What to do if your list is not converting?

17 replies
Hi,

I have a list of subscribers (about 1000) and I haven't been able to get them to convert, no matter what I try!

Is this normal?

I may have to cancel my aweber account and drop the lot of them if I don't recoup some costs soon.

Or is there a cheaper alternative service to aweber which is decent?

Thanks.
#converting #list
  • Profile picture of the author davidjames42973
    Try giving them some good content without trying to sell anything. Give them some tips, videos and content that they can use. Try to be more interactive with them. It may not work with your current list, but would definitely help with your newer members.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2480159].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author darnoc92
      I agree that the best way to gain the trust of your list is to give them lots of useful free stuff before you try to sell to them. There's a reason why they signed up in the first place so now its important to keep them happy.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2487144].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Will Edwards
    Try something that you can give them free and get paid for - e.g. CPA offers.

    Will
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2480242].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    I'd evaluate everything I'm doing.

    - Examine how the list was built.
    Was it built on freebies? If so, you need to do something special to convert them into buyers.

    - Examine my Subject lines.
    Do they look like spam? Am I using stupid tricks? Am I just copying others? What can I do differently to increase the open rate. Do you know what the open rate even is?

    - Examine my subject matter.
    Is the subject of my emails congruent with the reasons my subscribers signed up?

    - Examine my copywriting.
    Is my writing boring? Do I ramble too much? Is there any personality to my writing? How persuasive is the copy? Do I sound desperate? Am I identifying with my subscribers so they can identify with me? Am I speaking in terms they use, or speaking my own language?

    - Examine my offers.
    Am I promoting quality products at a fair price? Am I sending out good information as well as offers, or am I just bombarding my subscribers with sales pitches and wearing them out? Are my offers relevant to the reasons they subscribed?

    - Examine my professionalism.
    Do my mailings look professional? Have I proofread and spell checked my content each time? Do I sound professional, yet down to earth and accessible?

    - Have I opened a gate they can walk through?
    This refers to selling low cost products that are a great value - in other words, have you made any offers that are extremely hard to resist - this can open a gate in their natural wall of resistance. Once the ice is broken, repeat sales become easier.

    While I was doing this honest self-evaluation, I'd ask some people I trust and respect to examine a few of my emails to get their opinion. I'd pay them for an honest evaluation if I had to. Make sure they know you want them to find the faults, you're not looking for flattery. The only way to solve a problem is to identify the problem first.

    Good luck.
    Signature

    Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2480271].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author indupriya
    Many factors play a major role in conversions.

    What is your email open rate? Do you provide informative content to them? how many times do you email your sales message? Are you promoting high cost products or low cost products? Are your products different to what is already available in the market?

    Try to answer them. you will get the solution.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2480456].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Big Al
    With a list that size Aweber should let you split test emails. You'll be able to see what messages get opened, how many clicks they get and then you gotta keep an eye on which one gets the sale (which is the real important metric).

    Personally I've found that the biggest problem comes from making sure you send relevant offers to your list that they WANT. Not necessarily what you think is good, what you think they need ... what they want.

    For future list building efforts - I'll be mainly finding markets with converting offers first and then finding the visitors who want those offers. Instead of finding a niche, building a list and then find offers they may be interested.

    Power of hindsight.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2480549].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Dr Livingston
    Hey, I would definitely re-assess what you are doing. Do the headline split testing like big al said. Also give away valuable content and mail them 3-4 times a week so they are familiar with you... I would make sure that you give a great tip and valuable content if you do this. Also check out David Eisner's WSO Email Marketing Revolution. This will definitely help you out.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2484276].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Maddi
    What Dennis said. Identify the problem, then only you can find a proper solution.

    As for alternative and cheap auto responder, I'd highly recommend Wizard Responder by Randy Smith. around $11 upto 10,000 people with great delivery rates.

    :WizardResponderPro:
    [not my affiliate link]
    Maddi
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2487641].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Vogin
      Are you sure you're giving your list enough free stuff and quality information? You know, I've seen this model in Social Profit Formula.

      How NOT to treat your customers:

      Msg NO1 : Buy my stuff.
      Msg NO2 : Have you bought my stuff?
      Msg NO3 : Please, check out my stuff!
      Msg NO4 : Here's a discount for my stuff...
      Msg NO5 : Ok, here's my stuff for free.

      You get the idea...
      Signature

      ppcsluzby.cz/en - PPC agency


      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2488084].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Travis72802
        Just ask 'em:-)

        Ask 'em what's stopping them from reaching their goals?
        Ask 'em what they've already tried?
        Ask 'em how it worked?
        Ask 'em what they are thinking of trying next?
        Ask 'em how you can help?

        and...

        Don't forget...

        Ask 'em what THEY WANT?

        Travis
        Signature

        Be A Bum Marketer! Free eCourse
        http://www.BumMarketingMethod.com

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2488159].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Kevin_Hutto
    Isnt Aweber only $20 a month for that level? If you are in such dire straits that you cant afford that, then I recommend not worrying about your list - and go get a job... You gotta be able to sink some costs into this business - even if its only a little bit.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2488259].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author MEMA2010
    Originally Posted by spudnick View Post

    Hi,

    I have a list of subscribers (about 1000) and I haven't been able to get them to convert, no matter what I try!

    Is this normal?

    I may have to cancel my aweber account and drop the lot of them if I don't recoup some costs soon.

    Or is there a cheaper alternative service to aweber which is decent?

    Thanks.
    Could you tell us how did you collect your list? Did you purchase ou rent it?
    Do you have a high spam rate?

    You should test to see what type of subject lines capture their attentions - a recent study showed that subject lines with 70 characters or more had higher open rates, but you should test to see what works best for your audience.

    Try to personalize the subject line with the recipients' names or another specific attribute so your message stands out in the inbox.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2488415].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Tymarkinc
    Originally Posted by spudnick View Post

    Hi,

    I have a list of subscribers (about 1000) and I haven't been able to get them to convert, no matter what I try!

    Is this normal?

    I may have to cancel my aweber account and drop the lot of them if I don't recoup some costs soon.

    Or is there a cheaper alternative service to aweber which is decent?

    Thanks.
    Question- Are they opening your emails? Or are they not responding at all?

    I know this is not what you want to hear right now as it sounds as if money is tight. but you need to change your thinking from "how can I make money off this list?" to "How can I give value to this list?"

    Take surveys if they open your emails, ask what they struggle with. Take the top 10 or 5 problems and make a ebook or short video series answering those questions.

    Sell it to them for something ridiculously low like 5 or 7 dollars.

    Just keep pounding away at, and find away to keep that list.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2488446].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Mike Murphy
    Sometimes sending them a short survey with a gift can wake them up. Ask them what it is they need help. Create a killer product in the niche and offer it to them NOT for free but for cheap ...like $1.

    Tell them it's regularly $97 (and make sure it IS worth $97 or whatever price you've chosen) and say that you'd like them to complete a very short survey and that you'd like to give them this $97 product for only $1 as a gift for them taking the time to fill it out.

    Offer it a few times and after a couple weeks and 5-7 emails, delete the people that didn't buy. What's left is a list of buyers. Carry on.

    Sounds harsh, but you can't build a business based around freebie seekers....they've got to buy sooner or later.
    Signature
    Guitar PLR - New MONSTER Guitar Video PLR Pack![LIMITED]
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2488658].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Giggle
    Hi:
    Where your subscribers are resident (country) may impact on their ability to pay. Although they may be interested in your emails, they may be feeling the pains of the recession. Check out your aweber stats.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2488701].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author DawnMartinello
    I agree with the others - come on back and let us know what's going on with your list and then I'm sure everyone can really focus in on some new strategies for you. I'd want to know how long you've been working on trying to get your list to buy your goodies, what have been your last few emails (title and general idea of the blast), etc.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2488724].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Coby
    Lots of good info here. I would like to see your Aweber stats. For the price Aweber is hard to beat. First, you need a good relationship. No Hard selling! Also, free content filled with affiliate links if they upgrade is good too.

    Of course, we need to know if they are actually opening the emails or not. That may be the first thing to work on.

    Also, I found educating my list before I try to 'soft sell' them works b/c they wont buy if they dont know why they need the product.

    Post your aweber stats and we can maybe help you more.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2488749].message }}

Trending Topics