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Are you "nurturing" your list... or chasing all your buyers away?

by R Hagel
10 replies
Are you afraid to pitch a product in the very first email you send to your new subscribers?

If so, don't be. Because "nurturing" your list to the point where you won't even mention a paid product may very well be chasing the BUYERS away. Is that really what you want to do?

Here's the thing...

Your subscribers need solutions from you. Some of these solutions you offer may be free solutions, yes -- that's the "nurturing" part for those who want to get to know you. That's great. No problem.

But some of your subscribers are BUYERS. They don't want to sit around waiting for weeks while you "nurture" everyone else before you even mention the paid product. Because the paid product is probably the GOOD stuff, right? So if you're not telling your subscribers about the GOOD stuff from the very first email you send, then you're with-holding much needed information.

And from a buyer's perspective, that totally blows.

Point is: Nurturing your list AND promoting paid solutions are not mutually exclusive activities. You can certainly accomplish both simultaneously, starting with that first email.

No, you don't have to waterboard your subscribers until they buy or do some other form of hard selling. But slipping a link in for a paid product sure won't hurt.

YMMV. Yadda yadda all those other disclaimers and caveats.

Becky
#buyers #chasing #list #nurturing
  • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
    Great post Becky.

    There's a dangerous assumption that many list owners
    make that 'giving away content is GOOD' and 'selling is
    BAD.'

    In reality, selling is actually good - IF what you're offering
    the subscriber is something that can help them solve their
    most pressing problems.

    Subscribers want to solve their problems sooner rather than
    later - so inlcude links to your paid products throughout.

    People buy when they're ready to buy, not when you're
    ready to sell.

    So, including links to your paid products in your most of your
    e-mails is a good thing if it helps subscribers to solve their
    problems.

    Dedicated to mutual success,

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

      Subscribers want to solve their problems sooner rather than
      later - so inlcude links to your paid products throughout.
      Absolutely!

      What prompted me to write this post is that I was on the buyer's side of the counter lately, searching for a product in a specific niche. I didn't have time to read bunches of articles, blog posts, free reports, etc -- I just wanted to save time by getting my hands on ONE good product that covered everything.

      Problem is, I kept running into squeeze pages, and the dang marketers weren't promoting products within the emails.

      Here I was, a HOT buyer with a credit card in my hand... and everyone just wanted to "nurture" the crap out of me. That tactic backfired, because I went looking for someone else who would sell me the product I wanted.

      Becky
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    • Profile picture of the author Bill Farnham
      Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

      Subscribers want to solve their problems sooner rather than later - so inlcude links to your paid products throughout.
      "I called my doctor and told him I had diarrhea. He put me on hold." - Rodney Dangerfield

      Many times when I subcribe to someone's list it's because I want to know "What else have you got for me?"

      I'm not looking for another friend, I'm looking for solutions.

      ~Bill
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  • Profile picture of the author Tom Ryan
    I promote in most every email. Most of the time it is a "soft sell", a recommended products section or a P.S. with a recommended product. And every once in awhile I through in an email that just geared on selling.

    I think doing it this way keeps my subscribers used to getting promotions, but not getting constantly bombarded with hard sell after hard sell.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chri5123
    Awesome post!

    I agree, I don't try and follow any script with my list...

    I just let them know if there is something that comes up of value (paid or not) and interact with them.

    Most of all I try and find out WHERE they need help and help them...

    Chris Jones
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      I can sum up what Becky said in 4 simple words.

      "Read Paul Myers Newsletter."

      You'll learn all you need to know about how to treat your list.

      Nobody does it better than Paul.
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      • Profile picture of the author Tom Ryan
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        I can sum up what Becky said in 4 simple words.

        "Read Paul Myers Newsletter."

        You'll learn all you need to know about how to treat your list.

        Nobody does it better than Paul.
        I completely agree with you Steven. You can learn a lot about email marketing by watching how Paul does it.
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
          "nurture" the crap out of me.
          Love it!

          Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

          I can sum up what Becky said in 4 simple words.

          "Read Paul Myers Newsletter."

          You'll learn all you need to know about how to treat your list.

          Nobody does it better than Paul.
          On top of that, Paul has a report that he's given away before called "Why Johnny Can't Sell" - well worth tracking down.
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    • Profile picture of the author R Hagel
      Originally Posted by Tom Ryan View Post

      I think doing it this way keeps my subscribers used to getting promotions, but not getting constantly bombarded with hard sell after hard sell.
      Sounds like a good balance.



      Originally Posted by Chri5123 View Post

      I just let them know if there is something that comes up of value (paid or not) and interact with them.
      Good plan -- offering the best solutions, whether free or paid. Keeps the both the buyers and the prospects who need a little nurturing happy.


      ETA...

      "Read Paul Myers Newsletter."
      To add to what Steven said, see this.

      @Happypreneur -- Yes, I like the "oh by the way" softsell approach, too.


      Becky
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  • Profile picture of the author The Happypreneur
    You are oh so right Becky! I almost always make an offer pertaining to what new subscribers opted in for. Not a hard sell, more of a "oh, by the way.." or a p.s. I want my subscribers to get used to offers right out of the gate.

    If you are including good content and information your list won't mind the offers. If you are nothing but an offer whore - sell anything all the time - forget it. You have to love, respect and appreciate your list. They are why we make our car payments and pay our mortgages.
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