Emailing to List

What they expect.

How much/how often they buy from/through you depends partly (mostly?) on the extent to which you fulfil (or even exceed) their expectations, because that's mostly what determines how much they trust you. And "how much they trust you" equates very closely with "how much they trust your recommendations", which is the affiliate-influenceable (or in your case, perhaps vendor-influenceable?) component of the buying-decision.

So you have to set their expectations in a way you're going to be able to fulfil them, and then fulfil them: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post6123982

No.

That's "time-sensitive" and I don't want to be sending everyone on my list the same thing at the same time - that interrupts continuity, and continuity is where the open-rate is, and the open-rate is where the money is. It means using broadcasts, and in the long run, for me (in all my entirely separate niches), that's a losing tactic (albeit that many people who don't split-test methodically imagine the opposite): http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post7301227

I think (hope) the two threads linked to above will "give you the main flavor", Michael. Here are three more, purely because you're known to be such a voracious and literary reader ...

Lists: How Long to Presell - Averages
Website or squeeze page
Where to get reports to give away on opt in page? (ignore the title: the post linked-to is about something else)

I believe one of they tips to achieving success with email marketing is letting your subscribers know what to expect from day 1.

What I like to do is the first email I send is a reminding them the free gift I gave to them on my download page -- while telling them how often I will be sending them messages.

I like to send around 2-3 messages a week and I remind them in each email I send -- to look out for my next email then give them a little teaser on what it will be about.

I also try to send many promotional emails out -- but rather intergrate them within my messages full of value. I will give them what I like to believe a value packed message -- then at the end Ill say, "If you enjoyed this, then you may like this product I have to offer."

It is a well known fact that people do not like being sold to... but everyone loves to buy.

Along with your follow up messages, If you have something of true value to send or a good discount on a new product -- I would then send your list a broadcast.

Hope this helps answer a few of your questions

Thanks, to both of you. I think one of my biggest issues right now is that I don't have an auto-responded set up (other than the welcome message). I don't even have a free report to help lure people in, lol. I've gotten a couple dozen people to sign up, over the past couple weeks, for my list just with the 'do you want to keep in touch?' heading on the opt-in box. No promise of getting them rich or even sharing 'secret' information. (I'm trying to think of a great idea for my 'free report.'

I'm also not selling or promoting anything real at this point. I've got a couple of affiliate links in my posts on the site, but nothing really special or unique (host gator affiliate, ect). The value of my site (I believe) is that I'm providing useful information to people who want it. Now I'm trying to figure out how to convert that into some sort of profit. I have a few ideas for products I'm going to be making in the coming weeks, but I want to be ready to promote them properly once they are done.

I am confident my traffic is very targeted, and high quality (about 100 people per day) because it is coming from places where I'm promoting the site specifically to my audience. I think I've had 2 clicks from search engines total so far.

I guess a question I'm having is, what is the difference between information I'm providing as a post, and information I'm providing in an auto-responder series. And then do I just slip a promotional email in with the series then?

I appreciate all your help.

Michael

I agree with Alexa with "what they expect." However, I would like to take this a step further. I've found that over delivering creates a more responsive list in most cases.

For example, if they opted in expecting a free guide with five tips for easy traffic, maybe you give them a couple of bonus tips or a second guide showing them how to create a landing page for that traffic.

For me, this depends on what I've posted to my site. I blog everyday and some of the blogs include training on different methods within my niche. Those posts I always blast out.

Other posts are more general about what I am up to or doing over the weekend. I don't blast these.

Benjamin Ehinger

These days, when I send out an email... I can make $5,000 to $10,000 either in my own product sales, or as an affiliate.

But let me back up and show you how long it has taken me to get to that point.

If there's one thing I've learned from email... it's that WAY too many marketers send out promo emails far too often.

I worked with one company, as their copywriter, who blasted their list with nothing but promo emails.

Needless to say, they didn't make much with email and I didn't agree with their philosophy of sending out promo emails.

What I do now, more than anything else, is give valuable information away free, with no expectation of anything in return.

The key to email success is regular communication... but not of the hyped up spammy kind... but rather communication that helps out your readers.

Doing this will also demonstrate your expertise. but most of all, if it IS helpful, then your list will want to keep getting it because it's helping them.

Compare that with emails that do nothing but sell... put yourself in your prospects shoes and what would you most likely to respond to and want to keep getting... helpful emails with great content, or sales pitches?

So, I promise... because I've seen it for the past 8 years in my businesses... send out
helpful, interesting and informative emails more often than any kind of sales pitches.

That way, your list readers will want to keep getting it regularly.

Giving out incredibly useful and valuable content will do what I call "attraction marketing"... which turns you from a seller/marketer/pest... into more of a coach/mentor/advisor.

And once again, great content means that they will want to stay in touch with you

But you have to work hard these days to stand out and make your emails valuable and interesting.

But again... do that and your readers will welcome your emails. they will find them so valuable, and if they do indeed help... they will want to stay on your list. That's when you build more trust, likeability, credibility, etc...

People only buy from those they know, like, and trust. Email is an awesome tool to build this.

But, you can easily destroy it by sending out too many sales pitches. Believe me, when I started in 2002, I was guilty of that and of course, hardly made money.

Now here's where the magic takes place.

Once you've given your list valuable tips, over and over again, and you've built up that trust, likeability, cred, etc... THAT is when they will jump all over offers you recommend... because they believe in you and that you're trying to help them.

They'll feel that your promotion is something in line with what they're trying to accomplish... and NOT just a blatant pitch.

Believe me, I can tell you from experience... once you nurture your list and offer a ton of free valuable content, over and over again, they will buy stuff in huge numbers when you offer them.

But, offer up nothing but promos and you become like every other marketer who is just after the sale.

Eventually, after you've proven that you're looking out for your lists' best interests... you can send out a promo and get yourself some mind-boggling conversion rates.

Thank you all very much. I think I have a much better idea of what my next steps need to be.

I read through all your recommendations, and all the threads Alexa linked to. Very informative!

Now to find the time to write up my auto-responder, free report and other items I'll need!

Busy Busy Busy!

Michael

Great Thread. Thanks everyone for your crucial advice.

Alexa Smith. If you happen to see this, I thought of one more clarification I am hoping to get.

In one of the posts you linked me to, you mentioned that you don't send out 'blasts' on each posts. Also that you send emails on days 1, 3, 6, 10 and 15 and then at 5/6 day intervals after that.

After the initial set on days 1, 3, 6, 10, and 15, do you just keep adding to your auto-responder series, placing them in at 5/6 day intervals? So over time, your auto responder might grow to 500 emails which span years (in theory). Or is there some upper limit to this?

Or am I looking it all wrong?

A lot of people fail with email marketing because they try to 'Auto-Mate- the entire business. Yes, that is ideal and we all love to be lazy but the facts are put in some grunt work and you'll end up with a way bigger salary then the guy with the 200k list trying to automate everything.

Here's what I do;
1. My first 12 emails are set up to build a relationship. I connect with them on FaceBook, Skype, Personal Email, Cell-Phone. I gave them every opportunity to learn that I am a real person that makes well over a full time income from home and that I can help them do the same. Yes, I do sell in those twelve emails but I don't hammer people... maybe every 3 emails they will see one sales page. The rest is good content, gifts etc.

2. After 12 emails I switch up the pace to a 10 email sequence of power selling. I now come at my leads in the manner of that I want to help them, this is how and if they don't need it they can unsubscribe. Obviously word it right so its sounds nice and fluffy...but basically at this point you want buyers or them off your list.

Send them content... Worry about only content, and You will see earnings.
See what kind of information You look forward, and try to give that also to Your leads.
Split test headlines always, segment list to buyers, non buyers, those who opened, and those who didn't open mails...
Survey them, reward them, and try to put lessons in series... (IM instructions - 1 of 5 - example)
Make persona research, know Your product, and how to approach to those who need that product...

I don't know what more to add, some suggestions??

Hope it helps