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Building a list

by Dana Holt
24 replies
I am building a list with targeted traffic.

Right now I am not giving away an incentive per se, but the first x number of autoresponders are free mini-course that solves a problem. I basically list the things the subscriber will learn in the mini-course as benefits to subscribe

Should I still try to give an incentive?

What kind of sign up percentage should I be expecting?
#building #list
  • Profile picture of the author MikeTucker
    I prefer to do what you are doing-- the lessons. The list builds more slowly, in my own testing, but I "weed-out" freebie seekers.

    Also, people have to open my emails in order to get the lessons... Which gets them into the habit of actually opening my emails.

    You have not given enough information for anyone to predict the kind of results you can expect. At the very least, it would help us to know what the niche is, what kind of site you have set up (a link to actually look at it would help), and the type and amount of traffic you are driving.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dana Holt
      Originally Posted by MikeTucker View Post

      I prefer to do what you are doing-- the lessons. The list builds more slowly, in my own testing, but I "weed-out" freebie seekers.

      Also, people have to open my emails in order to get the lessons... Which gets them into the habit of actually opening my emails.
      Yes, those are my thoughts exactly.

      I basically broke up what would have been the freebie into multiple emails.
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    • Profile picture of the author simpleleveraging
      Originally Posted by MikeTucker View Post

      I prefer to do what you are doing-- the lessons. The list builds more slowly, in my own testing, but I "weed-out" freebie seekers.

      Also, people have to open my emails in order to get the lessons... Which gets them into the habit of actually opening my emails.

      You have not given enough information for anyone to predict the kind of results you can expect. At the very least, it would help us to know what the niche is, what kind of site you have set up (a link to actually look at it would help), and the type and amount of traffic you are driving.
      Good advice.
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  • Profile picture of the author limerickbob
    A free report on the subject might be a good idea as an incentive to opt-in. Depending on how effective your Squeeze page is I would shoot for a 30-40% opt-in rate.
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    • Profile picture of the author TBInternetMarketing
      Originally Posted by limerickbob View Post

      A free report on the subject might be a good idea as an incentive to opt-in. Depending on how effective your Squeeze page is I would shoot for a 30-40% opt-in rate.
      Yea this sounds about right. 30-40% is decent, and you definitely need something free to get them to opt-in in the first place.
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    A good free ebook with the graphics and everything can boost the number of leads you get per day. You should see an increase in response off of this one technique alone. You mind showing us your squeeze page?
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  • Profile picture of the author Dana Holt
    The niche is relationships, and I am using POF for traffic.

    Right now my sign up percentage is around 20%, but this is my first version of the ad and squeeze page.

    The squeeze page is very basic right now. I may share it once I tweak it some more.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Hill
    The e-course is an incentive... Just because you're not giving them something to download does not mean it's not an incentive. To increase the value of the e-course why not offer a video with each lesson they can go and watch from your website?
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  • Profile picture of the author TopKat22
    Sounds to me like the incentive is the free course so I'd say no need to give away something else if you are getting sign ups and people are staying on the list.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mo Sheikh
    As Mike Hill mentioned, recording a video that corresponds with each lesson your subscribers receive will increase the perceived value of your mini e-course and any other products you decide to promote to your subscribers.
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    • Profile picture of the author suhsia329
      Have you try Facebook? Use FAN PAGE and get others to generate the traffic for you.

      The viral effect of Facebook is incredible as it's the most popular social media nowadays, and the great thing is Facebook is FREE!!
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  • Profile picture of the author absplittesters
    The signup / conversion rate of your squeeze page would be dependant to your niche.. For example, one of the social media squeeze pages we just rebuilt is getting a 87% conversion rate, whilst a similarly designed / laid out squeeze in the health niche is only getting a 50% conversion rate...

    But anything under 50% in any niche needs testing and fixing..

    Matt
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  • Profile picture of the author barbling
    If they're receiving lessons from you, thats valuable from the get-go.

    So, you might consider writing additional information at your blog, and including direct links to your posts.

    Once there, you can monetize your sidebar, have other options, etc.etc.etc.etc.

    Once your list is on autopilot, create a new list (AR) that targets a different breed of customers. Rinse and repeat.

    Include in your signoff "Enjoyed this lesson? Please feel free to share with your friends and let them know they can signup at ..... " That will encourage viral marketing too!

    Other ideas include:


    Hope that helps!
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  • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
    Originally Posted by XenosSoft View Post

    Should I still try to give an incentive?
    Yes.

    You should still give away an additional incentive there
    and then.

    Why?

    People love instant gratification.

    How much instant gratification does the first e-mail
    in your follow-up series give?

    How much more instant gratification could you add
    to the mix by including a downloadable incentive
    that they get right away?

    Test it out.

    You'll likely see higher opt-in rates if you give away
    more incentives when they opt-in. So, an incentive
    that they get NOW, and incentives that they get
    in the future.

    Dedicated to mutual success,

    Shaun
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    .

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    • Profile picture of the author Franck Silvestre
      This is one of the best thing you can do. Make sure you test your squeeze page.

      Franck

      Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

      Yes.

      You should still give away an additional incentive there
      and then.

      Why?

      People love instant gratification.

      How much instant gratification does the first e-mail
      in your follow-up series give?

      How much more instant gratification could you add
      to the mix by including a downloadable incentive
      that they get right away?

      Test it out.

      You'll likely see higher opt-in rates if you give away
      more incentives when they opt-in. So, an incentive
      that they get NOW, and incentives that they get
      in the future.

      Dedicated to mutual success,

      Shaun
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  • Profile picture of the author richrowley
    I'd add a free report as well. Dont think about doing one or the other....do both and you will be giving better value than most people out there and you'll build an amazing list!
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by XenosSoft View Post

    Right now I am not giving away an incentive per se
    Yes, you are.

    You're giving away a highly valuable email course which solves a problem for your subscribers. That's a powerful incentive. I'm sure you want your subscribers to feel "incentivized" by that, and I'm sure they are ... the question is why you don't regard it as an incentive per se? :confused:

    It's fine to do this. You're giving what some people might call "free report content" but you're giving it over a series of emails instead of all in one bite. This can have advantages: for a start, it gets your subscribers used to expecting and opening your email communications. Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author Paleochora
    I haven't seen your squeeze page so forgive me if I am wide of the mark.

    You mention that you have a list of bullet points but do you have any professional looking product graphics there as well? That will add extra perceived value to the course. Even though people know that the product will be a digital product delivered by e-mail, they still like to "see" it, as it were, in a way they can conceptualise it as a real product.
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  • Profile picture of the author Paulie Ciara
    I'm confused.. You are offering an e-course right? Your e-course is an incentive offer. If you're wondering about the traditional sign up, confirm, get .pdf approach, why not just try it and compare your results to your current results?

    Split-testing = key.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dana Holt
    Thanks everyone for the great feedback!

    I am going to try some of these suggestions and do some split testing.
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  • Profile picture of the author MarketingChad
    I'm a big fan of video as mentioned above. I feel that typical visitors view video as a much more professional and valuable incentive. Plus this help you create a better connection and relationship with the members of your list which will help you down the road make sales.

    Whenever I approach it, I think about what the visitors coming to my search are searching for. Boil it down to one question. And create and incentive that answers that question and provides further information and value. This will help them and keep them reading to see what else you will provide.
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    • Profile picture of the author crew03
      I think the key is to remember why your customers/potential customers are reading your information in the first place. Keep focusing on building a relationship and helping them solve their problem. If you can add more value by offering an additional free report to your mini-course, I would say do it.
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