Building a list with $0 (offline)

26 replies
I'm not sure if anyone here has tried this, I haven't seen it posted by anyone but to start off your business, what do you think if warriors go to offline sources to build their list.
And I don't mean friends and family, but I mean going to the mall and asking people for it.

Well, I guess that alone wouldn't cut it because they don't have a reason to give you their email address.

But what if you build a short survey (which also ends up collecting more data about your consumers) and asking for the email within the survey.

To entice people to participate in your survey you could tell them they'd enter a draw to win a iPad mini or something.

Your thoughts please.
#building #list #offline
  • Profile picture of the author DIABL0
    I don't see it working. There is no mall that is going to let you come in and start soliciting customers.
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    How to Build LARGE EMAIL LISTS on a Budget and MONETIZE Like a PRO
    20+ Years Exp . . . . . . . . . . . . Email - CPA - PPL
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  • Profile picture of the author finestultimate
    Diablo,
    Although what you said may be true, I risked it today and went ahead with the above mentioned method to try it out.
    To my dismay, I was received very negatively by the consumers. i approached about 10 and they all didn't want anything to do with it.

    I thought that the reason for this is that they are at the mall, and are not in the mood to connect with anyone etc.

    So the next mission is to go to networking events and trade shows. I have one lined up for tomorrow... How do you think that will turn up

    Oh, and do you believe the solicitation thing still apply to a trade show?
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    • Profile picture of the author DIABL0
      Originally Posted by finestultimate View Post

      Diablo,
      Although what you said may be true, I risked it today and went ahead with the above mentioned method to try it out.
      To my dismay, I was received very negatively by the consumers. i approached about 10 and they all didn't want anything to do with it.

      I thought that the reason for this is that they are at the mall, and are not in the mood to connect with anyone etc.

      So the next mission is to go to networking events and trade shows. I have one lined up for tomorrow... How do you think that will turn up

      Oh, and do you believe the solicitation thing still apply to a trade show?
      Not thinking that anyone would actually try it, that was the other thing that I figured would happen. So I didn't bother mentioning it.

      There are malls that have survey companies in them. You will see people standing around with a clipboard trying to get people to do this and they get blown off all the time.

      I have to give you big props for even trying it. That shows dedication to try and make something happen. I doubt there are many, if any here, that would of tried it.

      Why are you so determined to do something offline VS doing something online?
      Signature
      How to Build LARGE EMAIL LISTS on a Budget and MONETIZE Like a PRO
      20+ Years Exp . . . . . . . . . . . . Email - CPA - PPL
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      • Profile picture of the author finestultimate
        Originally Posted by DIABL0 View Post

        Not thinking that anyone would actually try it, that was the other thing that I figured would happen. So I didn't bother mentioning it.

        There are malls that have survey companies in them. You will see people standing around with a clipboard trying to get people to do this and they get blown off all the time.

        I have to give you big props for even trying it. That shows dedication to try and make something happen. I doubt there are many, if any here, that would of tried it.

        Why are you so determined to do something offline VS doing something online?
        Well, first of all, it's free. I can focus my budget on other things such as building my website.

        Then theres the aspect of having a very segmented list. Since I'm doing a survey, I know exactly what products my consumers want and buy online and can target my campaigns based on this extracted data.

        I believe this will result in a very high quality email list of subscribers.
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisBa
    Originally Posted by finestultimate View Post

    I'm not sure if anyone here has tried this, I haven't seen it posted by anyone but to start off your business, what do you think if warriors go to offline sources to build their list.
    And I don't mean friends and family, but I mean going to the mall and asking people for it.

    Well, I guess that alone wouldn't cut it because they don't have a reason to give you their email address.

    But what if you build a short survey (which also ends up collecting more data about your consumers) and asking for the email within the survey.

    To entice people to participate in your survey you could tell them they'd enter a draw to win a iPad mini or something.

    Your thoughts please.
    Many large companies actually already do this, you would likely need to go the extra mile to look professional, it you have time and resources, it might be worth it, but in the end the only way to find out is to try it
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  • finestultimate,

    When you say, "going to the mall", I am assuming you mean using Direct Mail via USPS.

    I have mailed millions of direct mail pieces for myself and a multitude of clients.

    And, although direct mail can be effective, it is far from free.

    To overcome these cost, I would a low cost offer.

    Without know you business or industry - it is hard to say what that might look like.

    Best of luck!
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    • Profile picture of the author finestultimate
      Originally Posted by HardHittingAdCopy View Post

      finestultimate,

      When you say, "going to the mall", I am assuming you mean using Direct Mail via USPS.

      I have mailed millions of direct mail pieces for myself and a multitude of clients.

      And, although direct mail can be effective, it is far from free.

      To overcome these cost, I would a low cost offer.

      Without know you business or industry - it is hard to say what that might look like.

      Best of luck!
      Actually, no.

      What I mean by "going to the mall" literally means going to the mall, as in asking people in a shopping mall to participate in my survey and in turn opt-in to my list.

      This method hasn't worked thus far since people seem to be accustomed to having people asking them to fill out surveys and in turn I got blown off by all the people I had asked (10-12) then I called it quits.

      Today I went to a trader forum thinking I would get better chances, however, it didn't feel right once I started and although I got emails, I wouldn't recommend it.

      I might try again at networking events where people are interested in what you are doing and are eager to connect.

      But I now believe that the best way to attain an email list is through online methods as many of the experts here are accustomed to do.
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    • Profile picture of the author davismiller097
      Originally Posted by HardHittingAdCopy View Post

      finestultimate,

      When you say, "going to the mall", I am assuming you mean using Direct Mail via USPS.

      I have mailed millions of direct mail pieces for myself and a multitude of clients.

      And, although direct mail can be effective, it is far from free.

      To overcome these cost, I would a low cost offer.

      Without know you business or industry - it is hard to say what that might look like.

      Best of luck!
      low cost offer how much??
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  • Profile picture of the author rumahobat
    When you say, "going to the mall", I am assuming you mean using Direct Mail via USPS.


    I have mailed millions of direct mail pieces for myself and a multitude of clients.


    And, although direct mail can be effective, it is far from free.


    To overcome these cost, I would a low cost offer
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  • Profile picture of the author bakintime
    ive tried to make a email list offline and my list of 200 people turned out to be good its only because I got to know them. if going to a shopping mall make sure you have a sign banners and also flyers anything that may interest the persons attention for working online. give what you can offer to get the response. always ask for the director if you can setup a stand to promote what ever you are doing. if you have ever done host marketing then you will know what I just said. you need to have a stand also you need to promote a product of any kind that will interest people for online and offline.
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    • Profile picture of the author finestultimate
      Originally Posted by bakintime View Post

      ive tried to make a email list offline and my list of 200 people turned out to be good its only because I got to know them.
      What method did you use offline to build your list of 200, I would love to know.
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  • Profile picture of the author zaralockwood
    You might get arrested for begging/pan handling for approaching strangers in a mall! (unless you have the proper permission/ have paid a fee to rent the use of where you are standing, of course) as Shopping malls are private property that the public are allowed to use in order to use the shops - fees to rent in malls is expensive or we'd all be doing it!
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    • Profile picture of the author bakintime
      Originally Posted by zaralockwood View Post

      You might get arrested for begging/pan handling for approaching strangers in a mall! (unless you have the proper permission/ have paid a fee to rent the use of where you are standing, of course) as Shopping malls are private property that the public are allowed to use in order to use the shops - fees to rent in malls is expensive or we'd all be doing it!




      I know the people that I had asked they all work offline and the 200 people know! I work online they all said to me?.
      ill have your job and you can have mine your job is easy stay home work the hours you want never lose your job.
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  • Profile picture of the author waelwy
    I have actually tried it! It's very effective when you do it the right way! Mostly this is good for Network Marketing, and this way is what we call it a cold approach, and you don't need to lie but instead you can say something like you'll be qualified with us today. 1- Ask if they'll be interested to make extra income. If yes then introduce yourself and tell them that you have a survey and they could qualify for the opportunity. Look for someone age 35+ then ask in the survey age, marriage status, if they have a job and if the own a car etc. Then you qualify the one's that you want to work with and start calling or email them. In side the mall or outside.

    Consider wearing a suit and have an ID shown.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ralph83
    Interesting idea!

    I'd combine this with a list building technique that works well online; just give your offline prospects a freebie in exchange for their email address. The freebie should preferably be something digital that's emailed to them... free, printable tickets for some event, coupon codes etc.

    I guess when you offer the right freebie, you don't even have to approach people as they'll come to you... just hold up a sign stating that you're giving something away for FREE.
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  • Profile picture of the author finestultimate
    So today I tried my next venture with regards to building a list for $0.

    I started cold calling people from the whitepages asking them to do a a 2-minute survey in return for a chance to win an iPad mini (or a recipe book that I created sent right to them).

    This ordeal was also unsuccessful.

    I am now in the process of building my affiliate website (Clickbank) and am wondering what are the best and most value-oriented means of getting traffic to my website and building my list?
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    • Profile picture of the author sandfire
      Originally Posted by finestultimate View Post

      So today I tried my next venture with regards to building a list for $0.

      I started cold calling people from the whitepages asking them to do a a 2-minute survey in return for a chance to win an iPad mini (or a recipe book that I created sent right to them).

      This ordeal was also unsuccessful.

      I am now in the process of building my affiliate website (Clickbank) and am wondering what are the best and most value-oriented means of getting traffic to my website and building my list?
      What's you target niche.
      Find out where those people hang out - meetings, etc.
      Go to those meetings yourself;
      Get into conversation with other attendees and ALWAYS exchange business cards.
      a day or so later, call them and tell them that you have a bad habit of misplacing business cards and would it be okay for you to add them to your contact management system (CMS). You are not going to be emailing them except when you come across something that might be of help. But the CMS will send them an email asking them to confirm by clicking the link in the email. Ask them, "Would you be okay with that?" Only if they say "Yes!" do you add them to your email list.
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  • Profile picture of the author rickeyp
    Truly there are many ways of sucurring email adresses and you can start
    right there in your inbox were you get all that make from you can hit your
    Reply and get a lot of numbers that way, and you can also use Google to
    Target the kind of leads that you are looking for and it gos on and on.
    Have a nice day.
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  • Big companies can do that. For example if you want to make a promotional card (collecting points) in a supermarket they can ask for your email,phone,address.
    This is offline opt-in.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnVianny
    Isnt your TIME valuable?

    Dont waste time and buy some ads spot on local newspaper.

    Otherwise before building a 10k subscribers list it takes ages...
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    OP needs to target niche specific traffic offline.

    Real example, there's an offline meeting held once a year in my area where about 200+ software users show up for training. The meeting is always sold out (fast) and the software sells for $1,500. The meeting allows sponsors and to be honest it isn't that expensive compared to most niche expo prices.

    I'm considering to be a sponsor for the meeting because I know the entire group is high end software buyers and the sub-niche that I target provides files that can be used on the same niche software.

    My point is don't target random traffic.
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  • Profile picture of the author Al Brando
    When your business is online,offline list building does not work.Unless its e commerce store or a local business nearby to the MALL.
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  • Profile picture of the author sandfire
    Originally Posted by finestultimate View Post

    I'm not sure if anyone here has tried this, I haven't seen it posted by anyone but to start off your business, what do you think if warriors go to offline sources to build their list.
    And I don't mean friends and family, but I mean going to the mall and asking people for it.

    Well, I guess that alone wouldn't cut it because they don't have a reason to give you their email address.

    But what if you build a short survey (which also ends up collecting more data about your consumers) and asking for the email within the survey.

    To entice people to participate in your survey you could tell them they'd enter a draw to win a iPad mini or something.

    Your thoughts please.
    There is a network marketing company that uses this tactic. They sell utilities and comms to both business and domestic users. They also have a cash-back card. They offer an opportunity to win a BMW Mini. They supply their distributors with survey forms containing 4 questions. 1. How much is your home phone bill? 2. Would you like to pay less than that? 3. Would you like to save about 25% on your other house-hold bills every month? 4. Would you like to have an extra income? All to do with benefits for the prospect.

    If they express interest, the distributor books an appointment to see them at their home or office

    The distributors have approached people in the street. Also, the company does provide banners and bunting for trade shows etc. A lot of prospects will make appointments at the shows and exhibitions, but a lot do cancel appointments.

    I know other people who have a stall at a job fair and they get people to win a jar full of candy by correctly answering how many pieces of candy in the jar. Just remember to use candy that is wrapped so the pieces don't stick together.

    At exhibitions and fairs, you need a team so that each person can take a break once in a while and the stand is still manned.
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  • Profile picture of the author agmccall
    Remember, just because someone gives you their email address during a survey at the mall, it does not mean they have opted in to your list

    al
    Signature

    "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison

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  • Profile picture of the author JohnVianny
    Use SURVEY in ONLINE: it work better than opt in pages!
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