Building A List...Don't Wait?

[Andyf]

I always thought that I needed a finished product and completed web site before I started building a list. I thought you build your list as you try to market your completed product and web site. I have a product in the works, but no web site for the landing page yet.

However, over the last number of months it seems and I've started thinking that my thought process is all wrong based on some of the things that I've been learning lately. I should actually start building a list right now by:

• Creating some content to give away...all related to the product of course.
• Getting a simple landing page up...basically to collect subscriber e-mails.
• Getting an Aweber account set up.
• Getting a Wordpress blog set up under the new web site account.
• Writing articles as much as possible.

The blogging and articles are just to give away the free stuff and collect subscribers.

All of this would be going on while working on the e-book and web site. Until the real web site is finished, the simple landing page to collect e-mails and deliver the free information would be used.

I have never generated a list for my first product. It was a very small niche and I've probably only sold 600 units (and still selling), but it was a nice learning experience and made me some money.

Now, however, I'm after another niche which has a lot more potential(and more competition also!) But, I want to do this next project more like it should be done by building a list also.

Does this sound correct, or how more successful people do this? Don't wait until everything is completely done to start building a list?

Any suggestions on whether my thinking is wrong or right would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Andyf

[honestbizpro]

Originally Posted by Andyf

I always thought that I needed a finished product and completed web site before I started building a list. I thought you build your list as you try to market your completed product and web site. I have a product in the works, but no web site for the landing page yet.


However, over the last number of months it seems and I've started thinking that my thought process is all wrong based on some of the things that I've been learning lately. I should actually start building a list right now by:

• Creating some content to give away...all related to the product of course.
• Getting a simple landing page up...basically to collect subscriber e-mails.
• Getting an Aweber account set up.
• Getting a Wordpress blog set up under the new web site account.
• Writing articles as much as possible.

The blogging and articles are just to give away the free stuff and collect subscribers.

All of this would be going on while working on the e-book and web site. Until the real web site is finished, the simple landing page to collect e-mails and deliver the free information would be used.

I have never generated a list for my first product. It was a very small niche and I've probably only sold 600 units (and still selling), but it was a nice learning experience and made me some money.

Now, however, I'm after another niche which has a lot more potential(and more competition also!) But, I want to do this next project more like it should be done by building a list also.

Does this sound correct, or how more successful people do this? Don't wait until everything is completely done to start building a list?

Any suggestions on whether my thinking is wrong or right would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Andyf

Hi Andyf,


Yes you are on the right track. Start building that list as soon as possible.

That list will be a living asset if you build it right.


While you are giving good content and tips to your list, let them know that you are creating a new product. This will even help you.

Ask them the types of things they want to be taught and how they want to be taught.

Once you take that feedback into consideration while creating your product or service how can you lose?

You will be offering them exactly what they want and need. Easy money.

Good luck!

[Rod Cortez]

Before I dive into any niche I send targeted, paid traffic to a survey page and in exchange for their answers they get a free report or my initial product for free. If the survey results are favorable (along with other market research, such as competitive analysis) then I "test" the niche by building up a list and marketing a product mix of affiliate products to them. If I can at least break even doing this I know without a doubt that I can make money with my own product and continually marketing other people's products (with your own product you're keeping most of the profit which is why I love testing niches with affiliate products that pay 50 - 75% commissions).

You're definitely on the right track. Lastly, one thing to keep in mind is that larger companies pay top dollar for quality lists, which is why I seldom sell my sites to individuals. I sell them to bigger corporations that will sometimes even overpay for a website that is profitable but has a large list of customers and prospects.

RoD

[Richard Tunnah]

Originally Posted by Andyf

I always thought that I needed a finished product and completed web site before I started building a list. I thought you build your list as you try to market your completed product and web site. I have a product in the works, but no web site for the landing page yet.

However, over the last number of months it seems and I've started thinking that my thought process is all wrong based on some of the things that I've been learning lately. I should actually start building a list right now by:

• Creating some content to give away...all related to the product of course.
• Getting a simple landing page up...basically to collect subscriber e-mails.
• Getting an Aweber account set up.
• Getting a Wordpress blog set up under the new web site account.
• Writing articles as much as possible.

The blogging and articles are just to give away the free stuff and collect subscribers.

All of this would be going on while working on the e-book and web site. Until the real web site is finished, the simple landing page to collect e-mails and deliver the free information would be used.

I have never generated a list for my first product. It was a very small niche and I've probably only sold 600 units (and still selling), but it was a nice learning experience and made me some money.

Now, however, I'm after another niche which has a lot more potential(and more competition also!) But, I want to do this next project more like it should be done by building a list also.

Does this sound correct, or how more successful people do this? Don't wait until everything is completely done to start building a list?

Any suggestions on whether my thinking is wrong or right would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Andyf

Andy,
This is something I did for years wrongly! Wait until I had something to market then hit the list building. It's only latterly I realised it's much, much easier to build the list first by giving away short reports then utilize them to build a fuller product as Rod suggested. I'm still amazed that your list will tell you what they'd like and the acceptable pricepoint for it!

Rich

[jasonl70]

I would build a squeeze page, and line up several emails in your autoresponder.

You can promote some affiliate products via your autoresponder series and see what sort of products your traffic is willing to pay for.

I have built numerous lists this way, and have a developed a very good feel for what my subscribers are willing to spend money on. I'm now in the process of creating my own products to replace the affiliate products I have been promoting.

[airbusbarkley]

One way to find out what you list wants is by taking a survey. I know there are several ways to do this, but make it fun for your list to participate in. The insight you will gain will be invaluable. No more guessing what your list wants. Good Luck.

[Networking_now]

Guessing what they want isnt that wise, as what you want, and what they want are two completely different things

[Andyf]

Thanks for all of the input so far. Like I said before, I've never built a list before. But that was mainly because everything else was so new that I just didn't spend the time on that. Now, I'm comfortable with a lot of the things that I learned early on and now if I create another product in a new niche I want to do it better this time.

[mrechichi]

I went to an internet seminar this weekend and this very topic was brought up. As part of their market research as to whether of not they would continue with building a product they would put up a survey page on PPC. However, they didn't mention the survey site! What type of surveys sites would you recommend to collect data and build a list? I've checked out google and their are literally tons of them.

Kind Regards,
Michael

[Mr McDonald]

Now, here's why a list is so important and
deserves the number ONE priority in your
online business:

It's probably the ONLY real, sellable asset
in your business.

Think about it...

You only own 3 things in your business
- Your intellectual property (product)
- Your websites (media)
- Your list (customers)

Unless you have a best-selling product...
a website with lots of traffic coming
to it... a domain name that other people
want and are willing to pay a high price
for (like Yahoo.com)... it's unlikely for
the first 2 things above to be valuable.

But with a list, you can sell your products,
sell other people's products, or push traffic
to any website,

In fact, your list is the only asset that can
make you money before you own a product or
website.

With a list, your money making activities
can be placed on autopilot.

[Jillian Slack]

Definitely start building your list FIRST.

Surveys are fabulous because you won't waste your time creating a product or service that your audience has no interest in. Plus you can build the products to be exactly what they want. How great is that?

Survey Monkey is a great service to use -- SurveyMonkey.com - Powerful tool for creating web surveys. Online survey software made easy!

I haven't used any other services but maybe someone else has recommendations.

[Andyf]

A number of the "Gurus" really stress the point of getting into niches that are already proven to have people very interested in the niche and then also that people are actively spending money for products in that niche.

That is also somewhat of a dilema...niches like this are very competitive and are hard to break into. I think most people try and never make it because they are just "noise in the background"...their website never gets past page 300 or something like that. I guess this is why it's important to maybe focus on a related sub-niche.

I'm considering a competitive niche and want to go about this correctly.

Takes a lot of thought!

[mrechichi]

[quote=Andyf;791831]A number of the "Gurus" really stress the point of getting into niches that are already proven to have people very interested in the niche and then also that people are actively spending money for products in that niche.

Setting up a survey is a good start to get a feel for what the market wants. Then decide:

a. Once I know what the market is looking for, does anyone else have a similiar product or service?

b. How can I rise above the noise and out perform all these competitors?

How do you do this? Watch your competitors marketing behaviour very closely. Look for any gaps you can take advantage of, then make your move. It's like a game of chess, find a gap and then position yourself accordingly.

c. How to take advantage of the gap?
What is your USP? (Unique Sales Proposition) i.e. What will it take for potential clients purchase your product or service over and above all your competitors?

In summary, tell the market what they want and that you have it, make the product unique and give then extra value, that none of the competitors are doing. This is where you get creative.

Hope this helps.

[blalock61]

Good thread. Never have done anything with survey's but i am going to give it a shot. I have already signed up for Survey Monkey. Thanks

[TheCren]

Split-testing and surveys are definitely important. As another poster said, what you like and what your visitors like may be two totally different things.

Currently I'm converting about 4% of my visitors into subscribers. I have no idea if that's good or bad, but I'm thinking about changing my bribe gift to see if that makes things better.

[jasonl70]

Originally Posted by Networking_now

Guessing what they want isnt that wise, as what you want, and what they want are two completely different things

I am not guessing.. I am looking at what promotions get the most click throughs, as well as which ones convert into the most sales.

For instance: let's say you are in the IM niche, and over a year you've got 10,000 people to optin to your list. If during that time you've made 500 sales of ppc related products, 100 sales of article marketing products, and 20 sales of 'list building' products, then I would say that your list is more interested in ppc products.

I've used survey's many times - but it really helps to see what people are actually pulling their wallets out to buy