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At A Loss For Words

by Sardent
19 replies
Watching all the threads about internet marketers not making money, internet marketing is bs, affiliate marketing is a scam, complaints,etc. I feel a recent experience of mine is very relevant.

I met someone online (I believe they might be somewhat new to this) who feels they have no need of a list, so they do not do anything to build one.
I know what they promote to make money. Whose products.
Thing is I promote products from there too. More than half my sales from it are from repeat business thru the use of email updates I send to my lists.
They dismissed the thought of creating a list out of hand.

This leaves me dumbfounded and at a loss for words. I mean creating traffic is all well and good, but to let all that traffic slip away never to be seen again, except by accident, seems....wasteful. It's like going down to the river for a drink, but not bringing a canteen with you.

Maybe it's just me.
#email list #loss #words
  • Profile picture of the author Lee Wilson
    I'd be more lost for words if somebody new to all this actually knew what to do with a list. IMO the inexperienced should stay away from lists until they at least understand the basics of marketing.
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by L Wilson View Post

      I'd be more lost for words if somebody new to all this actually knew what to do with a list. IMO the inexperienced should stay away from lists until they at least understand the basics of marketing.
      Yeah ... I agree with that. I think most newbies would make a real mess of a list of any size
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  • Profile picture of the author cashcow
    Yeah - I third that. From my own personal experience I can say that there's more to making money from a list than just having a list.

    But anyway, maybe your friend doesn't feel like fussing around with a list and prefers to not make as much money. To some people a list could be a commitment that maybe they don't feel like keeping up. Maybe he or she already makes enough money to support his lifestyle and doesnt want the added work or to have to deal with "customers"?
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  • Profile picture of the author entrepreneurjay
    If you do not have a list in my opinion you are throwing out a hellava lot of money. But too each his own.

    Building a responsive mailing list is the best investment you can make online. But if your a newbie I agree with everyone elses previous comments it can be a mess till you get the basic fundamentals of Internet marketing down.

    Get past your learning curve in the beginning so you somewhat understand what is going on. Learn basic SEO, how to properly submit articles, how to post a video, how to submit a free press release, etc... etc...

    Once you get the basics down, and you start earning a little bit of money. Then maybe you are responsible enough to start, and build up a responsive email list.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Sullivan
      Having a list is one thing making use of it is another. Let me explain a little. I am subscribed to many peoples lists but the only emails I really read are from a handful of people. Why you may ask, well the others send emails almost daily promoting the latest get rich product/software ,while the others who I want to read offer something of value.

      If I had more time I would unsubscribe to all the spammers who offer the latest product launch rom whoever. Maybe tomorrow I will. It is quite rediculous to receive many emails promoting the same product even if it has no value at all in the hope of getting a commission.

      John
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      • Profile picture of the author tess47
        Originally Posted by John Sullivan View Post

        Having a list is one thing making use of it is another. Let me explain a little. I am subscribed to many peoples lists but the only emails I really read are from a handful of people. Why you may ask, well the others send emails almost daily promoting the latest get rich product/software ,while the others who I want to read offer something of value.

        If I had more time I would unsubscribe to all the spammers who offer the latest product launch rom whoever. Maybe tomorrow I will. It is quite rediculous to receive many emails promoting the same product even if it has no value at all in the hope of getting a commission.

        John
        I agree 100%! I too get emails from lists I have signed up to that I NEVER open, simply because I know the junk inside is useless - like you, I need to take the time to unsubscribe from these lists.

        That being said, I have TWO lists that I subscribe to out of maybe 20 that are worth opening, and I never miss an email from these two because I find their information and offerings so incredible. That's something you rarely find, and possibly the reason that so many newbies (and seasoned marketers) fail to build a list - because they have been the victims of these useless promotional emails themselves.

        Some of the lists I need to unsubscribe from are with VERY big names in online marketing; that says enough right there, doesn't it? Even the well-known guru's don't always offer too much help, but they sure know how to push every new product down your throat on a day to day basis. Just MHO
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        • Profile picture of the author TashaTymchuk
          And how many non-newbies don't have clue 1 what to do with their lists? I get more cr@p from "gurus" and know-it-alls touting the next greatest thing day after day. And they rarely, if ever, send anything of value.

          So, lets not call this a newbie only problem...It's more of a "don't have much common sense" problem.

          Just my semi-newbie 2cents.
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          • Profile picture of the author paulie888
            Originally Posted by TashaTymchuk View Post

            And how many non-newbies don't have clue 1 what to do with their lists? I get more cr@p from "gurus" and know-it-alls touting the next greatest thing day after day. And they rarely, if ever, send anything of value.

            So, lets not call this a newbie only problem...It's more of a "don't have much common sense" problem.

            Just my semi-newbie 2cents.
            No arguing with you on that point, Tasha! Some of the Gurus treat their lists like dirt and cash-spitting ATM machines and they don't seem to care, which is true to a certain extent when you realize that they have JV partners they can rely on for mailing their offers and they are also consistently building and rebuilding their lists via their various squeeze pages.

            The newbie with a small list (and small budget) cannot afford to be that cavalier with his or her lists, and they need to treat them with care. There are not many good examples for them to learn from, and it really is a process of trial and error in many cases when it comes to monetizing their lists (and delivering value at the same time so that they don't unsubscribe).
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  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    Anyone can/should build a list. Newbies included. If you just treat the people on your list like human beings (not $ signs), you'll be fine. Just follow a couple of basic rules:

    1. Only recommend products you know firsthand are top-notch.
    2. Only email your subscribers when you have something TRULY useful to say.

    Is there a lot more to it to get maximum results? Of course. Can you still add to your income following those basic rules? No question. There's already too much overthinking done by people at all levels of experience. List building/marketing is actually very simple at its core. We just make it convoluted when we get our marketing hands on them. Newbies should definitely dig right in and start a list. IMO.

    John
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    • Profile picture of the author good2go4
      Originally Posted by Zeus66 View Post

      Anyone can/should build a list. Newbies included. If you just treat the people on your list like human beings (not $ signs), you'll be fine. Just follow a couple of basic rules:

      1. Only recommend products you know firsthand are top-notch.
      2. Only email your subscribers when you have something TRULY useful to say.

      Is there a lot more to it to get maximum results? Of course. Can you still add to your income following those basic rules? No question. There's already too much overthinking done by people at all levels of experience. List building/marketing is actually very simple at its core. We just make it convoluted when we get our marketing hands on them. Newbies should definitely dig right in and start a list. IMO.

      John
      I just wish more IMers would do what you suggest John; there is so much crap being promoted via email lists that the only way to deal with it most times is to hit the "delete" or "unsubscribe" button. There are other places where you can find the information you need and I think that as more and more people are getting annoyed with what keeps hitting their inboxes every day they are going to be looking to forums like this one, and other online sources to learn their craft and improve their business model.

      In the internet marketing niche in particular I can see there being less people signing up to lists because they are sick of being bombarded with rubbish - even the lure of the "free report" or "free video" is starting to loose it's effectiveness.

      My 2 cents
      Lisa
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      • Profile picture of the author mikebrooks
        I think there's nothing more important than list building. or rather, relationship building. I think that's a better way to look at it.

        Great piece of advice given to me, and I'll pass it along here is: Give, give give, take.

        That means you give your list something when you send an email. Teach them something, provide a useful tip, make them smarter, make them laugh, make them think.

        The next email you send, do the same. Engage them in a way that asks nothing of them in return.

        Do the same in the third email.

        Then, maybe in the fourth, offer them something to buy.

        Then repeat the process.

        Too many folks follow this strategy: take, take, take, take, give a little, take, take, take.

        As long as you can do this, I say, start list building yesterday!
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        • Profile picture of the author Kurt
          Originally Posted by mikebrooks View Post

          I think there's nothing more important than list building. or rather, relationship building. I think that's a better way to look at it.
          (Hey Mike, this isn't to you individually, just want to comment on this point made by many others...)

          Lists really aren't realtionship building, they are audience building. There's a big difference.

          Forums are relationship building and give people a chance to be heard and not only forced to listen. Lists aren't conversations, they are monologues.

          Forums have all the benefits of lists, plus the added advantage of User Generated Content, which builds more and more pages, which brings more and more NEW traffic via linking and search engines. Lists do NOT create content, nor do they bring in traffic.

          Forums have mailing list features and allow people to subscribe to different topics and threads, creating self-publishing email lists. (Note: This straegy is being ignored by many forum owners.)


          Recap:
          - Forums can email members, just like lists.

          - Forums build real relationships, not only between you and your audience, but between all members. Lists are monologues.

          - Forums create User Generated Content. You need to write for lists.

          - Forums are indexed and linked to, driving traffic on auto-pilot since content is user generated. Lists don't bring in any traffic on their own.

          Sure, forums take a lot of work and persistance, but maybe the cliche we should actually be using is "you don't have a business if you don't have a forum"?
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          • Profile picture of the author Marc Rodill
            Actually Internet Marketing is super simple.

            Just people try to complicate it too much for you, and mislead you.

            Let's clear the smoke, shall we?

            3 steps. Here they are:

            1. Build a list
            2. Press send
            3. Make money

            Jeez.
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            • Profile picture of the author Kurt
              Originally Posted by Marc Rodill View Post

              Actually Internet Marketing is super simple.

              Just people try to complicate it too much for you, and mislead you.

              Let's clear the smoke, shall we?

              3 steps. Here they are:

              1. Build a list
              2. Press send
              3. Make money

              Jeez.
              4. Add a forum and remind your list that they can comment about your email message on your forum.

              5. Have them build more free content on your forum so you get more free traffic and more free subscribers.

              6. Make more money.
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  • Profile picture of the author wardo74
    As a newbie. I am thinking that I should almost be more focused on what people say here on this forum as it is VERY helpful. Sometimes the best things in life, such as the advice on this forum, are free!

    I do want to make a list and sell someone something, but only if I feel it is quality. It seems like it would be easy to build a list, but a LOT easyer to destroy it by sending crappy offers to people.

    I'm still just trying to figure out my own niche and go from there. It's a little daunting though. It seems like it could take a lot of time and energy to make a living online, and a short amount of time destroying your credibility.... back to reading others posts.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sara.m
    You don't need a list to make lots of money but a list helps you it makes your life a lot easier but if you want to make money online don't just sending emails don't put all your eggs into one basket and if your new get your self a good teacher who will show you how to make money online
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  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    Great piece of advice given to me, and I'll pass it along here is: Give, give give, take.

    That means you give your list something when you send an email. Teach them something, provide a useful tip, make them smarter, make them laugh, make them think.

    The next email you send, do the same. Engage them in a way that asks nothing of them in return.

    Do the same in the third email.

    Then, maybe in the fourth, offer them something to buy.
    Yep. If they trust you and see you as generous and knowledgeable, the law of reciprocity will kick in. You'll sell more. It isn't "hardcore" marketing, though, so a lot of list owners never even try it. They just "churn and burn" their lists. That can work, too, but I think it's short-sighted if your goal is a long-term seller-buyer relationship.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jazzman
    I believe that building a list is crucial to my business. It is a good way to develop a strong relationship with potential customers. I think it is the best way to monetize your traffic too.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daryl Lim
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    • Profile picture of the author rolough
      Just remember while the dynamics and schematics of affiliate marketing change, if you have a list, you still have the most important thing: people who are interested/willing to buy in whatver you are "selling"..literally and figuratively.
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