What are the essential things to know about list building?

by eljuc1
171 replies
Hello Fellow Warriors,

I have started IM a few days ago and I honestly love it. I want to learn and try all the different strategies before I figure out which one is right for me. I purchased an aweber account, but I don't know where to go from here efficiently. I thought about giving away a free product to influence an email exchange. But, wouldn't I just fill a list of people who want freebies? I would greatly appreciate any advice in your process of filling your list.

Thanks in advance,
EL
#building #essential #list #things
  • Profile picture of the author Kenwerd
    Yes you would fill it with people who want freebies, good thinking. Not a lot of people realize that when they first start.

    A better way to go would be to create a product and sell that and build a list using that product. Then you can use it to promote affiliate products and also make more products and promote them to your list.
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    • Profile picture of the author RSMarketing
      Make a Squeeze Page > get people to subscribe for free product > then have your aweber form forward them to an OTO page that is selling something > and have your first followup message sent to them have the link to download page for the free product.
      Monetize your download page with links to other paid stuff.
      Single opt-in!

      After they buy your product from the OTO page > forward them to a page with an opt-in form for a "buyer" list, then you will have all your buyers on one list.

      Rich
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      • Profile picture of the author Gav35
        Originally Posted by RSMarketing View Post

        Make a Squeeze Page > get people to subscribe for free product > then have your aweber form forward them to an OTO page that is selling something > and have your first followup message sent to them have the link to download page for the free product.
        Monetize your download page with links to other paid stuff.
        Single opt-in!

        After they buy your product from the OTO page > forward them to a page with an opt-in form for a "buyer" list, then you will have all your buyers on one list.

        Rich
        Then buy solo ads,join giveaway events and do ad swaps


        Regards Gavin
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    • Profile picture of the author retsced
      Originally Posted by Kenwerd View Post

      Yes you would fill it with people who want freebies, good thinking. Not a lot of people realize that when they first start.

      A better way to go would be to create a product and sell that and build a list using that product. Then you can use it to promote affiliate products and also make more products and promote them to your list.
      You're just plain WRONG!!

      Oh my bloody good god...you couldn't be further from the truth.

      We are all on people's lists. What separates YOU from the rest of them?

      I will unsubscribe from a list ASAP if i feel I'm being sold to without receiving anything of value first. The name of the game is to provide value to build that initial trust. You might say that the people on your list are proven buyers because they stayed on your list after you continually promoted your stuff, but i say that you just lost a lot of people who would have bought from you further down the line if you built that trust FIRST by providing value. Some take longer to make a decision whether to buy or not, you have just lost those people because you didn't do enough to convince them that YOU are there to help them in any way you possibly can.

      Thinking of a list of "buyers" is short sighted because you are neglecting to understand that there are many people who are NOT buyers at first. Effective marketing can turn those people into buyers further down the line. This is a long term strategy and so it should be. After providing INCREDIBLE value you can then find out which ones are never going to buy from you. But, selling right out the gate will not only weed out the non buyers, but also weed out the POTENTIAL buyers. This is so important.

      What's the difference if a buyer makes a purchase now or next week? No difference if you are in this for the long haul.The truth is, you are leaving a lot of money on the table by hard selling to your list right out the gate.

      You should not be in this business to make money..your goal should, and ALWAYS should be to provide value...period. You may believe what you are doing works for you but that's simply because you just don't realize how much more money you could be making.

      This is a business, and we're in the business of marketing...not selling...there's a difference!!!

      I'm not saying that you are not earning a good income from your approach, what i am saying is that you could be earning so much more further down the line if you would just shift you mindset.

      So, you create a killer product, what's your first line of thought? Well, yours is to sell that product. Mine is to give that killer product away for FREE to my list. When they check out that killer product and it blows them away, i can be guaranteed they will be biting my bloody hands off to get at my next product...and the one after that, and the one after that and so on for a very long time. Again i ask, who would they rather buy from, the person who wants to sell their products or the person who provides value?

      People buy from people they like and trust...period. Ever heard of a funded proposal. Go look it up and implement it into your business model.

      I get so many emails from so many different marketers and to be honest, i rarely remember which are the good ones and which ones aren't. The ones that stand out are the ones that have provided quality valuable INFORMATION and the ones that work hard to help me without forcing their products down my throat.

      I would much rather give INCREDIBLE value for FREE today to build that initial trust so i can sell repeatedly to those people for many years to come. Actually, it's not even about selling at all, it's about effective marketing.
      I could go on all day about how important this is, and how it just plain WORKS.
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      • Profile picture of the author scrofford
        Originally Posted by retsced View Post

        You're just plain WRONG!!

        Oh my bloody good god...you couldn't be further from the truth.

        We are all on people's lists. What separates YOU from the rest of them?

        I will unsubscribe from a list ASAP if i feel I'm being sold to without receiving anything of value first. The name of the game is to provide value to build that initial trust. You might say that the people on your list are proven buyers because they stayed on your list after you continually promoted your stuff, but i say that you just lost a lot of people who would have bought from you further down the line if you built that trust FIRST by providing value. Some take longer to make a decision whether to buy or not, you have just lost those people because you didn't do enough to convince them that YOU are there to help them in any way you possibly can.

        Thinking of a list of "buyers" is short sighted because you are neglecting to understand that there are many people who are NOT buyers at first. Effective marketing can turn those people into buyers further down the line. This is a long term strategy and so it should be. After providing INCREDIBLE value you can then find out which ones are never going to buy from you. But, selling right out the gate will not only weed out the non buyers, but also weed out the POTENTIAL buyers. This is so important.

        What's the difference if a buyer makes a purchase now or next week? No difference if you are in this for the long haul.The truth is, you are leaving a lot of money on the table by hard selling to your list right out the gate.

        You should not be in this business to make money..your goal should, and ALWAYS should be to provide value...period. You may believe what you are doing works for you but that's simply because you just don't realize how much more money you could be making.

        This is a business, and we're in the business of marketing...not selling...there's a difference!!!

        I'm not saying that you are not earning a good income from your approach, what i am saying is that you could be earning so much more further down the line if you would just shift you mindset.

        So, you create a killer product, what's your first line of thought? Well, yours is to sell that product. Mine is to give that killer product away for FREE to my list. When they check out that killer product and it blows them away, i can be guaranteed they will be biting my bloody hands off to get at my next product...and the one after that, and the one after that and so on for a very long time. Again i ask, who would they rather buy from, the person who wants to sell their products or the person who provides value?

        People buy from people they like and trust...period. Ever heard of a funded proposal. Go look it up and implement it into your business model.

        I get so many emails from so many different marketers and to be honest, i rarely remember which are the good ones and which ones aren't. The ones that stand out are the ones that have provided quality valuable INFORMATION and the ones that work hard to help me without forcing their products down my throat.

        I would much rather give INCREDIBLE value for FREE today to build that initial trust so i can sell repeatedly to those people for many years to come. Actually, it's not even about selling at all, it's about effective marketing.
        I could go on all day about how important this is, and how it just plain WORKS.
        Um no it's not wrong at all. It's just another technique. It's actually one of the best techniques you can use because you are building a list of buyers immediately, and you know since they bought once, they'll buy again!

        A lot of people that get on lists are just freebie seekers. This helps to curb that. So as far as your saying someone is wrong in this, I think you have some learning to do.
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      • Profile picture of the author onlinebizgiant
        Originally Posted by retsced View Post

        You're just plain WRONG!!

        Oh my bloody good god...you couldn't be further from the truth.

        We are all on people's lists. What separates YOU from the rest of them?

        I will unsubscribe from a list ASAP if i feel I'm being sold to without receiving anything of value first. The name of the game is to provide value to build that initial trust. You might say that the people on your list are proven buyers because they stayed on your list after you continually promoted your stuff, but i say that you just lost a lot of people who would have bought from you further down the line if you built that trust FIRST by providing value. Some take longer to make a decision whether to buy or not, you have just lost those people because you didn't do enough to convince them that YOU are there to help them in any way you possibly can.

        Thinking of a list of "buyers" is short sighted because you are neglecting to understand that there are many people who are NOT buyers at first. Effective marketing can turn those people into buyers further down the line. This is a long term strategy and so it should be. After providing INCREDIBLE value you can then find out which ones are never going to buy from you. But, selling right out the gate will not only weed out the non buyers, but also weed out the POTENTIAL buyers. This is so important.

        What's the difference if a buyer makes a purchase now or next week? No difference if you are in this for the long haul.The truth is, you are leaving a lot of money on the table by hard selling to your list right out the gate.

        You should not be in this business to make money..your goal should, and ALWAYS should be to provide value...period. You may believe what you are doing works for you but that's simply because you just don't realize how much more money you could be making.

        This is a business, and we're in the business of marketing...not selling...there's a difference!!!

        I'm not saying that you are not earning a good income from your approach, what i am saying is that you could be earning so much more further down the line if you would just shift you mindset.

        So, you create a killer product, what's your first line of thought? Well, yours is to sell that product. Mine is to give that killer product away for FREE to my list. When they check out that killer product and it blows them away, i can be guaranteed they will be biting my bloody hands off to get at my next product...and the one after that, and the one after that and so on for a very long time. Again i ask, who would they rather buy from, the person who wants to sell their products or the person who provides value?

        People buy from people they like and trust...period. Ever heard of a funded proposal. Go look it up and implement it into your business model.

        I get so many emails from so many different marketers and to be honest, i rarely remember which are the good ones and which ones aren't. The ones that stand out are the ones that have provided quality valuable INFORMATION and the ones that work hard to help me without forcing their products down my throat.

        I would much rather give INCREDIBLE value for FREE today to build that initial trust so i can sell repeatedly to those people for many years to come. Actually, it's not even about selling at all, it's about effective marketing.
        I could go on all day about how important this is, and how it just plain WORKS.
        One of the latest examples is this- soon after reading your awesome comment, I was prompted to check out what you've in your signature line, and I didn't look no further to sign up to get your offer. It's applicable to online marketing, direct selling and in every aspects of business.

        In the old days of marketing this often meant identifying strategies and tactics for simply selling more products and services with little regard for what customers really wanted. Often this meant companies embraced a "sell-as-much-as-we-can" philosophy with little concern for building relationships for the long term. But, now, we're living in the modern era of marketing, where the customers have information at their finger tips.
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      • Profile picture of the author spock0149
        Originally Posted by retsced View Post

        You're just plain WRONG!!

        Oh my bloody good god...you couldn't be further from the truth.

        We are all on people's lists. What separates YOU from the rest of them?

        I will unsubscribe from a list ASAP if i feel I'm being sold to without receiving anything of value first. The name of the game is to provide value to build that initial trust. You might say that the people on your list are proven buyers because they stayed on your list after you continually promoted your stuff, but i say that you just lost a lot of people who would have bought from you further down the line if you built that trust FIRST by providing value. Some take longer to make a decision whether to buy or not, you have just lost those people because you didn't do enough to convince them that YOU are there to help them in any way you possibly can.

        Thinking of a list of "buyers" is short sighted because you are neglecting to understand that there are many people who are NOT buyers at first. Effective marketing can turn those people into buyers further down the line. This is a long term strategy and so it should be. After providing INCREDIBLE value you can then find out which ones are never going to buy from you. But, selling right out the gate will not only weed out the non buyers, but also weed out the POTENTIAL buyers. This is so important.

        What's the difference if a buyer makes a purchase now or next week? No difference if you are in this for the long haul.The truth is, you are leaving a lot of money on the table by hard selling to your list right out the gate.

        You should not be in this business to make money..your goal should, and ALWAYS should be to provide value...period. You may believe what you are doing works for you but that's simply because you just don't realize how much more money you could be making.

        This is a business, and we're in the business of marketing...not selling...there's a difference!!!

        I'm not saying that you are not earning a good income from your approach, what i am saying is that you could be earning so much more further down the line if you would just shift you mindset.

        So, you create a killer product, what's your first line of thought? Well, yours is to sell that product. Mine is to give that killer product away for FREE to my list. When they check out that killer product and it blows them away, i can be guaranteed they will be biting my bloody hands off to get at my next product...and the one after that, and the one after that and so on for a very long time. Again i ask, who would they rather buy from, the person who wants to sell their products or the person who provides value?

        People buy from people they like and trust...period. Ever heard of a funded proposal. Go look it up and implement it into your business model.

        I get so many emails from so many different marketers and to be honest, i rarely remember which are the good ones and which ones aren't. The ones that stand out are the ones that have provided quality valuable INFORMATION and the ones that work hard to help me without forcing their products down my throat.

        I would much rather give INCREDIBLE value for FREE today to build that initial trust so i can sell repeatedly to those people for many years to come. Actually, it's not even about selling at all, it's about effective marketing.
        I could go on all day about how important this is, and how it just plain WORKS.
        Good advice!

        People are immune to spam these days, and see through marketing emails in a second.

        Your first job is to build a relationship with your list. This involves sending frequent (but not too frequent) messages containing useful information for whatever market or niche you are in. Surveys, tools, calculators, points of view, opinion pieces. That sort of thing.

        When and only when you have represented yourself as an authority on your niche, is it time to sell.

        The selling could be very mild, as in an endorsement to a product, with a link to it.

        Or, it could be more full on.

        Also, an email is not the place to sell something. An email is the place to increase interest in your product or service. The email should compel the reader to click through to your site - which is where you do the selling.

        Good luck.
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      • Profile picture of the author mstrmindmktg
        Originally Posted by retsced View Post


        You should not be in this business to make money..your goal should, and ALWAYS should be to provide value...period. You may believe what you are doing works for you but that's simply because you just don't realize how much more money you could be making.
        Absolutely agree with this. Give away your best stuff. Show your list that if you provide great valuable products for free - they can imagine how great your paid products will be!
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        • Profile picture of the author kevin jackson
          Great stuff! And I only read the first page so far. Of course it takes more than reading a thread on a forum to be successful but there are some great nuggets here.
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      • Profile picture of the author Luis Vaugier
        Originally Posted by retsced View Post

        You're just plain WRONG!!

        Oh my bloody good god...you couldn't be further from the truth.

        We are all on people's lists. What separates YOU from the rest of them?

        I will unsubscribe from a list ASAP if i feel I'm being sold to without receiving anything of value first. The name of the game is to provide value to build that initial trust. You might say that the people on your list are proven buyers because they stayed on your list after you continually promoted your stuff, but i say that you just lost a lot of people who would have bought from you further down the line if you built that trust FIRST by providing value. Some take longer to make a decision whether to buy or not, you have just lost those people because you didn't do enough to convince them that YOU are there to help them in any way you possibly can.

        Thinking of a list of "buyers" is short sighted because you are neglecting to understand that there are many people who are NOT buyers at first. Effective marketing can turn those people into buyers further down the line. This is a long term strategy and so it should be. After providing INCREDIBLE value you can then find out which ones are never going to buy from you. But, selling right out the gate will not only weed out the non buyers, but also weed out the POTENTIAL buyers. This is so important.

        What's the difference if a buyer makes a purchase now or next week? No difference if you are in this for the long haul.The truth is, you are leaving a lot of money on the table by hard selling to your list right out the gate.

        You should not be in this business to make money..your goal should, and ALWAYS should be to provide value...period. You may believe what you are doing works for you but that's simply because you just don't realize how much more money you could be making.

        This is a business, and we're in the business of marketing...not selling...there's a difference!!!

        I'm not saying that you are not earning a good income from your approach, what i am saying is that you could be earning so much more further down the line if you would just shift you mindset.

        So, you create a killer product, what's your first line of thought? Well, yours is to sell that product. Mine is to give that killer product away for FREE to my list. When they check out that killer product and it blows them away, i can be guaranteed they will be biting my bloody hands off to get at my next product...and the one after that, and the one after that and so on for a very long time. Again i ask, who would they rather buy from, the person who wants to sell their products or the person who provides value?

        People buy from people they like and trust...period. Ever heard of a funded proposal. Go look it up and implement it into your business model.

        I get so many emails from so many different marketers and to be honest, i rarely remember which are the good ones and which ones aren't. The ones that stand out are the ones that have provided quality valuable INFORMATION and the ones that work hard to help me without forcing their products down my throat.

        I would much rather give INCREDIBLE value for FREE today to build that initial trust so i can sell repeatedly to those people for many years to come. Actually, it's not even about selling at all, it's about effective marketing.
        I could go on all day about how important this is, and how it just plain WORKS.
        Bravo!!! This is the way to go, help people, and the money will come
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        • Profile picture of the author Vrs
          Speaking for myself I've joined lots of lists to get the freebie. I ended up buying from a lot of them too. So just from personal experience I know it's o.k. to give away a free gift to get the info & click.
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      • Profile picture of the author Make Money Ninja
        Originally Posted by retsced View Post

        You're just plain WRONG!!

        Oh my bloody good god...you couldn't be further from the truth.

        We are all on people's lists. What separates YOU from the rest of them?

        I will unsubscribe from a list ASAP if i feel I'm being sold to without receiving anything of value first. The name of the game is to provide value to build that initial trust. You might say that the people on your list are proven buyers because they stayed on your list after you continually promoted your stuff, but i say that you just lost a lot of people who would have bought from you further down the line if you built that trust FIRST by providing value. Some take longer to make a decision whether to buy or not, you have just lost those people because you didn't do enough to convince them that YOU are there to help them in any way you possibly can.

        Thinking of a list of "buyers" is short sighted because you are neglecting to understand that there are many people who are NOT buyers at first. Effective marketing can turn those people into buyers further down the line. This is a long term strategy and so it should be. After providing INCREDIBLE value you can then find out which ones are never going to buy from you. But, selling right out the gate will not only weed out the non buyers, but also weed out the POTENTIAL buyers. This is so important.

        What's the difference if a buyer makes a purchase now or next week? No difference if you are in this for the long haul.The truth is, you are leaving a lot of money on the table by hard selling to your list right out the gate.

        You should not be in this business to make money..your goal should, and ALWAYS should be to provide value...period. You may believe what you are doing works for you but that's simply because you just don't realize how much more money you could be making.

        This is a business, and we're in the business of marketing...not selling...there's a difference!!!

        I'm not saying that you are not earning a good income from your approach, what i am saying is that you could be earning so much more further down the line if you would just shift you mindset.

        So, you create a killer product, what's your first line of thought? Well, yours is to sell that product. Mine is to give that killer product away for FREE to my list. When they check out that killer product and it blows them away, i can be guaranteed they will be biting my bloody hands off to get at my next product...and the one after that, and the one after that and so on for a very long time. Again i ask, who would they rather buy from, the person who wants to sell their products or the person who provides value?

        People buy from people they like and trust...period. Ever heard of a funded proposal. Go look it up and implement it into your business model.

        I get so many emails from so many different marketers and to be honest, i rarely remember which are the good ones and which ones aren't. The ones that stand out are the ones that have provided quality valuable INFORMATION and the ones that work hard to help me without forcing their products down my throat.

        I would much rather give INCREDIBLE value for FREE today to build that initial trust so i can sell repeatedly to those people for many years to come. Actually, it's not even about selling at all, it's about effective marketing.
        I could go on all day about how important this is, and how it just plain WORKS.
        This just summizes everything i know about email marketing. You can learn stuff like copywriting till you are blue in the face. But the secret is, provide value first, value is what makes the world turn. If you are valuable, you will have no problem making money.

        Kudos.
        Signature

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        Get More Links - Generate More Traffic - Make More Money!
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  • Profile picture of the author paul nicholls
    first thing i will say is "slow and steady wins the race"

    dont go head first into it thinking that your going to see massive results overnight

    it does work very well but it does take a bit of time

    make sure you have:

    squeeze page
    high value free video course/reports to build your list
    low priced product (optional to start with)
    a basic sales funnel
    targeted traffic

    that in a nutshell is all you need

    you can make tweaks and changes as you go and your sales funnel will expand as you grow your business

    paul
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    • Profile picture of the author MKCookins
      Originally Posted by paul nicholls View Post

      first thing i will say is "slow and steady wins the race"

      dont go head first into it thinking that your going to see massive results overnight

      it does work very well but it does take a bit of time

      make sure you have:

      squeeze page
      high value free video course/reports to build your list
      low priced product (optional to start with)
      a basic sales funnel
      targeted traffic

      that in a nutshell is all you need

      you can make tweaks and changes as you go and your sales funnel will expand as you grow your business

      paul
      What he said. The key thing to building a list that is responsive is provide VALUE. You want to over deliver, and provide as much helpful information as you can. This way when you want to sell an item, they will trust you are selling them something that they will benefit from
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    • Profile picture of the author fatafat
      Some really good suggestions and different view points...its a very knowledgeable post
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  • Profile picture of the author MarvyDery
    the best way to succeed in IM is to see it as a business and treat your visitors(customers) on a professional level.
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  • Profile picture of the author ivanadee
    if you want to make it simple, just join membership that offers you complete squeeze and then buy solo ads. See my thread here :
    http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...-i-newbie.html
    oh, ya, get close with your subscribers will increase the conversion
    I hope it helps

    regards

    Ivana
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by eljuc1 View Post

    What are the essential things to know about list building?
    Here are the three essentials, from my experience (I think understanding these three Big Issues, as an overview, before thinking about any "operative details" at all, can help anyone) ...

    1. Don't depend entirely on SEO traffic, to build your list. For two main reasons ...
    • SEO traffic is low-quality: it converts worse, opts in less, and buys less often, than traffic from almost any other source (I suspect this is a "little secret" unknown to many people whose measurable, analyzable quantities of traffic have only ever come from SEO!)
    • as so many Warriors have been discovering over the last year - some of them to their very great cost, with all the Panda updates and other changes going on - a business that depends on Google for its primary traffic is only ever going to be one algorithm-change away from a potential accident (or even a potential disaster)
    2. Don't assume that the biggest list necessarily equates with the biggest income: this can easily be untrue, and often is, and there are good and valid and reliable reasons for that.

    3. Don't assume that a squeeze page is the only way to build a list. It isn't. It's often not the best way (after all the lengthy split-testing I've done in separate, unrelated niches, I stopped using squeeze pages for list-building altogether when I eventually worked out what they were costing me - and it was far from easy to work out).

    How well you do, financially, in the long term, from list-building, is fundamentally about "a process of continuity". Personally, after all the testing I could be bothered to do, in a few different niches, without getting significant unsubscriptions and so on just from "testing", I now send email on days 1, 3, 6, 10 and 15 and thereafter at 5/6-day intervals (never 7-day intervals, because of the "same day of the week" problem).

    I think many of the most worthwhile ways of keeping people on your list (as well as keeping them opening and reading your emails) relate to things you need to do before people opt-in, not after. It's about setting expectations, establishing reliability and credibility, and earning people's trust.

    These things all vary according to the traffic demographics, the opt-in incentive and maybe even the niche, too.

    These are the kind of things I normally suggest to people who ask ...

    (i) Explain really clearly to people that they're going to get regular emails from you, in addition to the "free report" or whatever carrot you're giving them in exchange for their email address;

    (ii) Explain openly roughly how often you'll be sending these emails, and stick to what you've said;

    (iii) Explain what information/materials will be covered in your emails, and why (obviously making the whole thing sound as attractive/appealing as possible);

    (iv) Make sure that the "free report" is designed specifically to make sure that its recipients open and read the subsequent email series (failure to do this is a seriously missed opportunity which leads to unnecessarily low open-rates and less income);

    (v) Always use a reliable autoresponder with good deliverability, never a free one which may send spammy junk of its own out with your emails (opt in yourself, under a few email addresses, and see how they look and whether they reliably hit your inboxes);

    (vi) Make sure there's as good a match as possible, in tone, style and presentation, between (a) what attracted people to your site in the first place, (b) what they saw when they got there, and (c) what you send by email - this can make a huge difference to keeping people subscribed and opening/reading your emails, because continuity matters;

    (vii) As well as all the more obvious things like reminding people who you are, why they're receiving it, how to unsubscribe and so on, put a little "feeder" in each email for the next one, so that it'll be expected and welcomed when it arrives (can also make a big difference);

    (viii) Don't use people's first names when you send them autoresponder emails: marketers (often) love to do this, or at least the ones who are naive enough to imagine that people think it "makes it look more personal" - it does no such thing. People aren't stupid and they know that it's automated and means nothing. Customers often think it "just makes you sound like an insurance salesman" and it puts them on their guard - exactly the opposite of what you ought to be doing. (You can also build bigger lists by not asking for their names - an email address is all you need, and more people will opt in if that's all you ask for);

    (ix) Don't try to give your emails "clever"/"tricky" subject-lines, or be misleading in any way in their titles: not only does this not work at all, but if anyone ever complains about it, your autoresponder company may (rightly) drop you like a stone;

    (x) Don't send unnecessary "broadcasts".
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    • Profile picture of the author Alminc
      [DELETED]
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      • Profile picture of the author Schwan
        Alexa,

        I would like to buy ppc-ads and drive traffic to a site. So would you suggest sending this traffic to a "content-site" with an optin form on the upper right or on a classical squeese page?

        thanks in advance, schwan
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by Schwan View Post

          I would like to buy ppc-ads and drive traffic to a site. So would you suggest sending this traffic to a "content-site" with an optin form on the upper right or on a classical squeese page?
          Sorry, I just don't know enough about AdWords (and similar) to answer this.

          Others who know much more about it than I do will probably reply.
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    • Profile picture of the author mostafa999
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Here are the three essentials, from my experience (I think understanding these three Big Issues, as an overview, before thinking about any "operative details" at all, can help anyone) ...

      1. Don't depend entirely on SEO traffic, to build your list. For two main reasons ...
      • SEO traffic is low-quality: it converts worse, opts in less, and buys less often, than traffic from almost any other source (I suspect this is a "little secret" unknown to many people whose measurable, analyzable quantities of traffic have only ever come from SEO!)
      • as so many Warriors have been discovering over the last year - some of them to their very great cost, with all the Panda updates and other changes going on - a business that depends on Google for its primary traffic is only ever going to be one algorithm-change away from a potential accident (or even a potential disaster)
      2. Don't assume that the biggest list necessarily equates with the biggest income: this can easily be untrue, and often is, and there are good and valid and reliable reasons for that.

      3. Don't assume that a squeeze page is the only way to build a list. It isn't. It's often not the best way (after all the lengthy split-testing I've done in separate, unrelated niches, I stopped using squeeze pages for list-building altogether when I eventually worked out what they were costing me - and it was far from easy to work out).

      How well you do, financially, in the long term, from list-building, is fundamentally about "a process of continuity". Personally, after all the testing I could be bothered to do, in a few different niches, without getting significant unsubscriptions and so on just from "testing", I now send email on days 1, 3, 6, 10 and 15 and thereafter at 5/6-day intervals (never 7-day intervals, because of the "same day of the week" problem).

      I think many of the most worthwhile ways of keeping people on your list (as well as keeping them opening and reading your emails) relate to things you need to do before people opt-in, not after. It's about setting expectations, establishing reliability and credibility, and earning people's trust.

      These things all vary according to the traffic demographics, the opt-in incentive and maybe even the niche, too.

      These are the kind of things I normally suggest to people who ask ...

      (i) Explain really clearly to people that they're going to get regular emails from you, in addition to the "free report" or whatever carrot you're giving them in exchange for their email address;

      (ii) Explain openly roughly how often you'll be sending these emails, and stick to what you've said;

      (iii) Explain what information/materials will be covered in your emails, and why (obviously making the whole thing sound as attractive/appealing as possible);

      (iv) Make sure that the "free report" is designed specifically to make sure that its recipients open and read the subsequent email series (failure to do this is a seriously missed opportunity which leads to unnecessarily low open-rates and less income);

      (v) Always use a reliable autoresponder with good deliverability, never a free one which may send spammy junk of its own out with your emails (opt in yourself, under a few email addresses, and see how they look and whether they reliably hit your inboxes);

      (vi) Make sure there's as good a match as possible, in tone, style and presentation, between (a) what attracted people to your site in the first place, (b) what they saw when they got there, and (c) what you send by email - this can make a huge difference to keeping people subscribed and opening/reading your emails, because continuity matters;

      (vii) As well as all the more obvious things like reminding people who you are, why they're receiving it, how to unsubscribe and so on, put a little "feeder" in each email for the next one, so that it'll be expected and welcomed when it arrives (can also make a big difference);

      (viii) Don't use people's first names when you send them autoresponder emails: marketers (often) love to do this, or at least the ones who are naive enough to imagine that people think it "makes it look more personal" - it does no such thing. People aren't stupid and they know that it's automated and means nothing. Customers often think it "just makes you sound like an insurance salesman" and it puts them on their guard - exactly the opposite of what you ought to be doing. (You can also build bigger lists by not asking for their names - an email address is all you need, and more people will opt in if that's all you ask for);

      (ix) Don't try to give your emails "clever"/"tricky" subject-lines, or be misleading in any way in their titles: not only does this not work at all, but if anyone ever complains about it, your autoresponder company may (rightly) drop you like a stone.
      Hi Alexa, I haven't tried email marketing before so I have a few questions if you don't mind srry if they seem newbie :p

      1. you mentioned that you send emails "on days 1, 3, 6, 10 and 15 and thereafter at 5/6-day intervals" using like an auto response software. Do you mean by this that each new subscriber gets his email day one he subscribed then day 3 then 6..... But this means that if you got a new subscriber 3 months ago, and you got one new subscriber yesterday, both will get same emails, isn't this confusing for you that all subscriber get different email because they subscribed in different times

      2. emails also could get outdated so it can be a also a bit confusing to update the ones of day 1, 3, 6.

      3. What also confuses me is that your last email written will be only viewed by only your first subscriber, what if it was an important email, I would like to send it for everyone ?
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by mostafa999 View Post

        1. you mentioned that you send emails "on days 1, 3, 6, 10 and 15 and thereafter at 5/6-day intervals" using like an auto response software. Do you mean by this that each new subscriber gets his email day one he subscribed then day 3 then 6..... But this means that if you got a new subscriber 3 months ago, and you got one new subscriber yesterday, both will get same emails, isn't this confusing for you that all subscriber get different email because they subscribed in different times
        I think you may not quite understand what an autoresponder does. If the emails are set to go out on days 1, 3, 6 and 10, this means that each subscriber automatically gets the same emails in the same order at the same intervals.

        Regardless of when you subscribe, you get message 1 the day after subscribing. Two days later, you get message 2. Three days after that, message 3, and four days after that, message 4.

        If I subscribe on the first of the month, I get follow-up emails on the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 12th.

        If you sign up on the 10th, you get the identical sequence on the 11th, 13th, 16th and 20th.

        There's no confusion about which email to send when, because the software handles all of that for you.

        Originally Posted by mostafa999 View Post

        2. emails also could get outdated so it can be a also a bit confusing to update the ones of day 1, 3, 6.
        This is a matter of how you write the emails. For example, if you include specific dates, it could be confusing to update. So you don't use specific dates in your pre-programmed messages. You say things like, "in a couple of days, you should see the next message, so watch for it."

        If you write the sequence properly, there should be very little updating required as maintenance.

        Originally Posted by mostafa999 View Post

        3. What also confuses me is that your last email written will be only viewed by only your first subscriber, what if it was an important email, I would like to send it for everyone ?
        There are two kinds of messages you can send with an autoresponder. Pre-programmed emails go out in order, at prescribed intervals, as described above. Broadcast emails are outside of the sequence, and go out one time as scheduled. Anyone currently on the list will get that message, but new subscribers will not. So if the info is evergreen and that important, you can program it into your sequence.

        Does this help?
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        • Profile picture of the author mostafa999
          Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

          I think you may not quite understand what an autoresponder does. If the emails are set to go out on days 1, 3, 6 and 10, this means that each subscriber automatically gets the same emails in the same order at the same intervals.

          Regardless of when you subscribe, you get message 1 the day after subscribing. Two days later, you get message 2. Three days after that, message 3, and four days after that, message 4.

          If I subscribe on the first of the month, I get follow-up emails on the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 12th.

          If you sign up on the 10th, you get the identical sequence on the 11th, 13th, 16th and 20th.

          There's no confusion about which email to send when, because the software handles all of that for you.



          This is a matter of how you write the emails. For example, if you include specific dates, it could be confusing to update. So you don't use specific dates in your pre-programmed messages. You say things like, "in a couple of days, you should see the next message, so watch for it."

          If you write the sequence properly, there should be very little updating required as maintenance.



          There are two kinds of messages you can send with an autoresponder. Pre-programmed emails go out in order, at prescribed intervals, as described above. Broadcast emails are outside of the sequence, and go out one time as scheduled. Anyone currently on the list will get that message, but new subscribers will not. So if the info is evergreen and that important, you can program it into your sequence.

          Does this help?
          Thanks John, that was very useful, I pretty understood about how auto response work but what still confuses me is that for example:

          -I started building a list like from 1/1/2012 and I have written like 100 emails till now.

          -I set my auto response on day 1, 3, 6, 10 and 15 and thereafter at 5/6-day intervals

          -I got my first subscriber "X" and I sent my first email on 1/1/2012

          -If I have a new subscriber "Y" today on 8/8/2012 isn't he going to get the email that I sent 1/1/2012 and subscriber X will get the latest email which is the 100th

          I think that throughout the year things change a little bit and I need to modify my emails, and I think that all of my subscribers should get the latest emails, that why it does not make too much sense for me
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          • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
            Originally Posted by mostafa999 View Post

            Thanks John, that was very useful, I pretty understood about how auto response work but what still confuses me is that for example:

            -I started building a list like from 1/1/2012 and I have written like 100 emails till now.

            -I set my auto response on day 1, 3, 6, 10 and 15 and thereafter at 5/6-day intervals

            -I got my first subscriber "X" and I sent my first email on 1/1/2012

            -If I have a new subscriber "Y" today on 8/8/2012 isn't he going to get the email that I sent 1/1/2012 and subscriber X will get the latest email which is the 100th

            I think that throughout the year things change a little bit and I need to modify my emails, and I think that all of my subscribers should get the latest emails, that why it does not make too much sense for me
            If you really think all of your subscribers should get the most current emails, rather than get the old ones in some kind of sequence, don't set up the sequence. Send broadcasts instead.

            With a broadcast, everyone on the list gets the same email at the same time.

            The way to use a programmed sequence is when you want to lead someone through your sales process of multiple steps. The objective is to (depending on whether you are the seller or an affiliate) either lead the subscriber to buy the product (as a seller) or send the subscriber to the seller's sales page ready to buy (as an affiliate). If you're an affiliate, this is called "pre-selling" the product.

            A programmed sequence isn't appropriate for every list. Yours may be one of them.

            On the other hand, if you have a series of emails that you know works well, an autoresponder setup can help you deliver that set of messages the same way to each subscriber.

            You might also consider a variant where subscribers go through a sequence designed to get them to take a specific action (like buy a specific product), and then move them to a general broadcast list where they get your current emails as you send them.

            Lots of ways to set things up. The way that works for you is the right way.
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            • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
              Banned
              Apologies, Mostafa - I've been online here only for 5-10 minutes at a time, today, and saw your questions only after John has kindly answered them all (and even more kindly left me almost nothing to add to his ever-helpful comments, as on some previous occasions!).

              Don't assume that because I use that 1, 3, 6, 10, 15-day pattern that it's necessarily going to be exactly the right one for you. What works best for you might be different from mine, if your traffic demographics and niche are all different from mine. On the other hand, I don't think it's "bad timing" (of course) and it might be something to start from?

              (Personally I like to have as much automated in "email series" as possible, and send "broadcasts" - where everyone gets the same email at the same time regardless of where they are in the sequence - just about as rarely as possible. But again, that doesn't necessarily make it right for your business).

              And good luck!
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              • Profile picture of the author mostafa999
                Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

                Apologies, Mostafa - I've been online here only for 5-10 minutes at a time, today, and saw your questions only after John has kindly answered them all (and even more kindly left me almost nothing to add to his ever-helpful comments, as on some previous occasions!).

                Don't assume that because I use that 1, 3, 6, 10, 15-day pattern that it's necessarily going to be exactly the right one for you. What works best for you might be different from mine, if your traffic demographics and niche are all different from mine. On the other hand, I don't think it's "bad timing" (of course) and it might be something to start from?

                (Personally I like to have as much automated in "email series" as possible, and send "broadcasts" - where everyone gets the same email at the same time regardless of where they are in the sequence - just about as rarely as possible. But again, that doesn't necessarily make it right for your business).

                And good luck!
                Hey Alexa no prob at all, I find you guys really amazing, sharing what you know with newbies like me :p, I have a question though someone just send me a message, he mentioned that he would like to offer me solo ads and costing an amount of $XX per 100 click to a free squeeze page

                How can I benefit from something like this I have a website which promotes one product and my affiliate links leads to the merchant website so my questions are :

                1. What is free squeeze page (in my case)?
                2. How can I benefit somehow from this offer ?
                3. How can I know if someone email list is trustworthy?

                A 1000 Thanks is not enough for your help
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    • Profile picture of the author avirtt
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Here are the three essentials, from my experience (I think understanding these three Big Issues, as an overview, before thinking about any "operative details" at all, can help anyone) ...
      That's really impressive.
      At least being a customer I'd react exactly this way.
      I'd like to subscribe to your list.
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    • Profile picture of the author PinkOwl
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Here are the three essentials, from my experience (I think understanding these three Big Issues, as an overview, before thinking about any "operative details" at all, can help anyone) ....
      Alexa, just when I think I cannot find another more helpful thread I do. Your response was priceless and just what I needed. I am going to copy it and add it to my list of great tips. I am learning so much from just being on this site alone. Thank you for such great advice.
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    • Profile picture of the author HeadStartSEO
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Here are the three essentials, from my experience (I think understanding these three Big Issues, as an overview, before thinking about any "operative details" at all, can help anyone) ...

      1. Don't depend entirely on SEO traffic, to build your list. For two main reasons ...
      • SEO traffic is low-quality: it converts worse, opts in less, and buys less often, than traffic from almost any other source (I suspect this is a "little secret" unknown to many people whose measurable, analyzable quantities of traffic have only ever come from SEO!)
      Just came across this post. Thanks for sharing some great info.

      I disagree with the claim that SEO traffic is low quality. IME (and I think the general paradigm), organic search traffic is some of the highest quality traffic in terms of user engagement and conversion rate.

      Perhaps you're operating in the context of gray/black hat SEO. As part of a marketing strategy, agencies will almost always highlight organic traffic as super-qualified. But that's exclusively for large brands and in the context of white hat SEO. Different strokes for different SEO folks.
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by HeadStartSEO View Post

        Just came across this post. Thanks for sharing some great info.

        I disagree with the claim that SEO traffic is low quality. IME (and I think the general paradigm), organic search traffic is some of the highest quality traffic in terms of user engagement and conversion rate.

        Perhaps you're operating in the context of gray/black hat SEO. As part of a marketing strategy, agencies will almost always highlight organic traffic as super-qualified. But that's exclusively for large brands and in the context of white hat SEO. Different strokes for different SEO folks.
        Another factor may be the objective of the site in question. If the objective is branding and information, with the hope of gaining sales from offline retailers, search traffic may be considered good quality.

        If the objective is to get the right people (the best prospects) onto an email list for the purpose of gaining a sales commission, search traffic is often not targeted enough. It's lower quality than someone who clicks through from, say, an article or guest post or video, and opts-in to a list to continue the conversation.

        As you say, different strokes for different folks...
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      • Profile picture of the author sterlingtek
        Originally Posted by HeadStartSEO View Post

        Just came across this post. Thanks for sharing some great info.

        I disagree with the claim that SEO traffic is low quality. IME (and I think the general paradigm), organic search traffic is some of the highest quality traffic in terms of user engagement and conversion rate.

        Perhaps you're operating in the context of gray/black hat SEO. As part of a marketing strategy, agencies will almost always highlight organic traffic as super-qualified. But that's exclusively for large brands and in the context of white hat SEO. Different strokes for different SEO folks.
        The difference between SEO traffic and article marketing traffic that Alexa is getting is that her traffic is pre-qualified. She is getting people to go to her site and sign up after they already read some of her content. She has set the hook and reeled them in, it is not to surprising that that traffic converts better for her than SEO traffic.
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  • Profile picture of the author Francis Ochoco
    Selling products and giving away free products both have pros and cons when it comes to building your list.

    But don't be afraid of the freebie model because many of them will eventually become buyers.

    Giving away free products will also build your list faster and enable you to start leveraging that list (ie-selling solo ads, JVs, adswapping, etc.).
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    • Profile picture of the author ElaineBrown
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Francis Ochoco View Post

      Selling products and giving away free products both have pros and cons when it comes to building your list.

      But don't be afraid of the freebie model because many of them will eventually become buyers.

      Giving away free products will also build your list faster and enable you to start leveraging that list (ie-selling solo ads, JVs, adswapping, etc.).
      Hi,
      are there any statistics about how successful this freebies method really is?
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by ElaineBrown View Post

        Hi,
        are there any statistics about how successful this freebies method really is?
        Any statistic someone might float your way would likely be useless to you. Not because the person offering it is lying (although some will in order to sell you something), but because a lot of different variables go into compiling that statistic.

        Direct marketers were offering premiums (aka 'freebies') in return for contact information long before anyone even dreamed of an Internet, much less "Internet Marketing."

        Make a ham-fisted offer of a piece of junk freebie to the wrong audience, and your statistic will approach zero. Make the right offer to the right audience, and your success rate could go over 50%. Of that number, the group that will buy will depend on the quality of your freebie along with the quality and apparent value of your sales offer. Get those wrong, and again your success rate will approach zero. Get them right, and who knows?
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        • Profile picture of the author James Clark
          To the OP. What ever you decide to do make sure you do a lot of it. If it was me I would find a community and start talking. All the above is good advice and you will receive the best in this forum. But all of it is second hand.

          Example: If you had 40 acres to build a house from scratch where you start? Well you will need water right? So, does it make sense to start digging holes randomly? I would hire an expert to find an under ground stream and start digging there.

          What I'm suggesting is get a coach! One-on-one coaching is the best way to learn this stuff. Yeah, you can thank me later.
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrick Batty
    Hey EL,
    Welcome to the WF.

    I cant take too long on this, but I have to say I agree with Alexa, up above.

    Don't rely on SEO exclusively.. that can be a long slow process.

    If you want to build a list quickly, create some form of "lead magnet" and squeeze page.
    Take some time on this.. you don't want to give away something substandard..that's not a good way to start off a relationship with a reader / subscriber.

    Then, if you have a little cash, invest in running a few solo ads.

    Optionally, turn your lead magnet into a WSO.. it doesn't have to be a paid WSO either..even a free WSO can offer great value to subscribers, and really build your list quickly.

    Yes..these are people who are picking up freebies.. that's ok. Treat them well.. don't worry about that.

    Eventually, when you have a bit of traction, create some paid WSOs..then you have a buyers list as well.

    There's a couple pointers.
    I hope that helps.
    All the best,
    Patrick
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  • Profile picture of the author geraldsoh
    You need to remember this thing called "FREE MODEL STRATEGY".

    By far, the easiest way to build a list is by giving free stuffs - this has been done since >10 years ago I suppose and people are still doing it now...and will be doing it in the future. Of course, give QUALITY free stuffs and not lousy e-book content.

    And...remember this also. Money is NOT in the list.

    MONEY IS IN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR LIST!

    All the best =)
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    • Profile picture of the author eljuc1
      Thank you guys for the awesome feedback( I don't even know how to 'thank' people or else I would)

      From what I got. I have to provide value to the subscribers so their trust will eventually be strong enough to jump on products I promote. I'm just unsure about one thing. How will I get a killer product to give away for free? I can't just buy something and give it away(Copyright?) and I am far too inexperienced to make my own quality information product. What do you guys recommend?

      EL
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by eljuc1 View Post

        I have to provide value to the subscribers so their trust will eventually be strong enough to jump on products I promote.
        This. Exactly.

        Originally Posted by eljuc1 View Post

        How will I get a killer product to give away for free? I can't just buy something and give it away(Copyright?)
        There are things you can buy for that purpose, whose copyrights allow you to distribute them (with or without some re-writing first). I wouldn't recommend it at all, though.

        What matters, regarding the product you give away to build the list, is continuity. Explained in this thread: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post6064741

        So you need something written for your specific purposes. To produce continuity between your website and your email series when people opt in. Otherwise not so many of them will open and attentively read your emails, and it will all have been a bit of a waste of time.

        So I suggest you write something, or employ a writer to do it for you. It doesn't need to be huge: a 6-page PDF will do the job, if it's really high quality information and specifically written with continuity in mind.
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    • Profile picture of the author piaps
      Originally Posted by geraldsoh View Post

      You need to remember this thing called "FREE MODEL STRATEGY".

      By far, the easiest way to build a list is by giving free stuffs - this has been done since >10 years ago I suppose and people are still doing it now...and will be doing it in the future. Of course, give QUALITY free stuffs and not lousy e-book content.

      And...remember this also. Money is NOT in the list.

      MONEY IS IN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR LIST!

      All the best =)
      Nice share!

      I'm taking the viewpoint of the one on the list. I'm a subscriber of a lot of newsletters and those marketers that sends only marketing emails - they are being transferred to my spam folders after a while and those that I can truly connect with are on my priority mail folders.
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  • Profile picture of the author DannyFikes
    Absolutely agree with (almost) everything said so far.

    I'll add some emphasis to 2 major points:

    1. Your list is a list of people. A lot of people treat their list like one big blob of email addresses. The truth is that each and every email on your list is a person. And each person is on your list for a reason. What do they want? How can you help them get it?

    2. Everything is a value trade. The more value you can provide to the people on your list, both when they sign up (your squeeze page bribe) and the in the emails you send out, the more value you'll get back in return. Always ask yourself how you can be providing more value and help out more of your subscribers.

    Aside from those 2 points. I think it's super important to see what everyone else in your market is up to.

    Start a swipe file of squeeze pages, thank you pages and emails. That way you can see what other people are saying and giving away to get people onto their lists. You can use this swipe file for inspiration.

    Just keep your eyes open and you'll see plenty of squeeze pages and lead generation happening everywhere you go on the net! (Doesn't even have to be in your niche to give you some good inspiration)
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  • Profile picture of the author andrewjr
    Most important thing-offer VALUE to your list or you can be sure you'll have high opt-outs.
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  • Profile picture of the author BigGameHunter
    Everyone gives away free stuff and most of the time its not worth reading. My research tells me that lots of people have a separate email account that is a throw away account for these "Free" offers. A list built with this type of prospects produces no future sales. Its not the size of the list its the quality.

    A little out of the box thinking: Have the small pdf written with valuable information. Hell we put the first and second pages on separate URLs with the Read More tag making them click from the first page to the second page.

    When they get to the end of the second page another Read More tag... On the third page put up your opt in/squeeze page that says: "You must be a subscriber to continue past this point. Put up reasons why they want to be a subscriber, how your going to send them emails about new important things. The article must be dripping with valuable information to make them "beg" to subscribe.

    I do this in the hunting niche. Those redneck boys... can't put their name and email in the box fast enough. They are future buyers and we get our emails read. In this niche I believe I could shorten the process... on page one: You Must Be A Redneck if.... Read More.... You have to subscribe to go beyond this point... LOL
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    • Profile picture of the author James Woods
      Originally Posted by BigGameHunter View Post

      Everyone gives away free stuff and most of the time its not worth reading. My research tells me that lots of people have a separate email account that is a throw away account for these "Free" offers. A list built with this type of prospects produces no future sales. Its not the size of the list its the quality.

      A little out of the box thinking: Have the small pdf written with valuable information. Hell we put the first and second pages on separate URLs with the Read More tag making them click from the first page to the second page.

      When they get to the end of the second page another Read More tag... On the third page put up your opt in/squeeze page that says: "You must be a subscriber to continue past this point. Put up reasons why they want to be a subscriber, how your going to send them emails about new important things. The article must be dripping with valuable information to make them "beg" to subscribe.

      I do this in the hunting niche. Those redneck boys... can't put their name and email in the box fast enough. They are future buyers and we get our emails read. In this niche I believe I could shorten the process... on page one: You Must Be A Redneck if.... Read More.... You have to subscribe to go beyond this point... LOL
      This is the strategy I have started to use for my list building. Combined with the advise I have received from the Wf it is working well.
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  • Profile picture of the author BigGameHunter
    One more thing... Don't make it more complicated than it has to be.
    Signature

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  • Profile picture of the author Exel
    Here's a basic overview of the process that I personally use for building a list. It is
    by no means the only or the best way for building a list, but it works perfectly fine.

    Step 1: Create a squeeze page

    Step 2: Create a free gift

    Step 3: Sign up with an autoresponder

    Step 4: Create a new list and opt-in form in autoresponder

    Step 5: Connect opt-in form to your squeeze page

    Step 6: Drive traffic to your squeeze page

    Some have suggested using paid offers to build a list, and it works perfectly fine as
    well, though I find this is the simplest system for newcomers who don't know much
    about IM at all.
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    • Profile picture of the author Rayeoh
      Thanks for quick tips... good one.
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    • Profile picture of the author funtler
      Originally Posted by Exel View Post

      Here's a basic overview of the process that I personally use for building a list. It is
      by no means the only or the best way for building a list, but it works perfectly fine.

      Step 1: Create a squeeze page

      Step 2: Create a free gift

      Step 3: Sign up with an autoresponder

      Step 4: Create a new list and opt-in form in autoresponder

      Step 5: Connect opt-in form to your squeeze page

      Step 6: Drive traffic to your squeeze page

      Some have suggested using paid offers to build a list, and it works perfectly fine as
      well, though I find this is the simplest system for newcomers who don't know much
      about IM at all.
      Lets suppose, i followed these steps and built a list of say 2000 people. What to do with that list?
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      Make $1k Per Sale => Join Here <=
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  • Profile picture of the author Monetize INTL
    I'll jump in real quick on this one:

    - Don't "overmessage" your list, send them a message periodically instead of constantly/too much. One thing I learnt very fast over the years is that my lists appreciate way more a periodic email from me rather than if I were to harass them with incessant emails.

    - The more value you give them, FOR FREE, the more your list will love you and respond to you when it is time for you to bring in revenues from it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Peter Hansen
      When monetizing your list you can use a whole lot of techniques.

      You want to read Alexa Smith's post. As usual she always has another point of view other than the mainstream and well written too. Instead of emphasizing her post I deepen it a little by mentioning a widely used technique.

      One of the techniques is called Reciprocation.

      This can be a powerful technique if you are able to create a "personal" feeling at your subscriber.

      As humans we are programmed to repay other people if they give us something. If a man buys another man a bear at the bar the receiver will probably want to buy the next bear. It makes him feel better.

      If I send you a present or a card on your birthday you would feel obligated to do the same.

      If you want to use this in monetizing your list you can't expect this technique to be working when you give away a free report or an eBook for an email address. That's a fair trade and will not create a subconscious feeling of repay obligation.

      What you need to do is to OVERDELIVER meaning after you have sent the free report/eBook you can send the subscriber even more value adding free stuff of good quality. This can create a subconscious feeling of repay obligation.

      This alone will not make your subscriber buy your product but it will definitely push many of those sitting on the fence. Again this is one of many techniques and you can't focus on this alone.

      Let me know if I can help you Warrior to Warrior.

      Good luck
      Peter
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      • Profile picture of the author svsets10
        Originally Posted by Peter Hansen View Post

        When monetizing your list you can use a whole lot of techniques.

        You want to read Alexa Smith's post. As usual she always has another point of view other than the mainstream and well written too. Instead of emphasizing her post I deepen it a little by mentioning a widely used technique.

        One of the techniques is called Reciprocation.

        This can be a powerful technique if you are able to create a "personal" feeling at your subscriber.

        As humans we are programmed to repay other people if they give us something. If a man buys another man a bear at the bar the receiver will probably want to buy the next bear. It makes him feel better.

        If I send you a present or a card on your birthday you would feel obligated to do the same.

        If you want to use this in monetizing your list you can't expect this technique to be working when you give away a free report or an eBook for an email address. That's a fair trade and will not create a subconscious feeling of repay obligation.

        What you need to do is to OVERDELIVER meaning after you have sent the free report/eBook you can send the subscriber even more value adding free stuff of good quality. This can create a subconscious feeling of repay obligation.

        This alone will not make your subscriber buy your product but it will definitely push many of those sitting on the fence. Again this is one of many techniques and you can't focus on this alone.

        Let me know if I can help you Warrior to Warrior.

        Good luck
        Peter
        Whoa, I hope I never see you in a bar with all those "bears" being bought

        On a more serious note, does anyone have any tips to creating a gift that over delivers? I will be completely honest here and say that I think some of my gifts probably turn people off because they just aren't as good as they were hoping for. I feel the same way when I sign up for "free reports" that have rehashed information that most of us can find just by searching a forum.
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        • Profile picture of the author birdie28a
          Originally Posted by svsets10 View Post

          Whoa, I hope I never see you in a bar with all those "bears" being bought

          On a more serious note, does anyone have any tips to creating a gift that over delivers? I will be completely honest here and say that I think some of my gifts probably turn people off because they just aren't as good as they were hoping for. I feel the same way when I sign up for "free reports" that have rehashed information that most of us can find just by searching a forum.
          One thing that I sometimes do is purchase a PLR product that I give away go to Fiverr.com and get a new cover design so I want be using the same covers as others who might also be giving the same product.

          Now this will depend on the offer but normally what I do is along with the free report I will create a few videos using Camtasia showing additional steps or ideas that can be used to enhance the product.

          I put links in the free report that link back to my site where the videos can be viewed. This will also give you an opportunity to offer additional services or products right on your site. You can use Youtube to host your videos or for a small price Vimeo for a more professional look and just set the videos as private.

          Hope that helps,
          Frankie
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  • Profile picture of the author John Atkins
    Some tips:

    Create an O.T.O.
    Offer an affiliate program.
    Do adswaps and buy solo ads.
    Offer a free report with your website listed in it and
    share it as much as you can. You can share it here,
    at places such as scribd etc..

    Really building a list is not as difficult as some people
    say it is.

    Good luck.

    Best regards,
    Johnny
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  • Profile picture of the author ivanadee
    Hi..
    I have ever discusses about it in :
    http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...-i-newbie.html
    just visit it
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  • Profile picture of the author Schwan
    HI Alexa,

    I'm confused by this post of you: "3. Don't assume that a squeeze page is the only way to build a list. It isn't." How can i get subscribers without a squeeze page?!

    thanks in advance, Schwan
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Schwan View Post

      HI Alexa,

      I'm confused by this post of you: "3. Don't assume that a squeeze page is the only way to build a list. It isn't." How can i get subscribers without a squeeze page?!
      It's only a semantic/linguistic point, Schwan, but it conceals a big, important principle, I think - sorry if I worded it confusingly.

      A "squeeze page" is a page with a prominently incentivized opt-in (whether with text or video, or whatever) and no other content.

      In contrast, for example there's a prominently incentivized opt-in at the top of a content-rich page which is clearly the "front page" of a content-rich site.

      I've always found that if I use that, instead (and show people before/while they're opting in that it's a content-rich site, rather than after), fewer people opt in but I make much more income from them.

      This is actually an important point: it's easy to make the mistake of assuming that if one method (my content-rich pages/site) opts in 25% of people and another method (a squeeze page) opts in 35% of visitors, then one ends up with the same people plus 10% more. This is typically wrong. It can easily be the case (and it has been the case, for me, every single time I've tested it, in different niches) that you earn significantly more from the 25% group than from the 35% group, over - say - a 6-month period.

      The point is that they're (substantially) different people.

      There are people who would have been great customers who won't opt in to a squeeze page. The difference in figures might be fairly small, but the difference in income can be big.

      In my 8-niche business, people who opt in through squeeze pages spend significantly less money, and some of the best customers are lost by using a squeeze page. It took me a bit of time to learn this, and at first I didn't understand it and found it slightly counterintuitive. But it actually makes complete sense when I think about my customer demographics. There are millions of people (like my parents, for example) who will opt in to a content rich site and become good customers, but wouldn't dream of opting in to a squeeze page. This depends mostly on the customer demographics, not so much on the niche. (Apart from the obvious point that some niches do tend to attract particular demographics - but the principle is still a valid one, and it translates into money).

      I've said more about this here: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post5806404

      And these threads/posts might interest you ...

      I don’t believe this! Higher opt-in rate, fewer sales
      Squeeze Page on Landing Page a Turn Off?
      What gets peopole to sign up?

      PS - read carefully, also, the fairly extreme and interesting difference of opinion between Kenwerd (post #2 above) and Retsced (post #4 above). Retsced's profound and fundamental post there is completely right, of course (and for future reference, that's always a pretty safe bet, around here ).
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      • Profile picture of the author Alminc
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post



        I've always found that if I use that, instead (and show people before/while they're opting in that it's a content-rich site, rather than after), fewer people opt in but I make much more income from them.
        Thank you for sharing that insight. And when I think about that, it makes sense, because you are attracting people who most probably are not total newbies, they learned to read between the lines in their search for something of value.
        Signature
        No links :)
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  • Profile picture of the author eman1
    Two of the most important things to remember for long-term success with email marketing are:

    1. Provide fresh, high-quality content to those on your list.
    2. Stay in contact on a regular basis with those on your list.
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    • Profile picture of the author Schwan
      Originally Posted by eman1 View Post

      Two of the most important things to remember for long-term success with email marketing are:

      1. Provide fresh, high-quality content to those on your list.
      2. Stay in contact on a regular basis with those on your list.
      If i stay in contact with my list, what income per subscriber per month can you expect.

      (My average costumer is a middle aged women who is interesed in the education of their kids. I provide products such as faster learning better grades etc.)

      thanks in advance, Schwan
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  • Profile picture of the author jamesrich1
    A squeeze page is there to give a visitor an incentive for keeping the communication lines open. Look at Cosco as a great example of a squeeze page. You enter the store they have free samples. In your free sample you will want to blow the person away with value. You want the person thinking... "If they give this much away for free I wonder what I will get when I pay for something." Build trust by offering value first. When people learn to trust you they will think of you as a friend. People buy from people they trust and like.
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  • Profile picture of the author Brian Tayler
    Tips: Just read all posts by Alexa in this thread. She's laid out everything you need to know
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  • Profile picture of the author HansDavid
    Get your list to grow your list for you. In a sense, nurture them with regular free gifts. To obtain those gifts, they have to pay only with a tweet or a facebook status updates. This way your list will virally spread your links using their social networks. There are many free tools available to do this. I recommend cloudflood.com for this.
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  • Profile picture of the author Muhsin Aziz
    Dont worry too much about freebie seekers.
    There will be freebie seekers no matter how to try to avoid them
    What you should do now is.
    1) create a product to give away for free.
    2) build a squeeze page to give away the product for free.
    3) write a series of follow up emails in your autoresponder
    3) send traffic to your squeeze page.
    Hope that helps.
    good luck in building your list!
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  • Profile picture of the author Javier Lin
    Originally Posted by eljuc1 View Post

    Hello Fellow Warriors,

    I have started IM a few days ago and I honestly love it. I want to learn and try all the different strategies before I figure out which one is right for me. I purchased an aweber account, but I don't know where to go from here efficiently. I thought about giving away a free product to influence an email exchange. But, wouldn't I just fill a list of people who want freebies? I would greatly appreciate any advice in your process of filling your list.

    Thanks in advance,
    EL
    Its wonderful that your love IM. You know what they say, if you do what you love you're more likely to succeed.

    Be careful when trying all the different strategies as it may cause information overload.

    With regards to filling your email list with people who want freebies. It really is a double edged sword. Giving freebies may improve the speed of getting subscribers. But they may not that great at converting to sales.

    It's all about conditioning your subscribers to expect what you will be sharing with them.
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  • Profile picture of the author andynathan
    Alexa,

    I love your comments about this topic.Simply brilliant! One item, however, that I have a question about. I have tested with the name and without in the subject line and in the body. I found more people open and click through when I include their name. However, it does not work with every email you send them. You do have to vary it up.

    Andy
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    Delighfully Inexpensive: The Scientific Formula For Profitable Blogging takes you step-by-step into how to create mind-blowing content that inspires your readers to learn more about your services.
    Scientific Formula For Profitable Blogging Link

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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by andynathan View Post

      AI have tested with the name and without in the subject line and in the body. I found more people open and click through when I include their name. However, it does not work with every email you send them. You do have to vary it up.
      Interesting, thanks, Andy. I didn't find this, myself, when I tested - but that may not be surprising at all: I think this particular question relates largely to traffic demographics (and maybe secondarily to the niche, as well)? :confused:

      My problem in testing something like that is that you can track the open-rates of only HTML emails, not plain-text. I suspect that the people who so strongly prefer plain-text emails overlap quite a bit with the ones who don't want you using their first name like that (I do have specific reasons for suspecting this - am not altogether "pulling it out of the air"!).
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  • Profile picture of the author larry1113
    Originally Posted by eljuc1 View Post

    Hello Fellow Warriors,

    I have started IM a few days ago and I honestly love it. I want to learn and try all the different strategies before I figure out which one is right for me. I purchased an aweber account, but I don't know where to go from here efficiently. I thought about giving away a free product to influence an email exchange. But, wouldn't I just fill a list of people who want freebies? I would greatly appreciate any advice in your process of filling your list.

    Thanks in advance,
    EL
    Yes, the people who optin for your free gift did want something free but what's important is that now you have someone who is interested in your subject matter that you can stay in constant communication with.

    That's a hella good prospect if you think about it.

    You have someone who came to your page, saw that you were offering something around a certain subject matter and they opted in to get your gift.

    You're on the right track though. The overall business model should be:

    Traffic >> Squeeze Page Offering Your Gift >> Thank You Page or One Time Offer

    Then continuous email followup delivering a good balance of relevant value and relevant product promotions.

    Once you get that whole funnel set up (i.e. squeeze page >> thank you page >> email followup), go find ways to drive traffic into it.

    So your business may look like this in a few months:

    >
    SEO traffic>>>>>>>>>>
    Facebook Ads traffic>>>>>>[squeeze page] >> thank you page or OTO
    Banner Ads >>>>>>>>>>
    >

    Keep building your list, treating them well and making $$$. Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Originally Posted by Schwan View Post

    Alexa,

    I would like to buy ppc-ads and drive traffic to a site. So would you suggest sending this traffic to a "content-site" with an optin form on the upper right or on a classical squeese page?

    thanks in advance, schwan
    Since Alexa deferred an answer, I'll take a swing at it...

    Neither.

    If I were going to do that, here's how I would lay out the landing page (which would be the home page for the site or blog):

    > Opt-in form on the upper right, same as for every other page on the site (with the exception of the order page if you are selling product from the site).

    > Normal header and navigation. I tend to use smallish headers, so it isn't much of a distraction.

    > Front and center - a continuation of the experience from the solo ad. Your ad promised either a benefit they desired enough to click or a solution to a problem they desired enough to click. Give them a taste of what they get in your incentive, then ask them to opt-in to get the incentive and additional information. Provide a larger version of the opt-in form.

    > Follow that with whatever else goes on your home page - navigation, footer, etc.

    In blogging terms, your opt-in area would take the place of a "Featured Post" pinned to the top of the content area of the home page.

    It also helps if your regular navigation, sidebars, etc. are a bit on the subdued side so it draws attention to the opt-in area.

    There are more tricks, but that should get you started.
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    • Profile picture of the author Lucian Lada
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      There are more tricks, but that should get you started.
      I wouldn't mind another trick or two, John.
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      • Profile picture of the author myob
        Originally Posted by canyon View Post

        I wouldn't mind another trick or two
        My little trick is to build relationships with my subscribers long before they ever subscribe. This is accomplished through article syndication; regular contributions to publications in which targeted prospects read.

        After reading my articles over a period of time, they will gravitate over to a relevant niche website and buy the recommended product. The sales page has an optin form for buyers only, as they must enter the transaction ID# to complete the subscription process.

        This effectively filters out free loaders, although admittedly it may also eliminate an inestimable percentage of potential "eventual" buyers. It is designed primarily to quickly target and qualify proven buyers for repeat sales.
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by canyon View Post

        I wouldn't mind another trick or two, John.
        Okay, one more...

        This one is in line with building a relationship with your blog's audience. You could also use it for a regular, content-focused website. It's also a bit 'tech-ier' than some.

        1. Craft an opt-in message, reminder, etc. You could even use a summary of your opt-in offer.

        2. Add a script to your site that sets a cookie when someone arrives for the first time. The initial cookie is set for 'subscriber=no'.

        3. Add a script to read the cookie and set a variable.

        4. Add your opt-in reminder to your template or pages using a piece of javascript. The javascript checks the subscriber variable, and displays your reminder if the visitor is not a subscriber. If they already subscribe, the message is either absent or different. Even something as simple as 'welcome back' works for this.

        Once your visitors become subscribers, there's no need to keep telling them to subscribe. So your page either leaves out the subscription offer or changes the message to semi-personalize the visit.

        The scripting involved is pretty simple - one to set a cookie, one to read a cookie and set a variable, and a simple if-then statement to determine whether your opt-in displays or not. You can probably find all three easily on one of the javascript tutorial sites.
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        • Profile picture of the author WillR
          Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

          Okay, one more...

          This one is in line with building a relationship with your blog's audience. You could also use it for a regular, content-focused website. It's also a bit 'tech-ier' than some.

          1. Craft an opt-in message, reminder, etc. You could even use a summary of your opt-in offer.

          2. Add a script to your site that sets a cookie when someone arrives for the first time. The initial cookie is set for 'subscriber=no'.

          3. Add a script to read the cookie and set a variable.

          4. Add your opt-in reminder to your template or pages using a piece of javascript. The javascript checks the subscriber variable, and displays your reminder if the visitor is not a subscriber. If they already subscribe, the message is either absent or different. Even something as simple as 'welcome back' works for this.

          Once your visitors become subscribers, there's no need to keep telling them to subscribe. So your page either leaves out the subscription offer or changes the message to semi-personalize the visit.

          The scripting involved is pretty simple - one to set a cookie, one to read a cookie and set a variable, and a simple if-then statement to determine whether your opt-in displays or not. You can probably find all three easily on one of the javascript tutorial sites.
          Not sure if anyone mentioned this over the course of this thread but the 'What Would Seth Godin Do?' plugin allows you to do exactly that.

          http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...seth-godin-do/
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        • Profile picture of the author Snow_Predator
          Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

          Okay, one more...

          This one is in line with building a relationship with your blog's audience. You could also use it for a regular, content-focused website. It's also a bit 'tech-ier' than some.

          1. Craft an opt-in message, reminder, etc. You could even use a summary of your opt-in offer.

          2. Add a script to your site that sets a cookie when someone arrives for the first time. The initial cookie is set for 'subscriber=no'.

          3. Add a script to read the cookie and set a variable.

          4. Add your opt-in reminder to your template or pages using a piece of javascript. The javascript checks the subscriber variable, and displays your reminder if the visitor is not a subscriber. If they already subscribe, the message is either absent or different. Even something as simple as 'welcome back' works for this.

          Once your visitors become subscribers, there's no need to keep telling them to subscribe. So your page either leaves out the subscription offer or changes the message to semi-personalize the visit.

          The scripting involved is pretty simple - one to set a cookie, one to read a cookie and set a variable, and a simple if-then statement to determine whether your opt-in displays or not. You can probably find all three easily on one of the javascript tutorial sites.
          How do I do this? Anyone have a step-by-step guide? I can't seem to find anything online. I'm sure it's there, but I can't make any sense of it, it's just a buncha coders talking to coders, and I have no idea what they're saying!!!
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          • Profile picture of the author ajbarnes777
            Originally Posted by Snow_Predator View Post

            How do I do this? Anyone have a step-by-step guide? I can't seem to find anything online. I'm sure it's there, but I can't make any sense of it, it's just a buncha coders talking to coders, and I have no idea what they're saying!!!
            Check out post #138 above.
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            • Profile picture of the author Snow_Predator
              Originally Posted by ajbarnes777 View Post

              Check out post #138 above.
              I've tried the Seth Godin plugin, it doesn't do what John mentions in his post. All it does is display a content box based on how many times a visitor visits your site.
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              • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
                Originally Posted by Snow_Predator View Post

                I've tried the Seth Godin plugin, it doesn't do what John mentions in his post. All it does is display a content box based on how many times a visitor visits your site.
                I 'built' my solution from bits and pieces found online.

                > You need the script that checks for the cookie and either displays your offer or runs your popup, etc. if the value says "subscriber=no". Lots of those around.

                > You need the script that sets the initial cookie value. Again, lots of those around and often built into the first bit.

                > You need the script to install on your 'thank you' page (successful opt-in) that changes the value of the cookie to "subscriber=yes".

                If any of you developer types wants to build something, it sounds like you'd have a market. I'll be glad to let you know where to send my share for giving you the idea...
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  • Essential? Get a squeeze page. Send all of your traffic to it. Build a relationship with subscribers.

    Then there is building your list - There are so many ways to do this. Find the best ones and then master them.
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    PM Me Now!

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  • Profile picture of the author paul nicholls
    get yourself a squeeze page set up along with a personal blog

    a personal IM blog is very powerful and you can also build your list from your blog and also link your squeeze page from your blog too

    while your building your blog up use some solo ads to build your list fast to get yourself going

    once you have your traffic funnels set up its then just a case of making sure your back end sales funnel is set up effectively

    paul
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  • Profile picture of the author SarahJane
    As for me I always use double opt-in mechanism to collect email addresses, just in case somebody furnished others’ email addresses
    also as much as possible avoid throwing popups and permanent subscription windows that follows the users while scrolling..
    and don't forget state that you are not a spammer and stick to that word
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  • Profile picture of the author Lucian Lada
    Guys, you're great! Thanks.

    Just to be sure, John, this is what I understood:

    1. I make a script that installs a cookie on the visitor's computer, which says that the visitor is not a subscriber.

    2. When he eventually subscribes, in the welcome email, I somehow edit the cookie that was already installed in his computer, editing it to say it that the visitor is now a subscriber.

    3. When he returns to my website, he won't see the opt-in offer, and I choose what to display instead of it.

    My question is: does it work with WP? I have no tech skills, but I know someone who does.

    And don't I need to warn them that I've installed a cookie in their PC? I've heard that in the UK you have to do it. (I even saw a website that used a pop-up to announce this.)
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  • Profile picture of the author stong
    Here's something I'm starting to discover after running a list and website for almost a year, now:

    Give them a good freebie, but be careful not to give away the farm.

    I've been getting a decent amount of traffic (finally!) and also made a few sales, but my conversion rate is still pretty low. I know for a fact that my copy could do with quite a bit more tweaking, but something else hit me just last week when one of my subscribers sent me a note:

    "Thank you for all your advice, the free report you sent me has been very helpful!"

    Did a mental facepalm, right there.

    You see, my free report was actually a sample chapter of the product I created and am currently selling, and it contains a vital piece of information that potential buyers are looking for.

    I didn't think much of it at the time, but it's all starting to make sense to me why there aren't that many buyers in spite of the steady influx of subscribers: I've been giving them exactly what they wanted for free.

    I'm currently thinking of ways to give them the same amount of value they're getting at present, while closing that little loophole. Hopefully it'll translate into a better sales funnel for me.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by canyon View Post

      Guys, you're great! Thanks.

      Just to be sure, John, this is what I understood:

      1. I make a script that installs a cookie on the visitor's computer, which says that the visitor is not a subscriber.
      Correct.

      Originally Posted by canyon View Post

      2. When he eventually subscribes, in the welcome email, I somehow edit the cookie that was already installed in his computer, editing it to say it that the visitor is now a subscriber.
      Not the welcome email, the success page. Use a variation of the same script that set the cookie, only set the cookie to show the person has subscribed (i.e. subscriber=yes).

      Originally Posted by canyon View Post

      3. When he returns to my website, he won't see the opt-in offer, and I choose what to display instead of it.
      Correct.

      Originally Posted by canyon View Post

      My question is: does it work with WP? I have no tech skills, but I know someone who does.
      Yes, it just requires tweaking some of the theme templates.

      Originally Posted by canyon View Post

      And don't I need to warn them that I've installed a cookie in their PC? I've heard that in the UK you have to do it. (I even saw a website that used a pop-up to announce this.)
      Not sure about the UK, but I always include a paragraph in my privacy policy stating that the site uses cookies to enhance the performance of the site, but that no personally-identifiable information is collected. There is also a prominent link to the privacy page in the footer of every page served, as well as links from the About page.
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      • Profile picture of the author kiwi_abroad
        Hi EL, I got my start in IM only a month and a half ago myself. I started off in SEO and I have to tell you that it has just started to pay off now. However one thing I would of done differently if I wanted a faster start is to diversify my traffic driving strategies. Using a range of traffic driving strategies to your squeeze page is a good way to go and you can actually have a lot of fun with it as well.

        When it comes to driving traffic my advice would be to experiment and see what works well for you. Remember its important to find strategies that will make you lots of money but its also important to have fun doing it
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      • Profile picture of the author Fabianner
        Making the list building is truly an important thing to do so that you could be able to remain up to date with your contacts. It is important that you should list your contacts appropriately.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jasmin27
      Originally Posted by stong View Post

      Here's something I'm starting to discover after running a list and website for almost a year, now:

      Give them a good freebie, but be careful not to give away the farm.

      I've been getting a decent amount of traffic (finally!) and also made a few sales, but my conversion rate is still pretty low. I know for a fact that my copy could do with quite a bit more tweaking, but something else hit me just last week when one of my subscribers sent me a note:

      "Thank you for all your advice, the free report you sent me has been very helpful!"

      Did a mental facepalm, right there.

      You see, my free report was actually a sample chapter of the product I created and am currently selling, and it contains a vital piece of information that potential buyers are looking for.

      I didn't think much of it at the time, but it's all starting to make sense to me why there aren't that many buyers in spite of the steady influx of subscribers: I've been giving them exactly what they wanted for free.

      I'm currently thinking of ways to give them the same amount of value they're getting at present, while closing that little loophole. Hopefully it'll translate into a better sales funnel for me.
      I agree. Give them a taster of the value they will get from you but don't give away all your treasure. The idea is that later on they will know, like and trust you enough to want your products or to work with you in the case of services. This is what happens on webinars too. Just enough information is given to entice and intrigue the listener to find out more.
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    • Profile picture of the author sterlingtek
      Originally Posted by stong View Post

      Here's something I'm starting to discover after running a list and website for almost a year, now:

      Give them a good freebie, but be careful not to give away the farm.

      I've been getting a decent amount of traffic (finally!) and also made a few sales, but my conversion rate is still pretty low. I know for a fact that my copy could do with quite a bit more tweaking, but something else hit me just last week when one of my subscribers sent me a note:

      "Thank you for all your advice, the free report you sent me has been very helpful!"

      Did a mental facepalm, right there.

      You see, my free report was actually a sample chapter of the product I created and am currently selling, and it contains a vital piece of information that potential buyers are looking for.

      I didn't think much of it at the time, but it's all starting to make sense to me why there aren't that many buyers in spite of the steady influx of subscribers: I've been giving them exactly what they wanted for free.

      I'm currently thinking of ways to give them the same amount of value they're getting at present, while closing that little loophole. Hopefully it'll translate into a better sales funnel for me.
      Your freebie that you are giving away if possible should include a ¨hook¨ if possible, ie. Top 7 Things not do when blogging, give them the first 5 and ask them to buy the book to get the rest. If you feel comfortable that what you already gave them is strong.
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by sterlingtek View Post

        Your freebie that you are giving away if possible should include a ¨hook¨ if possible, ie. Top 7 Things not do when blogging, give them the first 5 and ask them to buy the book to get the rest. If you feel comfortable that what you already gave them is strong.
        Why start the relationship off with a lie? If I downloaded a freebie promising 7 things, and I only get 5, buying the book for the last two is the last thing on my mind.

        A better hook would be 'buy the book to find out exactly what you should be doing instead.'
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        • Profile picture of the author sterlingtek
          You have an excellent point, there are better ways to set the hook. The point is to have a hook. You have to offer something of value at each step in the funnel to get your prospect to the next step. Thanks for the insight on how you would perceive this as a lie, I had not thought of it that way.

          Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author madchef1962
    Alexa Smith has given you all the information you need. Exact and to the point. You need to generate trust above all else and give value for money and honour any refund requests.
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  • Profile picture of the author jayeye
    Thank you kukelka for the thread, even though I'm hopelessly late!
    I'm just about to get my first autoresponder, and Aweber was my choice. Yesterday, however, I had some dealings with JVZoo and they strongly recommend GetResponse for technical reasons. So - confusion! That's why this thread caught my eye.
    Thank you everyone for interesting ideas, especially you, Alexa. I'll come back to read the other threads you mention.
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  • Profile picture of the author jamesgan
    7 Tips on List Building
    1. Familiar with your Autoresponder (Explore the features)
    2. Know exactly who your ideal list member is and focus your efforts on finding them.
    3. Offer free report to subscriber after they opt-in.
    4. Show yourself to be a trustworthy source of high quality information just for subscribers.
    5. Send message periodically to stay in touch with your subscribers.
    6. Everything you offer your list should be valuable and useful to them.
    7. How you treat your subscribers is everything. Treat them as valued customers & give them
    exclusive deals

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  • Profile picture of the author gushy0202
    Do not build a freebie list until its funneled towards a targeted product.

    Buyers list of way to better to spend quality time building one..
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  • Profile picture of the author tnsporting90
    Thanks for sharing information it is use full to us.
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  • Profile picture of the author madchef1962
    Alexa smith has given you all you need to know, I can't expand on what she has already said. Trust is what you need to build to turn your subscribers into buyers.
    Good luck with your endevours.
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  • Profile picture of the author abboastor
    Thank you for sharing that insight.
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  • I have taken my time to give the most comprehensive answer I can. Please read this entire post - it will impact how much money you make!

    Welcome To Internet Marketing 101 - What is the Best Strategy To Use For List Building?

    In my experience, what I find is most business owners try to get customers to buy instantly. They want customers to show up at their website, whip out their credit card and part with their cold, hard cash immediately.

    In theory then, you are hoping that people come along with 2 things: 1) a bucket full of money and 2) a bucket full of stupid

    I do concede that this makes sense logically, I mean, believe me, every single business owner would love to have something where customers show up, part with cash straight away then leave with no hassles whatsoever.

    BUT the reality of the situation is that prospects that don't know you that well, they're going to need a little more 'convincing' so to speak. You need to walk them along the path to buyerville. You need to comfort them at every stage.

    SO - in terms of strategy. We want to switch from the "one night stand" approach to a "romance/relationship" strategy.

    It's critical to remember when marketing online that your prospect/customers don't know you. In traditional business, all transactions are done face-to-face, so the getting to know you stage is often at a sub-conscious level and in the moment. Online however, such an advantage is not attainable. You could be anyone, you could be a crook who's just trying to get their money or you could be an old Gran who's never told a lie in her life. It doesn't matter, people do business with people and the internet is a barrier.

    I always use the same analogy - Would you walk up to a women/man in a bar, that you don't know and ask them to marry you? Answer: NO Why is this important? Because by asking people to buy straight away you are essentially asking them to take a risk. Whether you see it that way or not, believe me, your customer certainly sees it that way.

    Think about it if you were the customer...What would you want to know about the person before you bought anything from them? How would you want to feel?

    So the strategy that works best time and again is to Stair-Step everything. You actually have to map out the process from prospect to customer to loyal buyer. Here's an example: You are walking along the street on a hot day, you're not really thinking about food, but then you pass an ice cream store which has a free taster scoop outside, for everyone. So you help yourself. And suddenly, you mind goes do you know what, I want an ice cream, that's exactly what I need. In this situation the ice cream store 'stair-stepped' the process and mapped out exactly how they will take you from prospect to customer.

    SO - if you offer something that solves and immediate problem, you suddenly build trust that this is someone you can rely on when it comes to whatever problem you helped solve.

    If you look at all the 'gurus' and those who are effective, one of the things you will notice it that they all build trust through education. Key distinction between those who are successful and those who are not is that those who do well, give you a better education. And for those of you who say - but my product is so much better than theirs. You could make more with my stuff. That might be true, but are you educating them on why that's the case?

    One concept that Eben Pagan loves to teach is 'moving the free line'. In essence you give away your best stuff to build trust. Then ask them to buy, if they want to know more. He practices what he preaches and often gives away free recordings and videos to his list. And if you don't think that works, you might want to re-think your position once you learn that he takes home close to $20Million each year.

    THE MORE VALUE YOU GIVE AWAY THE MORE PROSPECTS YOU ATTRACT

    Hope that helps,

    Michael
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  • Profile picture of the author Anoopchawla
    Thanks Alexa for the great info, however I always wonder what's the best way to build a relationship with the list.

    I often hear from warriors that building relationship is the forte but there is no precise advice on how to do that, except giving useful content (which is pretty vague).
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  • Profile picture of the author Schwan
    Is think one time offer at after sign-up is good.

    My Strategy is give them an one-time offer to sign up for something free via an affiliate link. This way you don't destroy trust, but you can make some part of your investment back right in front. And you would loose because your provision for the affiliate-link is lower but the conversion will be higher, because it's free.

    Do you think this Strategy is good?
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  • Profile picture of the author MarkBradley
    Having good lead magnets! I use a program called snagit to make quick jpegs that work great for lead magnets in emails and squeeze pages. I have videos I made for my VA anyone can PM me and I will send you them and a tutorial on how to use them in Aweber.

    Mark
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    I Love Conversion ->> Make your Facbook Pages Convert. Get into the Lab -->> Facebook Conversion Lab

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  • Profile picture of the author rob corrigan
    The information in this thread is solid gold compared to all the “easy push button” stuff that you see about. Just follow the advice given here by Alexa.

    Rob
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  • Profile picture of the author aw
    Originally Posted by eljuc1 View Post

    Hello Fellow Warriors,

    I have started IM a few days ago and I honestly love it. I want to learn and try all the different strategies before I figure out which one is right for me. I purchased an aweber account, but I don't know where to go from here efficiently. I thought about giving away a free product to influence an email exchange. But, wouldn't I just fill a list of people who want freebies? I would greatly appreciate any advice in your process of filling your list.

    Thanks in advance,
    EL
    Welcome. You bring up an important and relevant point. There are different kinds of lists to build. There are freebie lists (what you refer to), and buyer's lists (when someone buys something from you and you have it set up to where they must subscribe in order to have their product delivered. This is recommended but obviously you will need your own product. Obviously freebie lists are easier to build than buyers lists, but since buyers lists consist of proven buyers, they almost always convert better when you present a great offer. However, for great offers freebie lists also will make you money. So try to build both types of lists, even at the same time. I offer a free report about quickly building buyers lists on $1 products. $1 products are cool because they can be simple little videos or reports sold for $1, but they MUST deliver excellent content and value. Someone who pays even $1 is still a buyer in reality, so they will build your buyers list, AND you can even upsell a OTO (one time offer) when they purchase it to make more than $1. See my signature below if you want the free report. Hope this helps you.
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  • Profile picture of the author jaypoole
    It is always hard to give 'precise' advice on how to build a relationship with your list - because it really does depend on what niche you are in, what demographic exists within the list, where they may have signed up etc.

    If the list was created from a very informal blog page, then it makes sense that the people who signed up had come to your blog, and presumably because they liked what they saw - signed up to your list.

    If the sign-up is from a more unknown place - maybe as a result of a paid advert for instance - then they may not be expecting you to waffle on about what sort of day you've been having.

    So I think it best to treat every list quite individually - and just apply common sense in choosing a communication style that is both natural to you, and one that won't be a surprise to the people who've just signed up.
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  • Profile picture of the author EPoltrack77
    Hey El, great to meet you and Welcome! It all boils down to getting people to see your url! You can have the best site with the best low cost front end products that everyone in your market wants but if no body see's you page then you an't going to make squate my friend. Building this stuff alone can be a headace for newcomers. My advice is to join a reputable network or authority site that is already established on the web and provide valuable content everyday and then share it with all the social networking sites. Defently want something where you can capture emails and have controll over the list. You could even create a form with aweber and have them host it and just add that form on your sites you joined. See these authority sites are already getting the traffic! Also create a facebook fan page and learn to respond back to other commetns and again provide value. Do that everyday for 15 min or so and eventually you will start to build up traffic!
    Best of luck and if you ever need anything here's the place to ask....Have a great day!
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  • Profile picture of the author bloggerd
    Thanks for all this info guys theres certainly a good wealth of info to get any newbie started and also help me tweak my system,,

    Regards
    Ian
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  • Profile picture of the author Adrianeong
    Give away free gifts in exchange with their emails and names.
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  • Profile picture of the author JimDucharme
    Hi Connor,

    In GetResponse after your message is created and ready to go, you are prompted to choose which list to send to. The number of subscribers in that list is displayed beside the list name.

    After you proceed, you will see a summary page which includes msg subject, template, spam score and recipients number, all at a glance. You can then either elect to send now or schedule your email for later and enable our time travel feature wihich will send out your email to your subscribers at the same local time everywhere.

    Regards,
    jim
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  • Profile picture of the author Dragonfire Wealth
    Best tip anyone will ever give you.

    Internet Marketing = Virtual Amphetamine

    It's not a part of your life, it BECOMES your life, it becomes who you are.

    But I'm not complaining

    But, quick tip (if someone didn't already say it): A list of people that you KNOW spend money online is 100x more effective than a list of the same size full of people that opted in for a free offer.
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  • Profile picture of the author marketwarrior06
    Banned
    Please don't give the free products that is totally useless. Please serve people with quality products. otherwise they will not convince to your product later.
    thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author Adrianeong
    Focus on driving traffic to your squeeze page. Build a huge list.Your money is in the list. Good luck!
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    • Profile picture of the author birdie28a
      This is a really good post for someone thinking about building a list. Driving traffic to your list will be difficult for most people.

      For me I use solo ads, youtube and twitter to drive traffic. I also give away free reports with video instructions, however in order for them to download my report they have to come to a specific page on my site.

      Once they come to my site to download the report and or watch the videos I strategically place ads related to the free product.

      For my niche I send out broadcasts email about 4 times a week but never on Sundays. Some marketers even say the time of day you send out your emails make a big difference.

      This might be different for some marketers depending on the niche they are in, but for every 1,000 people on my list I get about 1 or 2 sales when I send out promotional emails. So for example if sent out 2 or 3 promotional emails a week and the affiliate income per sale is $50 that would be about $150 per 1,000 people per week. The more people you have on your list the more money you can make, so if I had 10,000 on your my list that could easily be $1,500 a week or $6,000 a month and that's on the low end.

      Keep in mind you need to develop relationships with your list to keep them happy, offer them information they can use. Set weekly and monthly goals to build your list.

      I'm not convinced that a newbie should start building a list right away until they develop some skills that they could share with their list. I have seen a lot of set it and forget it list building programs that where really bad and made it look like list building is easy to do.

      The truth is building a list is work and does take time and skill. I suggest getting on a few list in your niche and learn because if you don't you could lose lots of money.

      My first attempt at building a list a few years ago was horrible. I did get some opt ins but I didn't have enough content to send out to my list 3 or 4 times a week. I didn't know the best ways to drive traffic to my squeeze page. I didn't know how to test then test some more.

      Not trying to discourage anyone trying to build a list all I am saying is learn all you can before spending any money, you will be more successful if you do.
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      • Profile picture of the author avirtt
        Originally Posted by birdie28a View Post

        I'm not convinced that a newbie should start building a list right away until they develop some skills that they could share with their list. I have seen a lot of set it and forget it list building programs that where really bad and made it look like list building is easy to do.

        The truth is building a list is work and does take time and skill. I suggest getting on a few list in your niche and learn because if you don't you could lose lots of money.
        That's exactly my apprehension and the main reason of my procrastination with list building. I'll be happy if someone convince me otherwise.
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
          Originally Posted by avirtt View Post

          That's exactly my apprehension and the main reason of my procrastination with list building. I'll be happy if someone convince me otherwise.
          A lot depends on how you define "building a list."

          If you define it as 'somehow getting a bunch of email addresses in a database', it isn't all that difficult. Most of the 'list building is easy and automatic' offerings are using this definition. Once amassed, they tend to follow the churn and burn model of hammering that list with any and all offers available in the hope of making a few bucks before the list burns out or gets the owner banned, shut down or blacklisted.

          If you define list building as collecting permission to communicate with people sharing a common interest for mutual benefit, the mechanics are similar. You do need to exercise a bit more diligence in sorting people onto or off of the list. You can mainly do that with your opt-in process - your opt-in copy, offer, bribe, etc. You want people who should be on your list, or think they should, to willingly hand you permission with their eyes wide open. Everyone else that sees your offer should recognize that it isn't for them and leave with positive feelings (no harm, no foul).

          This kind of list building puts long term mutual benefit before short term (and often short lived) profits.
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          • Profile picture of the author avirtt
            Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

            A lot depends on how you define "building a list."
            Hi,

            I'm a newbie in this business, so may be getting something wrong.

            My understanding is that collecting mail addresses and permissions is only half or even 10% of job.

            While collecting addresses, one should have AR sequence in place together with appropriate offers. And I don't quite grasp how long this initial sequence should be. And what do I do when this sequence finishes?

            To develope new sequence in real time, one have to have a lot of experience/expertize in given niche. Difficult task for a newbie.
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            • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
              Originally Posted by avirtt View Post

              Hi,

              I'm a newbie in this business, so may be getting something wrong.

              My understanding is that collecting mail addresses and permissions is only half or even 10% of job.

              While collecting addresses, one should have AR sequence in place together with appropriate offers. And I don't quite grasp how long this initial sequence should be. And what do I do when this sequence finishes?

              To develope new sequence in real time, one have to have a lot of experience/expertize in given niche. Difficult task for a newbie.
              You're right on track when you say collecting email addresses and that first tentative permission is a relatively small part of the process.

              There's also more to it than simply setting up an AR sequence with some offers. No matter how long you've been at it, there's always some trial and error to find the mix of content and offers that brings the most long term profit. Giving your subscribers a chance to offer their input on what you send them can shorten the process immensely.

              Your initial sequence should be long enough to present the case for your first offer. How long is that? I have no idea, as I have no clue about the product (generic) you want to promote, or the marketplace you want to promote it to.

              If your target audience is other newbies, for example, you might have to go into quite a bit more depth educating them than you would if you were aiming at intermediate or advanced users.

              What do you do when you reach the end of the sequence? Again, it depends on the products available and the market niche. In some markets, you simply keep adding more info/education in the form of case studies, new developments, etc., while continuing to promote the original product. In other circumstances, you might end up with something that looks like a line of connected sequences.

              Obviously, you would be able to skip the "welcome to my list" type message(s), but you would go through the process of building a case for whatever your next offer is.

              And you'll be adding new people to the beginning of your sequence all the time. If you pick a good mix of evergreen products, you could have this series of running launch type message sequence going continuously.
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              • Profile picture of the author avirtt
                Hi John,
                Thanks a lot for your explanations.
                I don't finally selected my niche yet.
                Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

                If your target audience is other newbies, for example, you might have to go into quite a bit more depth educating them than you would if you were aiming at intermediate or advanced users.
                My best bet would be an Internet Marketing, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea for a newbie to start teaching other newbies. It looks somewhat like MLM.
                From other side I had similar offline business experience. I did a few start-ups and as a side effect I tought a few people from zero to successful managers. Not all of them, but more then half.
                I like to explore life and I really want to be independent from the place where I live, so now I sold everything and moved to other country. I live in NZ now, and I love this country, but it's time to develop new income stream. One of the biggest challenges for me now is plain English. It's not my native language.
                Well, back to list building. I want to end up with Internet Marketing as main stream. One of the ways to do so is to write about my case studies I already tried. Probably, it may be interesting for other people. I'm keeping in mind that I always have to bring value to my list. I have to be honest with my list, and some if not most of Developers of the products I tested, will not be happy with my honesty.
                And last, but not least. I didn't find a product which I honestly may say:"This product bring me this amount of money, by this way, in this period of time"

                Now my humble question to you John and other experienced warriors:

                Am I ready to start my List building campaign?

                Or probably, should I go to other niche for a while?
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  • Profile picture of the author bvna80
    Always provide loads of value to people on your list and never send more than 1 email per week.
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  • Profile picture of the author Killara
    Alexa, you're sooo right! Thank you for your no-nonsense approach to IM. You could not have said it better.

    Frankly, I think that IM is no different from any other marketing - people only ever buy from people or businesses they trust. That's the first and most important premise. The caution in opening our wallets, when off line is the same as when pulling out the credit card for on-line purchases. The question we ask is "Is this person trustworthy? Will the product work as promised?"

    So work on building a trustworthy and reliable brand. Become an expert in your field so that people will recognise your name and your brand and keep returning to your site. When they trust you, then they'll buy.

    Work on your brand constantly before you even think about monetization. Don't waste your time worrying about how to make money until you have a decent amount of traffic.

    To recap - first of all give good content and great value.

    Warmest,

    Killara.
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  • Profile picture of the author Nubitol
    This thread has been very beneficial for me as I'm starting to build my own list. Not much success yet, but keep on trying to learn from my mistake. My biggest problem is how to get quality traffic with limited budget. I've tried low quality traffic for the sake of experiment and it was a nightmare. Well, at least I learned something valuable.

    On another note, in your experience (everybody is free to chime in), do you think personal branding has anything to do with successful list building? How should I position myself in front of my visitors/prospective subscribers to gain their attention and trust?
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    • Profile picture of the author darune123
      I agree, this thread has given some great ideas, especially refocusing what giving good, quality content as part of the offer in my optin forms.
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  • Profile picture of the author moreno
    value,value ,value
    best probably plugins , soft , wp theme anything really useful
    don't over sell give some free stuff too

    good luck Frank Moreno
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  • Profile picture of the author blazingskull
    To the OP:
    The only sustainable way to build a email list is through a good blog where you provide valuable info. This way you will get the emails of people who trust you and are willing to spend their money for what you sell.

    Everybody who tries the shortcut will just see his/her effort wasted because the ROI for the shortcuts is just not worth effort involved in building a product and building a list.
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrick Batty
    I cant give all the info, but in essence:
    Create a Lead Magnet
    Create a Squeeze Page.. best be original although some do plr (I dont)
    Possibly consider a OTO

    Rather than spend days and nights bloggin till the cows come home to get traffic:
    add a link to your signature
    consider running solo ads

    Provide ongoing reasons for people to stay on your list.. give great value.. consider some ongoing video training etc.

    Those last three items will save you months of time and help you retain your readers
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  • Profile picture of the author markwilson4074
    Can someone recommend a FREE auto-responder to start with and keep the ball rolling?

    Thanks.
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  • Profile picture of the author markwilson4074
    Thanks for the detailed suggestions.

    I browsed through warriorforum and found out a mixed opinion, but still paid ARs make lot of sense when it comes to reliability, delivery and other factors.
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  • Profile picture of the author DarioMontesdeOca
    You can segment your list into all sorts of groups when using Aweber. Freebie list, OTO buyer list, product buyer list, software download list, CPA offer list to name a few.

    When you do this it is much easier to bring the perfect message and product to each one of your subscribers.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
    I was going to come in here and offer some advice but it seems that most of the good stuff has already been covered. Some excellent posts in here, really indepth and helpful, that newbies AND experienced internet marketers can learn something from. The warrior forum has really excelled it's self with this topic.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mo Jogee
    There is plenty of great advice in this thread. If there is only one thing you had to pick and do it consistently then concentrate on building trust & relationship with your list which will yield long term results which is something everyone aspires in their businesses unless you want to do it for short while and move on to pastures new.
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  • Profile picture of the author 32paul52
    I would to ad one part - People start a list , get to a small number (around a 1000) and thinks its not working. Its just that you don't have enough on the list with the relationship to buy or buy what you recommend. Sometimes I will recommend things just because they are good- not just affiliate offers....
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by 32paul52 View Post

      Sometimes I will recommend things just because they are good- not just affiliate offers....
      I do this also - I think it's a really good policy. It comes across well with subscribers, I think, that you're willing to recommend things without being incentivized to do so. It "speaks highly of your credibility" and enhances their perception of you as an "objective provider of information". (I do state openly that I'm not an affiliate, in these cases).
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by 32paul52 View Post

        I would to ad one part - People start a list , get to a small number (around a 1000) and thinks its not working. Its just that you don't have enough on the list with the relationship to buy or buy what you recommend. Sometimes I will recommend things just because they are good- not just affiliate offers....
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        I do this also - I think it's a really good policy. It comes across well with subscribers, I think, that you're willing to recommend things without being incentivized to do so. It "speaks highly of your credibility" and enhances their perception of you as an "objective provider of information". (I do state openly that I'm not an affiliate, in these cases).
        Add me to the list...

        And when I do recommend things just because I think they are good, I put just as much thought into writing the recommendation as I do when promoting something.

        I've seen some where they might just as well type "I'm supposed to pitch something I don't get paid for, so here it is...", not realizing just how transparent it is when the affiliate pitches are serious and the others seemingly throwaways.
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      • Profile picture of the author Lucian Lada
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        I do this also - I think it's a really good policy. It comes across well with subscribers, I think, that you're willing to recommend things without being incentivized to do so. It "speaks highly of your credibility" and enhances their perception of you as an "objective provider of information". (I do state openly that I'm not an affiliate, in these cases).
        Do you slip the not-remunerated product recommendation in between the normal affiliate offers schedule (1 in 3), or do you swap one affiliate offer altogether in favor of the former?

        I know it might not make a difference at all in the long run, but I'm still curious to find out.

        I'm also curious to find out what format the disclosure of the fact that you're not affiliate with that specific product takes. I assume it's more elaborate than "(not an affiliate link)". Perhaps more in the lines of "I won't receive any commission should you decide to purchase this product since they don't have an affiliate scheme, but since it's such a good product, I'll let you get away this time." Okay, I was a bit facetious, and maybe this is not the place to be, but you got the idea. (Also, I might reconsider the "affiliate scheme" term, I don't want people to unconsciously think of the Ponzi scheme or something. ("Scheme" doesn't really have a good reputation, does it?) )
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by Lucian Lada View Post

          Do you slip the not-remunerated product recommendation in between the normal affiliate offers schedule (1 in 3)
          Yes, I just put the odd one in when I feel like it ... the extent to which I do this actually varies quite a bit from niche to niche. (In some of my niches there are good things which you can't even be an affiliate for.) I'm "just saying" - I think it's not a bad thing to do, at all - you can try to "turn it to your advantage".

          Originally Posted by Lucian Lada View Post

          I'm also curious to find out what format the disclosure of the fact that you're not affiliate with that specific product takes. I assume it's more elaborate than "(not an affiliate link)".
          Not much more elaborate! I usually just say something like "and by the way, I'm not even an affiliate for this one". (I've made sure, right from the start, from my website and the "free report" and my early emails, that my subscribers are pretty familiar with what affiliate marketing is and how it works, and specifically that they know that they're never paying more by buying through one of my links. As I've bored people throughout the forum by saying for years, I think people who try to conceal their affiliate incentivization rather than discussing it openly are really barking up the wrong tree, or out of their tree, or some other suitably arboreal metaphor).

          Originally Posted by Lucian Lada View Post

          Perhaps more in the lines of "I won't receive any commission should you decide to purchase this product since they don't have an affiliate scheme, but since it's such a good product, I'll let you get away this time." Okay, I was a bit facetious, and maybe this is not the place to be ...
          Ooh, I always think that's quite a good place to be facetious (not many places aren't, really)?! :p

          Originally Posted by Lucian Lada View Post

          Also, I might reconsider the "affiliate scheme" term, I don't want people to unconsciously think of the Ponzi scheme or something. ("Scheme" doesn't really have a good reputation, does it?) )
          Oh, yes, I see what you mean about that. Yes, maybe "scheme" isn't an ideal word.
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  • Profile picture of the author tyronne78
    Creat a squeeze page. Offer your visitors a free 15 day course on list building spread out over 15 days. You've just turned away the ones who use throw away emails to get free ebooks and stuff like that. I haven't tested this but I do believe this would attract a more serious person who really wants to know how to market online and build a list. A couple days into your sequence is when you can begin the selling process.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnTimmins
    Honestly, you did a good start of building a list. Try to build a high-converting squeeze page and promote your page to various media out there.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jaimashi
      Wow, great comments and a very helpful thread.

      I have a high-content site with my own products, and just reached 10,000 subscribers to my newsletter; but my conversion rate is not great. I've always suspected that I err on the side of "giving away the farm" for free, and this thread is really opening my eyes to how I can restructure my funnel (there isn't one) in order to maximize the opportunities to sell to my list.

      It's a fine line between "building a relationship" and giving away so much great info that they expect it all for free. Once I figure out that, I think I'll be much more successful.

      Thank you!
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  • Profile picture of the author srodoks
    Always provide loads of value to people on your list and never send more than 1 email per week.
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  • Profile picture of the author srodoks
    Give away free gifts in exchange with their emails and names
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  • Profile picture of the author kayfrank
    You need a squeeze page to capture people email.
    You need a reason why people would give you their email - it has to be a free gift
    You need to then build trust with your subscribers
    You need to find out what they want
    You need to create a product to answer to those needs
    You then promote the product to your list
    You then find out what your list wants...etc.
    Always provide value and trust. Be yourself. Be different to the rest!
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  • Profile picture of the author napoleonfirst
    Well, you could use PLR products to give away and use solo ads to build the list. You need to educate your visitorsa first before trying to sell them something. It is als possible to sell solo ads in the JV section of this forum to make some quick cash. Of course, you need a list of at least 300 members.
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  • Profile picture of the author ikhwanudin
    focus on driving traffic to your squeeze page.
    build a huge list. your money is in the list
    thnks
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  • Profile picture of the author RachelLily
    Getting subscribers starts from getting traffic on your site or to your offers. If you don't have traffic at all then you won't win any subscribers.

    Thereafter, it depends on the quality of the products you are offering. Your subscribers create an image about you from the quality of the material you provide them. So, provide only top notch quality to your subscribers.
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  • Profile picture of the author NameThatCandy
    great threads. I learned a lot. thx.
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  • Profile picture of the author MartinPlatt
    Originally Posted by eljuc1 View Post

    Hello Fellow Warriors,

    I have started IM a few days ago and I honestly love it. I want to learn and try all the different strategies before I figure out which one is right for me. I purchased an aweber account, but I don't know where to go from here efficiently. I thought about giving away a free product to influence an email exchange. But, wouldn't I just fill a list of people who want freebies? I would greatly appreciate any advice in your process of filling your list.

    Thanks in advance,
    EL
    You need to build a squeeze page, and give away something of value. That could be video, audio, report, course.

    To monetise the list you need to pick some valuable products, ones that really help your readers.

    Then you need to promote your valuable give away offer.

    That's it, in a nutshell, there's obviously a lot more to it than that, but that should get your started...
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  • Profile picture of the author Enfusia
    It's not just the the relationship with your list it's the depth of that relationship.

    Patrick
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  • Profile picture of the author sabatek
    Originally Posted by eljuc1 View Post

    Hello Fellow Warriors,

    I have started IM a few days ago and I honestly love it. I want to learn and try all the different strategies before I figure out which one is right for me. I purchased an aweber account, but I don't know where to go from here efficiently. I thought about giving away a free product to influence an email exchange. But, wouldn't I just fill a list of people who want freebies? I would greatly appreciate any advice in your process of filling your list.

    Thanks in advance,
    EL
    Offering something free builds trust. Its says I am here to help you so much so you don't have to pay for it. It also shows what you know. If they read it and they are impressed they will want to buy from you. Its all about VALUE exchange if your an expert and you offer a newsletter people will sign up because of the value they will receive. What is common in newsletters and eBook using the tools to SELL. So give value then at the end it with a upsell on what your offering or an affiliate with but after providing VALUE. Value builds trust, trust builds sales.
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    • Profile picture of the author higherluv
      I got here late, but here goes...

      1. build one! just do it!

      2. give a freebie with value to get the person to sign up. The freebie can be a newsletter, or some of the other conventional mediums -ebook, video series, software/plugin as appropriate

      3. don't forget about what you gotta do after the person signs up. Building relationships is a key component of list building and providing value in your emails and site is an awesome way to do it

      4. a relationship prior to them signing up on your list helps as well. These types of prospects convert decently

      5. did you build one yet? (it's been almost 10 months...)
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  • Profile picture of the author JHandy
    Very good points in this thread. To me it all boils down to being genuine in who you are to any subscriber/reader that you are able to get on your list. Treat them the way that you want to be treated. When people say bring VALUE to the table, what they are really saying is help the subscriber learn something that they didn't know and help them know it without cost. Then you are perceived as a GIVER and not a taker and the trust level in the subscriber towards you has just elevated. You will build a huge list in no time when you come from that perspective. I gotta admit though, I'm no expert, because I make mistakes all the time, but I am willing to learn from them. Let's just say, I'm failing FORWARD day by day.
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  • Profile picture of the author satrap
    Lots of great tips on tips on this thread.

    This may be controversial, but I think it works in some cases. If you have inactive subscribers that never buy anything or don't open your emails, delete them. That way you don't have to pay extra to your auto-responder service you are using.

    For example, Aweber charges $29 for up to 2500 subs (If I am not mistaken here). If you pass that number, you have to pay $49. So if you have 2550 subs with 50 subs who are inactive and never respond, you are just wasting an extra $20 for 50 people who are never going to make you a dime. Go to your account and delete them.

    Now, of course, you would also be risking the potential to make money off of those 50 people, if down the road they decide to buy. So, research your data to make sure you don't delete people to early, before you have enough data of them not being responsive.
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  • Profile picture of the author Joe Benjamin
    ** Don't be afraid to make mistakes...**

    ...because you WILL make many.

    You WILL get spam complaints (don't promote
    garbage and INCLUDE a disclaimer giving them the
    option to unsubscribe anytime)

    You WILL have an unsubscriber curse you because
    you sent to many emails or...you're not sending
    enough (you can't please everyone and you can't
    take ANY of it personally -- have a thick skin)

    You WILL get moments where you're subject line
    doesn't get a response (test various headlines and
    see if benefits + curiousity works best...if only curiousity
    headlines work best...etc)

    You WILL have times where you get a lot of opens
    but few clickthrus (work on your persuasion and
    copywriting skills)

    And THEN you will find the solution...the secret sauce
    if you will that works for YOU.

    You're style of writing, your offer, how you built your
    list, etc plays a factor in how you piece together the
    puzzle.

    It's a game. A giant puzzle. The pieces are all there.
    It's up to you to fit them together.

    Love the process and don't get over-excited or over
    -heated when things don't go your way. Treat it as...

    business as usual and look at your progress and results
    from an objective point of view.

    Again. If you treat it like a game you will have fun making
    money...figureing things out...aaha moments...revelations
    and suddenly...breakthroughs.

    This is the way it's been for me.

    And TEST and TRACK every...little thing.

    I take tons of screenshots of everything in a campaign
    and put them into seperate folders. So, if one thing doesn't
    work as well as the other, I can EASILY go back to what
    works better and use THAT to improve from (split test).

    You must be fanatical about tracking and testing. It helps
    keep your emotions out of the game and focus on playing
    it until you succeed.

    This is what Edison did.

    He tested THOUSANDS of combinations to get the lightbulb.

    ...but you better believe he noted down what DIDN'T work,
    kept what did work, moved some pieces around and boom.
    ...the light bulb is invented.

    If he just tried a bunch of combinations you would make
    the same mistakes over again multiple times.

    ~~ Joe ~~


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  • Profile picture of the author BigGameHunter
    I can't believe this thread is still going. I said on page one... don't over complicate it..

    I remember when we could promote Clickbank products with PPC on the big G and drive the traffic directly to the sales page of the offer with our hop link. I know that it was crazy but didn't care.One offer I promoted for every $150 in PPC campaign cost I got back $450-500 regularly. It was almost like clock work. A low gravity product with little to no competition.

    I got mad at the big G because they changed the rules and made everyone have a page of my own to drive the traffic to. They did me a big favor... learned about soft selling and building lists. All I did was set up an ugly squeeze page... took some copy from the sales page and my opt ins were 40-50%.

    My autoresponder series was 5 emails that went out over two weeks, one paragraph with some copy to make them want to go to the sales page again and a link with my hop link (didn't need the cookie from my site at this time). My sales increased 50%.

    At that moment I learned the importance of list building.

    If your new to IM.... this still works. Not a long term strategy but this simple method will make some money. Don't complicate things.

    One disclaimer... I am very good at PPC and that kept my cost inline. Quality Solo ads will do the same thing. If you have a limited budget do article marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ashley Walker
    When it comes to build a list, There is two vital aspect which need attention the most:
    1. where you put your ads for the landing page.
    This is depend on niche, your should use trial and error method to find one that works for you, try some good PPC campaign each day and observe which one works for you.
    2. ad copy, you can move people to action if you can play with words, you don't need to lie about your product, it is about capturing people attentions. You can use statistics approach, playing with number to convince you potential customer. You can also use affection to capture the heart of your potential customer, using good design, good ad copy, and modern color.
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  • I like the idea of not tricking people into becoming invested and stuff. Some people are stupid and "easy marks" but you don't want to be some slimy con man.

    What I don't understand is how you get those people to the initial site to begin with? I mean, you have a product, make a site that promotes product, but the site isn't even ranked on Google. I think I'm just missing something obvious. You said SEO or ranking #1 on Google wouldn't matter so much. I guess I don't know how you build a list.

    I think I get the whole, don't trick people and how to then send the automated emails, sort of. Like what you wrote about initially but I don't understand how that site gets any visitors to begin with?? Am I making any sense?
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  • Profile picture of the author jenmidas
    Hello El. Welcome to the IM world.

    Im sure you already have all the technical stuff on list building.

    Here are the things you need to do once they are already in your 'circle of influence' ( List )

    1. You need to become a highly professional surgeon.

    Find the biggest pain in the ass. The roadblocks that kept them getting what their want in their life or achieving goal.
    How? Use Surveymonkey or Polldady. By doing so you'll get a bunch of vocabularies that filled up their mind and their life. You could use these vocabularies to form a story with high anticipation . No promotion of email at this stage.


    2. Freemium stage.

    Once you get the raw data from the survey. Create a top notch freemium content/solution to that problem. By doing so, you'll not only earn their trust but also it will strengthen the bonding between you and your list.


    3. Reaping stage.

    This stage you will present an offer to your them only once not EVERY DAY Tell them that this stuff ( offer ) will do more than the previous one. In the Amazon site, it's equivalent to ' customer who bought this also buy this' concept. That's how the amazon sneaky promo trick to increase sales.


    When it comes to list building , you also need to know how to separate the 'sheep form the goats' . They call it list segmentation.
    One of the way to perform the task is by using 'raise your hand if you want this' approach.

    Always usesuspense flavor in your follow up email. How? Look at LOTH trilogy. The Hobbits' fans ( real fans who went to the cinema ) have to wait more than 24 months to complete the trilogy. Pete Jackson made $2.92 billion sales worldwide. In a nutshell, write emails with suspense element so that they will eagerly to see your next email.

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  • Profile picture of the author markobrien
    That is one of the things I like about this forum. Each of these threads can be a gold mine of info if the right people choose to reply.
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  • Profile picture of the author clickfund
    If you give away a good freebie and provide value to your list, you will be able to monetize it quite well. I know I unsubscribe when I get pounded with offers like many WF members send out as soon as you are on their list. You have to give to get IMHO
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  • Profile picture of the author Sam Mann
    #1 - List building and easy... but in the long run, it will give you Riches
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  • Profile picture of the author JSL Publishing
    Hey EL,

    Well, you need a mix of products to market, you also need to associate yourself with some affiliates, you also need to find other people that have certain skills you don't have and are willing to join your team.. JV are always good to look for. I hope that helps a little.

    Jan


    Originally Posted by eljuc1 View Post

    Hello Fellow Warriors,

    I have started IM a few days ago and I honestly love it. I want to learn and try all the different strategies before I figure out which one is right for me. I purchased an aweber account, but I don't know where to go from here efficiently. I thought about giving away a free product to influence an email exchange. But, wouldn't I just fill a list of people who want freebies? I would greatly appreciate any advice in your process of filling your list.

    Thanks in advance,
    EL
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  • Profile picture of the author mcwalker25
    First thing I would always remind myself is to jsut take it easy. too many people just rush into "promotion-mode" and splash their list with offers.
    but like a good piece of steak, you gotsta tenderize and loosen it up with great content, extra bonuses, good headlines and gooood offers...
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  • Profile picture of the author Osman_M
    Test. Test. Test.

    Test everything. Your squeeze page, your traffic sources, your sales funnel, your product and etc.

    Test and then optimize. Did I mention test?
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  • Profile picture of the author mayagh
    Follow a good training program from a IM Pro and stick to it. Yes start with a freebie and as well go in another direction too and promote through your site/banners/FB.
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  • Profile picture of the author paulie123
    Here is a piece of advice I rarely see. A squeeze page, though that is not the advice. What is the advice concerning the squeeze page is to have a professional do it. Hire someone who has a proven track record of a good opt-in rate. Too many people are using software, or reading an e-book, or trying to do it themselves. The content on that squeeze page is the difference that makes the difference. Spend money and find someone who HAS done it! There are different types of squeeze pages needed for a free offer, an affiliate offer, a webinar, a CPA offer, etc. There is not a one size fits all. Hire an expert! Given the importance of the squeeze page itself. My two cents.
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  • Profile picture of the author fatafat
    Great insights...thanks for this contribution on the warrior forum...
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  • Profile picture of the author Moneymaker2012
    If you take list building just to send promotions to the subscribers, it is about building a relation of trust with them, cause if there is no trust then you are not going to succeed.
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  • Profile picture of the author attachepr
    Some of information are really helpful for me. I have learned more from your sharing.
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    • Profile picture of the author linhuck
      I have read through this entire thread so far and I can say about the information that Alexa Smith and JohnMcCabe have added on this thread, is........... it's the best I have ever come accross paid or free to do with list building and i have come accross a LOT, both good and bad.

      I have hopefully grabbed all of Alexa's and John's posts thus far.

      Spend a few minutes going through this information. Hope this helps and thanks again Alea and John

      Linden


      Originally Posted by eljuc1 View Post

      Hello Fellow Warriors,

      I have started IM a few days ago and I honestly love it. I want to learn and try all the different strategies before I figure out which one is right for me. I purchased an aweber account, but I don't know where to go from here efficiently. I thought about giving away a free product to influence an email exchange. But, wouldn't I just fill a list of people who want freebies? I would greatly appreciate any advice in your process of filling your list.

      Thanks in advance,
      EL

      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Here are the three essentials, from my experience (I think understanding these three Big Issues, as an overview, before thinking about any "operative details" at all, can help anyone) ...

      1. Don't depend entirely on SEO traffic, to build your list. For two main reasons ...
      • SEO traffic is low-quality: it converts worse, opts in less, and buys less often, than traffic from almost any other source (I suspect this is a "little secret" unknown to many people whose measurable, analyzable quantities of traffic have only ever come from SEO!)
      • as so many Warriors have been discovering over the last year - some of them to their very great cost, with all the Panda updates and other changes going on - a business that depends on Google for its primary traffic is only ever going to be one algorithm-change away from a potential accident (or even a potential disaster)
      2. Don't assume that the biggest list necessarily equates with the biggest income: this can easily be untrue, and often is, and there are good and valid and reliable reasons for that.

      3. Don't assume that a squeeze page is the only way to build a list. It isn't. It's often not the best way (after all the lengthy split-testing I've done in separate, unrelated niches, I stopped using squeeze pages for list-building altogether when I eventually worked out what they were costing me - and it was far from easy to work out).

      How well you do, financially, in the long term, from list-building, is fundamentally about "a process of continuity". Personally, after all the testing I could be bothered to do, in a few different niches, without getting significant unsubscriptions and so on just from "testing", I now send email on days 1, 3, 6, 10 and 15 and thereafter at 5/6-day intervals (never 7-day intervals, because of the "same day of the week" problem).

      I think many of the most worthwhile ways of keeping people on your list (as well as keeping them opening and reading your emails) relate to things you need to do before people opt-in, not after. It's about setting expectations, establishing reliability and credibility, and earning people's trust.

      These things all vary according to the traffic demographics, the opt-in incentive and maybe even the niche, too.

      These are the kind of things I normally suggest to people who ask ...

      (i) Explain really clearly to people that they're going to get regular emails from you, in addition to the "free report" or whatever carrot you're giving them in exchange for their email address;

      (ii) Explain openly roughly how often you'll be sending these emails, and stick to what you've said;

      (iii) Explain what information/materials will be covered in your emails, and why (obviously making the whole thing sound as attractive/appealing as possible);

      (iv) Make sure that the "free report" is designed specifically to make sure that its recipients open and read the subsequent email series (failure to do this is a seriously missed opportunity which leads to unnecessarily low open-rates and less income);

      (v) Always use a reliable autoresponder with good deliverability, never a free one which may send spammy junk of its own out with your emails (opt in yourself, under a few email addresses, and see how they look and whether they reliably hit your inboxes);

      (vi) Make sure there's as good a match as possible, in tone, style and presentation, between (a) what attracted people to your site in the first place, (b) what they saw when they got there, and (c) what you send by email - this can make a huge difference to keeping people subscribed and opening/reading your emails, because continuity matters;

      (vii) As well as all the more obvious things like reminding people who you are, why they're receiving it, how to unsubscribe and so on, put a little "feeder" in each email for the next one, so that it'll be expected and welcomed when it arrives (can also make a big difference);

      (viii) Don't use people's first names when you send them autoresponder emails: marketers (often) love to do this, or at least the ones who are naive enough to imagine that people think it "makes it look more personal" - it does no such thing. People aren't stupid and they know that it's automated and means nothing. Customers often think it "just makes you sound like an insurance salesman" and it puts them on their guard - exactly the opposite of what you ought to be doing. (You can also build bigger lists by not asking for their names - an email address is all you need, and more people will opt in if that's all you ask for);

      (ix) Don't try to give your emails "clever"/"tricky" subject-lines, or be misleading in any way in their titles: not only does this not work at all, but if anyone ever complains about it, your autoresponder company may (rightly) drop you like a stone;

      (x) Don't send unnecessary "broadcasts".
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      This. Exactly.



      There are things you can buy for that purpose, whose copyrights allow you to distribute them (with or without some re-writing first). I wouldn't recommend it at all, though.

      What matters, regarding the product you give away to build the list, is continuity. Explained in this thread: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post6064741

      So you need something written for your specific purposes. To produce continuity between your website and your email series when people opt in. Otherwise not so many of them will open and attentively read your emails, and it will all have been a bit of a waste of time.

      So I suggest you write something, or employ a writer to do it for you. It doesn't need to be huge: a 6-page PDF will do the job, if it's really high quality information and specifically written with continuity in mind.
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      It's only a semantic/linguistic point, Schwan, but it conceals a big, important principle, I think - sorry if I worded it confusingly.

      A "squeeze page" is a page with a prominently incentivized opt-in (whether with text or video, or whatever) and no other content.

      In contrast, for example there's a prominently incentivized opt-in at the top of a content-rich page which is clearly the "front page" of a content-rich site.

      I've always found that if I use that, instead (and show people before/while they're opting in that it's a content-rich site, rather than after), fewer people opt in but I make much more income from them.

      This is actually an important point: it's easy to make the mistake of assuming that if one method (my content-rich pages/site) opts in 25% of people and another method (a squeeze page) opts in 35% of visitors, then one ends up with the same people plus 10% more. This is typically wrong. It can easily be the case (and it has been the case, for me, every single time I've tested it, in different niches) that you earn significantly more from the 25% group than from the 35% group, over - say - a 6-month period.

      The point is that they're (substantially) different people.

      There are people who would have been great customers who won't opt in to a squeeze page. The difference in figures might be fairly small, but the difference in income can be big.

      In my 8-niche business, people who opt in through squeeze pages spend significantly less money, and some of the best customers are lost by using a squeeze page. It took me a bit of time to learn this, and at first I didn't understand it and found it slightly counterintuitive. But it actually makes complete sense when I think about my customer demographics. There are millions of people (like my parents, for example) who will opt in to a content rich site and become good customers, but wouldn't dream of opting in to a squeeze page. This depends mostly on the customer demographics, not so much on the niche. (Apart from the obvious point that some niches do tend to attract particular demographics - but the principle is still a valid one, and it translates into money).

      I've said more about this here: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post5806404

      And these threads/posts might interest you ...

      I don’t believe this! Higher opt-in rate, fewer sales
      Squeeze Page on Landing Page a Turn Off?
      What gets peopole to sign up?

      PS - read carefully, also, the fairly extreme and interesting difference of opinion between Kenwerd (post #2 above) and Retsced (post #4 above). Retsced's profound and fundamental post there is completely right, of course (and for future reference, that's always a pretty safe bet, around here ).
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Sorry, I just don't know enough about AdWords (and similar) to answer this.

      Others who know much more about it than I do will probably reply.
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Interesting, thanks, Andy. I didn't find this, myself, when I tested - but that may not be surprising at all: I think this particular question relates largely to traffic demographics (and maybe secondarily to the niche, as well)? :confused:

      My problem in testing something like that is that you can track the open-rates of only HTML emails, not plain-text. I suspect that the people who so strongly prefer plain-text emails overlap quite a bit with the ones who don't want you using their first name like that (I do have specific reasons for suspecting this - am not altogether "pulling it out of the air"!).
      Originally Posted by Schwan View Post

      Alexa,

      I would like to buy ppc-ads and drive traffic to a site. So would you suggest sending this traffic to a "content-site" with an optin form on the upper right or on a classical squeese page?

      thanks in advance, schwan

      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      Since Alexa deferred an answer, I'll take a swing at it...

      Neither.

      If I were going to do that, here's how I would lay out the landing page (which would be the home page for the site or blog):

      > Opt-in form on the upper right, same as for every other page on the site (with the exception of the order page if you are selling product from the site).

      > Normal header and navigation. I tend to use smallish headers, so it isn't much of a distraction.

      > Front and center - a continuation of the experience from the solo ad. Your ad promised either a benefit they desired enough to click or a solution to a problem they desired enough to click. Give them a taste of what they get in your incentive, then ask them to opt-in to get the incentive and additional information. Provide a larger version of the opt-in form.

      > Follow that with whatever else goes on your home page - navigation, footer, etc.

      In blogging terms, your opt-in area would take the place of a "Featured Post" pinned to the top of the content area of the home page.

      It also helps if your regular navigation, sidebars, etc. are a bit on the subdued side so it draws attention to the opt-in area.

      There are more tricks, but that should get you started.
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      Okay, one more...

      This one is in line with building a relationship with your blog's audience. You could also use it for a regular, content-focused website. It's also a bit 'tech-ier' than some.

      1. Craft an opt-in message, reminder, etc. You could even use a summary of your opt-in offer.

      2. Add a script to your site that sets a cookie when someone arrives for the first time. The initial cookie is set for 'subscriber=no'.

      3. Add a script to read the cookie and set a variable.

      4. Add your opt-in reminder to your template or pages using a piece of javascript. The javascript checks the subscriber variable, and displays your reminder if the visitor is not a subscriber. If they already subscribe, the message is either absent or different. Even something as simple as 'welcome back' works for this.

      Once your visitors become subscribers, there's no need to keep telling them to subscribe. So your page either leaves out the subscription offer or changes the message to semi-personalize the visit.

      The scripting involved is pretty simple - one to set a cookie, one to read a cookie and set a variable, and a simple if-then statement to determine whether your opt-in displays or not. You can probably find all three easily on one of the javascript tutorial sites.
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      Correct.



      Not the welcome email, the success page. Use a variation of the same script that set the cookie, only set the cookie to show the person has subscribed (i.e. subscriber=yes).



      Correct.



      Yes, it just requires tweaking some of the theme templates.



      Not sure about the UK, but I always include a paragraph in my privacy policy stating that the site uses cookies to enhance the performance of the site, but that no personally-identifiable information is collected. There is also a prominent link to the privacy page in the footer of every page served, as well as links from the About page.
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      I think you may not quite understand what an autoresponder does. If the emails are set to go out on days 1, 3, 6 and 10, this means that each subscriber automatically gets the same emails in the same order at the same intervals.

      Regardless of when you subscribe, you get message 1 the day after subscribing. Two days later, you get message 2. Three days after that, message 3, and four days after that, message 4.

      If I subscribe on the first of the month, I get follow-up emails on the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 12th.

      If you sign up on the 10th, you get the identical sequence on the 11th, 13th, 16th and 20th.

      There's no confusion about which email to send when, because the software handles all of that for you.



      This is a matter of how you write the emails. For example, if you include specific dates, it could be confusing to update. So you don't use specific dates in your pre-programmed messages. You say things like, "in a couple of days, you should see the next message, so watch for it."

      If you write the sequence properly, there should be very little updating required as maintenance.



      There are two kinds of messages you can send with an autoresponder. Pre-programmed emails go out in order, at prescribed intervals, as described above. Broadcast emails are outside of the sequence, and go out one time as scheduled. Anyone currently on the list will get that message, but new subscribers will not. So if the info is evergreen and that important, you can program it into your sequence.

      Does this help?
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      If you really think all of your subscribers should get the most current emails, rather than get the old ones in some kind of sequence, don't set up the sequence. Send broadcasts instead.

      With a broadcast, everyone on the list gets the same email at the same time.

      The way to use a programmed sequence is when you want to lead someone through your sales process of multiple steps. The objective is to (depending on whether you are the seller or an affiliate) either lead the subscriber to buy the product (as a seller) or send the subscriber to the seller's sales page ready to buy (as an affiliate). If you're an affiliate, this is called "pre-selling" the product.

      A programmed sequence isn't appropriate for every list. Yours may be one of them.

      On the other hand, if you have a series of emails that you know works well, an autoresponder setup can help you deliver that set of messages the same way to each subscriber.

      You might also consider a variant where subscribers go through a sequence designed to get them to take a specific action (like buy a specific product), and then move them to a general broadcast list where they get your current emails as you send them.

      Lots of ways to set things up. The way that works for you is the right way.
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Apologies, Mostafa - I've been online here only for 5-10 minutes at a time, today, and saw your questions only after John has kindly answered them all (and even more kindly left me almost nothing to add to his ever-helpful comments, as on some previous occasions!).

      Don't assume that because I use that 1, 3, 6, 10, 15-day pattern that it's necessarily going to be exactly the right one for you. What works best for you might be different from mine, if your traffic demographics and niche are all different from mine. On the other hand, I don't think it's "bad timing" (of course) and it might be something to start from?

      (Personally I like to have as much automated in "email series" as possible, and send "broadcasts" - where everyone gets the same email at the same time regardless of where they are in the sequence - just about as rarely as possible. But again, that doesn't necessarily make it right for your business).

      And good luck!
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Yes - and they will. But if you have any sense at all (and I'm sure you have plenty), you'll ignore them completely.

      This is why: http://www.warriorforum.com/internet...ml#post4171256



      Some "free autoresponders" dramatically reduce your chances of building a subscriber list and keeping the people. And it's a nightmare to transfer the list anywhere else/better/different and you'll lose most of the subscribers in the process. Don't go there! Don't make this mistake, Mark - it's all so unnecessary. You can get a free trial (or a $1 trial, or whatever it is at the moment) for a month with GetReponse or Aweber, and just pay the $15/$20 from the following month. That gives you two months to earn $15/$20. If you can't make that in two months, you don't have a business at all. For more detailed commentary and discussion, and explanations of the terrible problems Warriors have recently had with "free autoresponders", there's plenty in the following threads.
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      A lot depends on how you define "building a list."

      If you define it as 'somehow getting a bunch of email addresses in a database', it isn't all that difficult. Most of the 'list building is easy and automatic' offerings are using this definition. Once amassed, they tend to follow the churn and burn model of hammering that list with any and all offers available in the hope of making a few bucks before the list burns out or gets the owner banned, shut down or blacklisted.

      If you define list building as collecting permission to communicate with people sharing a common interest for mutual benefit, the mechanics are similar. You do need to exercise a bit more diligence in sorting people onto or off of the list. You can mainly do that with your opt-in process - your opt-in copy, offer, bribe, etc. You want people who should be on your list, or think they should, to willingly hand you permission with their eyes wide open. Everyone else that sees your offer should recognize that it isn't for them and leave with positive feelings (no harm, no foul).

      This kind of list building puts long term mutual benefit before short term (and often short lived) profits.
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      You're right on track when you say collecting email addresses and that first tentative permission is a relatively small part of the process.

      There's also more to it than simply setting up an AR sequence with some offers. No matter how long you've been at it, there's always some trial and error to find the mix of content and offers that brings the most long term profit. Giving your subscribers a chance to offer their input on what you send them can shorten the process immensely.

      Your initial sequence should be long enough to present the case for your first offer. How long is that? I have no idea, as I have no clue about the product (generic) you want to promote, or the marketplace you want to promote it to.

      If your target audience is other newbies, for example, you might have to go into quite a bit more depth educating them than you would if you were aiming at intermediate or advanced users.

      What do you do when you reach the end of the sequence? Again, it depends on the products available and the market niche. In some markets, you simply keep adding more info/education in the form of case studies, new developments, etc., while continuing to promote the original product. In other circumstances, you might end up with something that looks like a line of connected sequences.

      Obviously, you would be able to skip the "welcome to my list" type message(s), but you would go through the process of building a case for whatever your next offer is.

      And you'll be adding new people to the beginning of your sequence all the time. If you pick a good mix of evergreen products, you could have this series of running launch type message sequence going continuously.
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      I do this also - I think it's a really good policy. It comes across well with subscribers, I think, that you're willing to recommend things without being incentivized to do so. It "speaks highly of your credibility" and enhances their perception of you as an "objective provider of information". (I do state openly that I'm not an affiliate, in these cases).
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      Add me to the list...

      And when I do recommend things just because I think they are good, I put just as much thought into writing the recommendation as I do when promoting something.

      I've seen some where they might just as well type "I'm supposed to pitch something I don't get paid for, so here it is...", not realizing just how transparent it is when the affiliate pitches are serious and the others seemingly throwaways.
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Yes, I just put the odd one in when I feel like it ... the extent to which I do this actually varies quite a bit from niche to niche. (In some of my niches there are good things which you can't even be an affiliate for.) I'm "just saying" - I think it's not a bad thing to do, at all - you can try to "turn it to your advantage".



      Not much more elaborate! I usually just say something like "and by the way, I'm not even an affiliate for this one". (I've made sure, right from the start, from my website and the "free report" and my early emails, that my subscribers are pretty familiar with what affiliate marketing is and how it works, and specifically that they know that they're never paying more by buying through one of my links. As I've bored people throughout the forum by saying for years, I think people who try to conceal their affiliate incentivization rather than discussing it openly are really barking up the wrong tree, or out of their tree, or some other suitably arboreal metaphor).



      Ooh, I always think that's quite a good place to be facetious (not many places aren't, really)?! :p



      Oh, yes, I see what you mean about that. Yes, maybe "scheme" isn't an ideal word.
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      I 'built' my solution from bits and pieces found online.

      > You need the script that checks for the cookie and either displays your offer or runs your popup, etc. if the value says "subscriber=no". Lots of those around.

      > You need the script that sets the initial cookie value. Again, lots of those around and often built into the first bit.

      > You need the script to install on your 'thank you' page (successful opt-in) that changes the value of the cookie to "subscriber=yes".

      If any of you developer types wants to build something, it sounds like you'd have a market. I'll be glad to let you know where to send my share for giving you the idea...
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      Any statistic someone might float your way would likely be useless to you. Not because the person offering it is lying (although some will in order to sell you something), but because a lot of different variables go into compiling that statistic.

      Direct marketers were offering premiums (aka 'freebies') in return for contact information long before anyone even dreamed of an Internet, much less "Internet Marketing."

      Make a ham-fisted offer of a piece of junk freebie to the wrong audience, and your statistic will approach zero. Make the right offer to the right audience, and your success rate could go over 50%. Of that number, the group that will buy will depend on the quality of your freebie along with the quality and apparent value of your sales offer. Get those wrong, and again your success rate will approach zero. Get them right, and who knows?
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      Another factor may be the objective of the site in question. If the objective is branding and information, with the hope of gaining sales from offline retailers, search traffic may be considered good quality.

      If the objective is to get the right people (the best prospects) onto an email list for the purpose of gaining a sales commission, search traffic is often not targeted enough. It's lower quality than someone who clicks through from, say, an article or guest post or video, and opts-in to a list to continue the conversation.

      As you say, different strokes for different folks...
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  • Profile picture of the author adpippin
    There are some really thoughtful and informative responses on this post! I had to learn the hard way that maintaining your list is one of the largest learning curves. Everyone says, "the fortune is in the follow-up." In other words, most people don't buy on their first introduction to your offer. They require multiple exposures before they buy, and they want to buy from someone they know and trust. Bridging that gap...learning how to build that trust and knowledge has been quite difficult for me.

    I started off with solo ads, which gave me a good-sized list from the outset. But because I was so new to the IM arena, I just used other people's follow-up emails and their schedule for sending them. That was a huge mistake! I lost a lot of people due to being too salesy, plus not speaking in my own voice. (After going through and actually reading some of those emails, I cringed that my name was attached to them! They were SO not me!)

    If I could do it over again, I would have started them off with more value-oriented emails and opportunities to get to know me and my story first. Plus, I wouldn't have barraged them with daily emails. I simply look at how I react when I'm receiving daily emails from a certain marketer. It irritates me, because my inbox gets clogged up so quickly.

    For any people who are brand new to IM or are thinking of embarking on IM, start first in listing things YOU like to see in the emails you receive. What emails entice you to open them? Which ones actually compel you to click through? What turns you off? What irritates you? Doing this exercise will help you immensely!

    Do some research and put together some informative emails for your niche. Include those emails in your follow-up series. Tell your story. What brought you to IM? What are your dreams and goals? What's your WHY? Include those in your follow-up series, as well.

    Only pepper in some quality sales emails periodically in your follow-up series. Don't inundate them! And focus those later in your series, after they've had the opportunity to come to know and trust you more. I hope this helps someone!
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    To Your Success,

    Amber D. Pippin

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