This List Building Tactic Works Great!

Interesting idea, thanks for sharing.

Do you notify them ahead of time that they are on a email list - my one concern is they might tag any future emails as spam. I am assuming they get a confirmation email?

Interesting idea. I'm curious about the percentage of buyers/subscribers you're getting using this method. Higher, lower, or about the same as other lists?

Did any of them buy anything, Derek?

I wish you well with it, but it doesn't, somehow, sound quite like "permission-based email marketing", does it? I see that it can build a list of people who want to get the results, and that the subscriber numbers may be satisfying. It's less clear that the income will be, perhaps? It's not so easy to imagine that it's a list of qualified customers interested in buying anything from you? Might it perhaps be a quantitative rather than a qualitative approach to list-building? :confused:

There was a plugin advertised as a WSO on here a while back that did similar, instead of the typical squeeze page they took a survey then entered their email to get the results. I was looking for it a while back but couldn't find it, anyone know the name?

I hadn't thought to do it with survey monkey THEN redirect to a squeeze page because it seemed like it would kind of defeat the purpose but I can see how it might work.

Derek,

I have a few questions about your process:

1. Do you tell them before they begin filling out the survey that in order to receive the results they have to opt-in and that they'll get relevant emails also?
2. Do you tell them on the squeeze page that the results will come only a day after they subscribe (is it because you have to manually manage the results, or is it just your choice?)

Let me tell you why I ask:

First, if I have to complete a survey or any type of test only to find out at the end that actually I need to subscribe to a list, I consider it a sneaky trick, as a visitor. I mean, nobody expects that. I've invested time and probably some emotions, so I'm committed, and all of a sudden I have to give something back in order to get my hands on the results. If you stated it beforehand, than that's perfectly acceptable.

In addition, finding out upon finally deciding to subscribe that I'll also receive additional emails bothers me even more. Even if you send me top notch emails, the question still remains: Why didn't you tell me before signing-up? Saying that I have the option of unsubscribing isn't an argument, because that way anyone with an email database can send offers and justify that if one doesn't want to receive further emails, one can just unsubscribe.

Second, if I do subscribe, I, like most people, expect the results right away. I know a guy who has an self-help blog and brags about how good his freebie is. People get all pumped up and subscribe, only to find out that he's only emailing the download link a day after. I don't think anyone in that position will be jumping out of their seats out of joy.

I'm just asking, and I'm not accusing you of anything (with a 6% conversion rate, you clearly aren't spamming anyone), and everything is just my opinion.

You'd be an honest marketer who they could trust which in many peoples eyes would be a good thing. Marketing isn't about tricking people into things to get results.

Thanks for sharing the insight into your listbuilding tactic, I think it's a great method, and another outside the box train of thought.

It is just a shame, when someone, like yourself posts valuable information, on a method that is working for them, that someone else decides that this practise needs some form of policing.

Let the governors govern, and the marketers market.

Pete

Thanks Ken!

Interesting, a little more user interaction is always nice. What software or program do u use to make the survey's

I've recently begun studying and wanted to build list for different niches. Incorporating survey in the process is a good twist. Plus, I think you'll get a more responsive list, which just shows on your 6% conversion rate.

Thanks for sharing!

Just to prove my case further, I posted another link on LinkedIn within the Groups regarding my Salary Survey on Easter Sunday. Since then, I gained another 50 targeted subscribers and made another 2 sales.. That time it was only 4% conversion.

But they're now in the funnel, they'll get the survey results the next day followed by a few good quality content emails and then... a few promotional emails.