    Again, I understand what you mean but keep in mind that we are all in this to make money. There may be different reasons for making money but making money is always THE cornerstone of internet marketing.

    Kind Regards,
    Sid Poudyal
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  • Profile picture of the author clever7
    Very interesting discussion!

    I agree that if you keep giving information without offers you are merely educating passive readers.

    If don’t have a marketing spirit you may find it difficult. But a business is a business. You have to be a marketer if you have an online business, especially because you have expenses. Not to mention that you are supposed to work in order to have a profit, and not to merely serve the public.

    Thank you Andy and Shaun for your lessons!





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  • Profile picture of the author WebPen
    I've built up a list of about 600 people- but I've been really bad about building a relationship with them.

    Now whenever I do send emails, even if they have a lot of good content I dont see very good results :-/

    Guess its time to start building a new list, and build a better rel. with them.
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    • Profile picture of the author mrbawb
      Hi andybeveridge,

      Yes. Your so spot on.

      People with whom you have a relationship are more likely to enjoy 'hearing' from you and be more receptive to your offer because they trust you.

      Good post.
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