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Email list building and what to give people?

by aivzdog
29 replies
Hello,

I want to start a email list for my overall dog blog but I am not sure what to give people when they first sign up. Free article of something to do with dogs? Or should I just have it say sign up and receive news, products and giveaways. I am not sure what to do.

Anna
#building #email #give #list #people
  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    What do your blog visitors want?

    You could survey them, but this rarely produces valid results, especially where money is concerned. People will tell you crap like "I would pay $5 for each of your blog posts!" but then you try to charge $2 for just one blog post you think is really good, and they start calling you all kinds of names. Or they say they would love to get special discount offers, and when you send them one they go "yaaayyyy" and clap their hands but they don't buy it so you don't make any money. People lie. And they're weird. ("I just love to get discount offers on things I'm not going to buy!")

    Instead, look at behaviour. Which of your posts are most popular? Which get the most comments? Which get the most "Likes" and shares on Facebook? Do people ask you questions?

    That should help you figure out what to give your visitors.
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  • Profile picture of the author banx63
    I always find lists work well. Both in blog posts and as giveaways.

    Maybe offer a list of training tips or somethings, or a list of top dog names - I don't know its not my thing. But I know that people like lists. Especially ones they can add to.....
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  • Profile picture of the author erwin78
    Hi everyone,

    I would attract your readers with free e-book but if you are scared of writting it because It must be an original one just try to give somethnig else like "get update from my blog to your email" because I hope you are providing a great content.

    I wish you all the best.

    Erwin.
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    My blog http://erwinmentel.com
    Or http://stabilitate.com/wealthandhealth

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  • Profile picture of the author seriousjake
    You could always give them some kind of a free report based off either your most popular articles or the latest buzz in your niche. Maybe a report on:

    Purchasing the right dog for you
    Training tips
    Mistakes to avoid when caring for your dog

    Or an even larger report, combining several topics like the above. Depends on your time / motivation.
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  • Profile picture of the author Marx Vergel Melencio
    Anna,

    People buy niche magazines primarily because of the headlines of its cover stories (of course design, photos/images and overall visual appearance are also important). The print industry is among the most competitive, cutthroat industries today. So:

    The hottest, best selling niche magazines in your target market are most likely doing the right things to stay in business and keep on selling magazines off the racks, right? After all:

    They have large teams of professional researchers, market analysts, niche experts, journalists and photojournalists, prolific copywriters (for those attention-grabbing headlines), visual communications specialists/art directors with groups of graphics designers and PR specialists. Those resources are most likely the main reasons why they're still doing a killing in the print industry. With this:

    You can grab copies of wildly popular dog magazines in your target markets. Study the headlines and cover stories of those current and back issues. Then:

    Generate headline and topic/sub topic coverage ideas. Next:

    Use the best headline and topic/sub topic coverage idea to develop your download offer (upon mailing list subscription). Use the rest for your onsite posts. Implement free natural, entirely whitehat traffic generation campaigns through guest posting offers, forum marketing, video marketing and social networking, for instance. If you have money to invest and have confidence in your paid advertising knowledge, then implement social network PPC (in Facebook and Twitter, for example), private advertising (in relevant, heavily trafficked authority sites and online communities, for example) and solo email advertising campaigns (with owners of blogs/sites with large active regular viewers, RSS readers and mailing list subscribers, for instance). Monitor your results, then improve your campaigns. Hope this helps...
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  • Profile picture of the author Micah Medina
    That's the first really great post in this thread. Hopefully I can follow it up.

    1) Look in the mirror and ask yourself what the goal is for the freebie. Is it just to get people to read the blog? If you have plans for building a paid product in the future - it's a good idea to look at those kind of products and get ideas for your squeeze page.

    2) Who else is giving freebies away in your niche? What benefits are they promising to give to their readers? I googled a common phrase you'd see in a dog training squeeze report and found this.

    Sign Up For Our Free Dog Training Newsletter

    Wow, those are a couple of really great secrets, right off the bat. And I bet you can make that page way more visually attractive while keeping the simplicity. Something to think about.
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  • Profile picture of the author IMPromocoder
    Why don't you have a look at some popular blogs in your niche and see what works for them? What makes you subscribe to their blog?
    Luckily, we don't have to invent the wheel, just use what already works.
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  • Profile picture of the author David Braybrooke
    Canine secrets, hard to find information, valuable content concerning dogs. Ask yourself what would make you sign up for an email list?
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    "The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage." - Mark Russell
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  • Profile picture of the author lbradshaw
    You could start with something basic, like an ebook on "Canine Care," or go with something more specific, like, "Join my mailing list and receive a free, 7-day e-course on correcting negative dog behavior." As a former vet tech of 12 years, I can tell you that almost every dog owner complains about something their pet does, even if it's something as simple as pulling on the leash. Hope this helps!
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  • Profile picture of the author MrMonetize
    Sorry, I just laughed out at - Dog Blog

    There are plenty of dog training Clickbank products and PLR products. Why not buy a few, and rewrite them in your own words into some tips and give it away as a PDF. You can then promote those Clickbank products on your site and in your email series as well because you will know if they are any good having bought them.

    Your PDF could be -

    Top 10 Tips To Stop Your Dog Barking
    Top 10 Tips To Stop Your Dog Jumping Up At You
    Top 10 Tips On How To House Train Your Dog
    Top 10 Tips To Stop Your Dog Slavering On The Couch

    etc

    Make sure its your own words and not plagiarized, but you can use OpenOffice to produce your own PDF. Add a few dog pictures and you have your own product to give away.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
    Write a free related ebook / short guide related to your topic to give away. Tell them if they opt in they'll get it free and also receive future exclusive content only available to email subscribers. Build some trust by giving good value then market to them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    Know who they are (your demographics), and give them what they want.

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  • Profile picture of the author TimK06
    Hi aivzdog! What you want to do is have a free gift preferably a report or ebook.

    Require them to sign up to get the free gift to start your email list building. Then send your list news and updates of what's going on in your niche.

    This will help you build a relationship with them. I hope you find this information helpful.

    Kind regards
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  • Profile picture of the author rolough
    Try both. Or give a free pdocut or video or interview or PLR. Test to see what works best.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by aivzdog View Post

    I want to start a email list for my overall dog blog but I am not sure what to give people when they first sign up.
    Hi Anna,

    I'm not in your niche and can't offer any content details, per se, but I think what matters most is that it needs to be something you produce yourself, which is specifically and consciously designed to do all the following things ...

    (i) Brand yourself and your site
    (ii) Set your subscribers' expectations
    (iii) Ensure that the subsequent email series gets the maximum possible open-rate and attention
    (iv) Continue the process of establishing credibility and trust already commenced on your site
    (v) Provide content able to interest and impress subscribers enough to grab their attention and make sure they "stay with you"

    Further observations here: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post6123982

    Originally Posted by aivzdog View Post

    Or should I just have it say sign up and receive news, products and giveaways.
    A specific PDF item, "delivered" immediately (typically in the form of a download link in an automated reply) is typically much better.

    Personally, I avoid "products", "podcasts", "videos" and "interviews".

    I strongly urge you not to use PLR or an existing PDF, or any already-published material, which will do few or none of the essentials listed above. That's for marketers who end up trying to convince themselves that "a 25% open-rate is normal in the industry". :rolleyes: :p
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    • Profile picture of the author Sakki
      Hey Alexa,

      Thanks for all the helpful tips so far. Sorry I'm still a little new to list building and was wondering about the actual process of it.

      Say for example I get a subscriber on day 1 and I send him the freebie, then send him a valuable email on day 3 to build trust and finally send an email on day 5 trying to sell something. If someone new subscribes on day 3, they will go through that same process of receiving those set emails in that order, correct?

      And my next question is, when would you or would you ever send out the same email selling a product if that person didn't buy it the first time?

      Thanks
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Sakki View Post

        Say for example I get a subscriber on day 1 and I send him the freebie, then send him a valuable email on day 3 to build trust and finally send an email on day 5 trying to sell something. If someone new subscribes on day 3, they will go through that same process of receiving those set emails in that order, correct?
        Yes, exactly so. All automated by your autoresponder company.

        Originally Posted by Sakki View Post

        And my next question is, when would you or would you ever send out the same email selling a product if that person didn't buy it the first time?
        Often. (Well, not "the same email" but "another email promoting the same thing".)

        And sometimes unavoidably even when they did buy it the first time! Because when you're an affiliate, it's often by no means trivially easy to know when they've bought it, anyway.

        The possible solutions to this problem include (but are not limited to) the following ...

        1. Incentivize your subscribers to let you know when they've bought it (maybe by offering them a bonus in exchange for their receipt?) and then move them to a different, segmented list (also not always easy!) - Paul Uhl does this very successfully. I don't do it.

        2. Include in your "free report" and/or in an early email and/or on your website a sufficiently detailed, albeit simple, explanation of "how affiliate marketing works" to make your subscribers aware of this possibility and encourage them to notify you when they've bought it. I know from previous experience of discussing it here that some people laugh at this idea, but I do it enthusiastically and regularly and it works really well for me: I'm convinced that I sell more because I do it. It has several other advantages as well ...
        • (i) It gives you an opportunity to explain that, by buying through your affiliate link, they'll never be paying more than if they "bought it direct" (some people will assume the opposite if you don't clarify it)
        • (ii) It can be done in such a way that it comes across as completely open, honest and ethical, and subscribers really like that (and you have an obligation to declare that you're a paid affiliate anyway: this is just a nice way of doing that)
        • (iii) Almost all the ones who are actually willing to do that will also be willing to re-opt-in to a different, segmented list, if you ask them nicely

        This stuff all depends on the strength of the relationship you build with subscribers.

        In the long run, however, you'll almost inevitably sometimes promote a product to someone who's already bought it, but if you've done well enough at all the "relationship" aspects of list-building and list-communications, it won't matter and they'll still buy other things anyway.
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        • Profile picture of the author Sakki
          Wow, thank you for addressing that so comprehensively, Alexa!

          With that being said, after how long of a period would you send out the same offer again? I was thinking of alternating between 2 products to mix it up. Say I promoted my first offer on Day 3, would you promote that same offer again on Day 10 perhaps?

          Thanks
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          • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
            Banned
            Originally Posted by Sakki View Post

            I was thinking of alternating between 2 products to mix it up. Say I promoted my first offer on Day 3, would you promote that same offer again on Day 10 perhaps?
            Something like that, but depending on how frequently you're mailing them in the first place (i.e. on what's happened in-between those days).

            Personally, I send emails on days 1, 3, 6, 10 and 15 and thereafter at 5-day intervals, with a promotion usually in every third email and occupying only part of the email, so I might promote the same thing in two "promotional" emails quite close together by my standards, but that'll sometimes still be 15 days apart. I'll word the second one to allow for the fact that some have already bought it and not told me (this isn't difficult at all). But I'll still often promote the same thing yet again a month later. (I'm not trying to press my "schedule" on anyone at all: it's just what works for me. There's no "right and wrong" about these things - they depend on a lot of variables especially including "traffic demographics" and probably even from niche to niche as well). My impression is that many affiliates email more frequently than I do and/or promote more often. In my own limited experience of testing this, I sell less that way.
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            • Profile picture of the author johnnys229
              Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

              Something like that, but depending on how frequently you're mailing them in the first place (i.e. on what's happened in-between those days).

              Personally, I send emails on days 1, 3, 6, 10 and 15 and thereafter at 5-day intervals, with a promotion usually in every third email and occupying only part of the email, so I might promote the same thing in two "promotional" emails quite close together by my standards, but that'll sometimes still be 15 days apart. I'll word the second one to allow for the fact that some have already bought it and not told me (this isn't difficult at all). But I'll still often promote the same thing yet again a month later. (I'm not trying to press my "schedule" on anyone at all: it's just what works for me. There's no "right and wrong" about these things - they depend on a lot of variables especially including "traffic demographics" and probably even from niche to niche as well). My impression is that many affiliates email more frequently than I do and/or promote more often. In my own limited experience of testing this, I sell less that way.
              My question is Alexa, how do you earn so much per subscriber (as I read one of your posts saying that you would be very disappointed with BELOW $1 per subscriber, per month) if you mail such infrequent promotional emails? How many do you go for per month? Are you selling $10,000 products or something? Something I am missing? (I am sure there must be!)
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  • Profile picture of the author Lisa Ann Copywriting
    Give away a PDF report. If you're having a hard time coming up with content, just use articles from EzineArticles. They let you republish articles as long as you follow their rules. Five articles should be enough to put together a nice short report giveaway while you're busy writing your own.

    Once you start building your list, reach out to them and ask them what type of problems they're having. If you see a popular trend, you may have a new report topic or ebook on your hands.
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  • Profile picture of the author gothilda
    You really should give away something for free within your niche!
    Try to find some plr ebooks!

    greetings Gothilda
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    Please do not use affiliate templates in signatures

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  • Profile picture of the author Andy Money
    The list is endless, you can even give them nothing and do it ethically and make them ecstatic for the opportunity -- if you know what you're doing. When in doubt go with PLR.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by gothilda View Post

      Try to find some plr ebooks!
      Originally Posted by Andy Money View Post

      When in doubt go with PLR.
      Exactly the approach to avoid, in my opinion.

      This serves none of the five essentials listed in post #16 above, and leads inevitably to lower open-rates, poorer subscriber expectation-setting and attention, and less income. But try it, if you want and expect about 7 out of 10 of your own carefully targeted and gathered subscribers not even to be willing to open and read your emails.
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  • Profile picture of the author williamstraus
    Anna,

    Just put something up there. Do you disclose who you are on the blog? You could even just put in the text box "Hey - I don't know what you get for subscribing but you should do it because all the smart people do.".

    Or you could just put "Coming Soon - Big Secret" and let people opt-in.

    Of course you will have to give them something nice.

    "Coming Soon" - is my top secret opt-in offer. It converts amazingly well. Just a nice little widget on the upper right of my box that raises curiousity and sucks people in.

    Oh - and the report you eventually give them should prime them to buy what you're going to sell.
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    • Profile picture of the author cody123
      Hi A:

      You could write a report or ebook on "dog training" or "house breaking your dog" or something that you're passionate about or familiar with and offer that as a freebie in exchange for their email.

      People come to your site because they need answers and solutions. If you offer them a value-packed report filled with helpful content (and some links to your/Clickbank products), you will position yourself as an authority and they'll come back for more.

      You can also make an attractive, professional cover for your report at "Myecovermaker.com". You can create your own cover that will make your report stand out. Put that on your opt-in box on your home page and to give your visitors a visual to increase opt-ins.

      Also, you may want to look at Pop-Up Domination. It's a pop-up opt in and it rocks. Hope this helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author drr
    Originally Posted by aivzdog View Post

    Hello,

    I want to start a email list for my overall dog blog but I am not sure what to give people when they first sign up. Free article of something to do with dogs? Or should I just have it say sign up and receive news, products and giveaways. I am not sure what to do.

    Anna
    How about collating a bunch of funny dog captions, heart warming chicken-soup-for-the-dog-soul style articles into a PDF and giving it away?
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    • Profile picture of the author M Thompson
      Give as much as possible... not just "sign up and get our Newsletter"


      Give a Pdf or report of some sort for instant gratification.

      But also give a 7 day dog training fundamentals course" this will train people to open your emails (see we are just like dogs)

      Think about what else you can give.

      Build a relationship by using the "7 day fundamentals" and tell people about you and your dogs etc.. If a dog did something stupid tell them about it, talk about the joy of getting a new dog and then absolute heartbreak of losing a dog.

      Get the subscribers to relate to you and your blog/product

      Once you have that relationship then the worlds your oyster.. (or rhodesian ridgeback)
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  • Profile picture of the author Harry Nguyen
    Give them value content, one the same day as they optin and send another one the next day but keep them updated, share new tips not on the blog. Think about it in a customer's shoe and see what you want lol.
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