Opt-ins are icky and Email Marketing Makes Me Queasy, What If...

by vheissu28

Posted: 13 years ago 16 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

Hey, guys

Here I'm talking about the IM and all associated niches specifically.

I have been around the IM game for a little while now, and am finally at the point where I have found very consistent success with several methods and strategies.

I am finally at the point where I feel comfortable and confident enough to enter the IM niche myself and start a blog and start marketing there.

My question for this esteemed thread is that with all the absolute CRAP out there right now in "the industry" I don't believe building lists and marketing through emails is as efficient as it can be in several non-IM niches.

My idea is to put off building an opt-in list, and substitute it with a Facebook fan page and/or group.

Here is my theory . . .

EVERY fan you get, you will be able to build a very personal relationship with. They will be your friend and be able to post on your wall, you can chat with them, they will have one-on-one access to you. Not at all times, of course, but it just seems much more personal.

This will enable you to build a comfort level, and relationship with your "list" unlike previously available . . .ummmmm, EVER!

I think this is awesome, especially for this niche.

I think this would be an easy and efficient way to build TRUST with the people who are interested in YOU and what YOU have to offer them.

It seems extremely powerful, especially in this NICHE, where you question everything and everyone.

I mean, you go to a $5 SEO page and there are 100 questions people are asking because they don't want to get ripped off for their 5 bucks.

I'm in the early stages of developing this method . . .

I'm looking for you guys' opinions and ideas for how to make this work properly and smoothly.

Things like how I get buyers to join my Facebook group before accessing my product and stuff like that.

Say anything you like (I'm not one to take offense), who knows . . .

Maybe it'll even work!

Let me know what you guys think . . .

#email #icky #makes #marketing #optins #queasy

Themeplated 13 years ago

It seems like it's going to be an awful lot of work, and unless you're going to be extracting four figure sums from each client, there's no need to build a real personal relationship with each, it's simply a waste of time.
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Jonathan Mizel

13 years ago

Fan pages are great, but no substitute for building a list. The list will make you far more sales in the long run because the level of engagement is so much stronger, and the user commitment of an opt-in is about 10X greater the commitment of clicking a like button.

Not sure if you are being sarcastic in your subject line, but if you really think opt-in email is icky and email marketing makes you queasy, I suggest you work on the issues in your head before you tackle the issues in your business. That crap is just a story you (or someone else) made up, with no basis in reality outside of a way to keep yourself down.

Break free my friend!

Jonathan

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Alexa Smith

Banned 13 years ago

Originally Posted by Jonathan Mizel

Not sure if you are being sarcastic in your subject line, but if you really think opt-in email is icky and email marketing makes you queasy, I suggest you work on the issues in your head before you tackle the issues in your business. That crap is just a story you (or someone else) made up, with no basis in reality outside of a way to keep yourself down.

^^^^ This. Exactly. "Quoted for truth", as the saying goes.

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Rob Bright 13 years ago

I agree with Jonathan, email marketing is the way to go, the art of it is to give something away with awesome value to the user when they sign up to your list, once on your list you should be building rapport with them consistently, not trying to sell them something every email you send.
With an email list you keep them on your database for a long time (assuming they don't unsubscribe, why would they when you offer outstanding value) not many people buy things the first time they see the offer.

Hope this helps, it's what worked for me so good luck in your new niche.
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vheissu28

13 years ago

I'm simply speaking of efficiency, and building trust.

Yeah, lists are great, but how often do you really get to interact with people. I think it's essential to interact with the people buying your products and the products you promote in the IM niche.

I think it's a great way to make your conversion rates skyrocket. I'm not even necessarily saying not to build a list at all . . .I'm saying build a relationship on facebook first.

This is really just a survey to see what people think.

I know that lists are the be all and end all in MOST niches. I've had success with lists. I just think your responsiveness, and your conversions would increase significantly in this niche if you build a proper relationship.

It's quicker than just scattering about and gathering people's emails in any way you can think of.

I think sales would jump through the roof.

Of course, it's just a theory at this point . . .and that's why I posed it to the fine folks here.

I'm definitely going to give it a shot, and see what kind of results I get, what kind of conversion rates, and how much extra work it really is.

Thanks
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Landis

13 years ago

Originally Posted by vheissu28

Why can't you build a relationship with your list?

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vheissu28 13 years ago

And yeah, I was being sarcastic . . .I know email marketing is the bomb. I'm just wanting to try something new.

Also, I might need a good head exam or two . . .or maybe just a nap.
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GeorgeReed 13 years ago

You lost me at the title. I only clicked here to say:
no no no no no no no.

Build a list and stop being such a little girl.
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vheissu28 13 years ago

Yeah, I know you can build an excellent relationship with your niche.

But Facebook is WAY more interactive, it doesn't have to be that time consuming, and I think there's a way to do it right.

Ummmm, this is great, I'm not actually trying to start a fight or anything by saying "email marketing sucks" because that's just ignorant.

Just concerned because I started out like most people did, with an inbox stuffed full of crap! I think open rates in this field could be WAY better because the appeal is SO wide, but they suffer because all these people are bombarded with "Free Facebook Ads" emails and crap that just obviously can't be trusted.

I know a list is an awesome way to go, and if done right, can be very profitable for a VERY long time.

You can give a lot of good content to your list, make them love you, and build a solid relationship.

I was just wondering if it should be your first contact with a potential customer. Maybe use Facebook groups/fan pages as a pre-sell to your email list.
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Coby

13 years ago

Email Marketing = Good Relationships & $$
Facebook Marketing = Good Relationshp & $

Email Marketing + Facebook Marketing = Great Relationships & $$$$

It's simple math really

Why not do both?

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vheissu28

13 years ago

Originally Posted by Coby

Email Marketing = Good Relationships & $$
Facebook Marketing = Good Relationshp & $

Email Marketing + Facebook Marketing = Great Relationships & $$$$

It's simple math really

Why not do both?

I like your style, that's what I'm saying . . .I just think facebook should come first instead of throwing your opt-in in front of people first thing.

Put yourself in the shoes of someone who is going to be buying these products in the IM niche.

Most of these people are going to be struggling, they are going to be looking for answers to a bunch of different questions, and more and more questions keep popping up every time they make a little progress.

It's exactly the type of person that's going to be hopping around from site to site, plugging in their email address for the next free gift that will hopefully have the answer they're looking for (obviously there are better ways to build a list of buyers than to give away free gifts, but for the sake of the example.)

Now, if you were this person, you are going to have an absolute FLOOD of emails coming into your emails constantly promoting the next big thing. In fact, some great emails with excellent content can get passed over pretty easily in cases such as these.

But, if this person becomes your friend on Facebook, joins your group, whatever. They can see you interacting with some other people, they can interact with you a little bit, and you build some major trust.

This seems like the type of person that will buy from you where they wouldn't buy from a marketer (sometimes even if they consistently dish out GOLD in their emails) who uses traditional email marketing.

This way you're converting a "freebie seeker" into a buyer at a very high rate.

Alternatively, you gather a list of buyers through 100% commission front-end product launches, and then give these buyers FREE info . . .this works awesome too.

But I just think Facebook would work very well for converting more of the dreaded "freebie seekers" out there with more emails in their inbox than they know what to do with.

Thanks
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Coby

13 years ago

Originally Posted by vheissu28

I like your style, that's what I'm saying . . .I just think facebook should come first instead of throwing your opt-in in front of people first thing.

Exactly! Siphon opt-ins from Facebook! If you help these people like you are talking about doing they will be searching for a way to get on your list or a link to click, something...

Make sure all the links lead to as squeeze page and you will essentially be building up two assets...

Good Luck

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JohnMcCabe

13 years ago

Originally Posted by Coby

Email Marketing = Good Relationships & $$
Facebook Marketing = Good Relationshp & $

Email Marketing + Facebook Marketing = Great Relationships & $$$$

It's simple math really

Why not do both?

Finally someone gets it! It's not an either/or proposition.

Connect on Facebook with the folks who are comfortable using FB. Move them to email for things you don't really want on a fan page.

Offer the folks who don't want to mess with or don't get FB an email option. Just because they click a like button does not mean you will be interacting or building a relationship. It just means they clicked a like button, especially if there's a freebie involved.

Think like a boxer...

You'll never see a boxer standing in his corner asking the trainer "should I hit him with my left hand or my right hand?"

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Rashell 13 years ago

Couple of other things to remember...

FB doesn't always display every update (from all the friends and liked pages of a user) into the user's newsfeed. Not sure how they choose who gets in and who doesn't but there are just sometimes I find myself having to go to a wall or a page to notice someone had added something. So your "delivery rate" (people actually getting your updates) won't always match the # of "subscribers" (people who liked your page).

And could you track that? How could you accurately do split testing, etc. etc.

Next, as a FB account holder, when I have the choice between interacting with a friend and hopping over to a business fan page I'm gonna chat with the friend. Not only do I ignore most of the page updates but I open the emails of similar businesses (not IM niche). Had the fan page owners given me an email option I'd probably know what's going on with them. But that's just me...

Anywho, while I wouldn't say I know all that much in the way of expertise regarding eMail Marketing I can say it's very possible you won't get as much bang for your effort going strictly FB.

Rashell
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- Hesaidblissfully 13 years ago
  
  Add me to the "why not do both?" camp. When done right, they can both be used to build relationships/credibility with your prospects and customers, and each has advantages that the other one doesn't.
  
  As you mentioned, FB allows for more interactivity, but email has the advantage that it's more engrained than FB (ie: while not everyone who has email has a Facebook or uses it regularly, every person who has a Facebook has an email address. Also, while FB is great for communicating with friends/fans, people still receive most of their "important" online communications via email.)
  
  So rather than seeing it as either/or, or one being all-around better than the other, think about how you could make them both work synergistically, for example using email to send visitors to your FB page and using FB to get people onto your email list, using BOTH to educate, entertain, and ultimately, sell.
  
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YungNic 13 years ago

@vheissu28 i have been having similar ideas but from my mistakes in the past of not building a list and just trying to go for a sale its very hard.. when ppl see salesmen they run like they have a contagious disease lmao... when you have a list, you have control of your traffic, you can talk to them often.. and when you RECOMMEND a product they will most likely buy from you
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Opt-ins are icky and Email Marketing Makes Me Queasy, What If...

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