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Is List Building Dead? I Think Not...

by TelZilla
47 replies
I know a lot of you don't follow every section of this forum, but there is a very short thread by copyassassin in The Copywriting Forum that is pure gold if you're into list building.

http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...f-its-not.html

Read the LA Times link in the first post, then look to the links in the second post.

If you understand what the owners of these sites are doing, then you'll understand the magic you can create when you build a list, and just how profitable a list can get.

Now go out there and build your list.
#building #dead #list
  • Profile picture of the author Kerkhofssupport
    Everything is DEAD if you don't take action and stay focussed. Some techniques have lost their power a bit. but nothing is DEAD.

    Listbuilding ROCKS. In fact it's one of the most reliable business models online!
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  • Profile picture of the author HarrisonJ
    List Building has worked for thousands of years. You build a list of contact info for people interested in a type of product/niche, then market them similar products and services each day/week/month. Email works well because its one of the foundations of the internet and everyone has it and checks it mostly every day. Some day we might be building another type of contact info list, just depends on what is most profitable.
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    • Profile picture of the author KuhNoodle
      Originally Posted by HarrisonJ View Post

      List Building has worked for thousands of years. You build a list of contact info for people interested in a type of product/niche, then market them similar products and services each day/week/month. Email works well because its one of the foundations of the internet and everyone has it and checks it mostly every day. Some day we might be building another type of contact info list, just depends on what is most profitable.
      Wait hold on.... did I miss something or did you just say list building has worked for thousands of years? Really.... come on. I doubt ancient civilizations had the mental capacity to build lists. At least not in the sense of how we do it today.

      List building isn't dead. It's not going to die and it wont. Anyone that says it's dead either does not have a list, has an untargeted list, or can't build one because they don't know how, or haven't taken action.
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      • Profile picture of the author joaquin112
        Originally Posted by KuhNoodle View Post

        Wait hold on.... did I miss something or did you just say list building has worked for thousands of years? Really.... come on. I doubt ancient civilizations had the mental capacity to build lists. At least not in the sense of how we do it today.

        List building isn't dead. It's not going to die and it wont. Anyone that says it's dead either does not have a list, has an untargeted list, or can't build one because they don't know how, or haven't taken action.

        "Mental capacity to build lists?" Humans have evolved very little for the past 200,000 years. That means you're essentially the same as those humans from the ancient civilizations that you speak of.

        List building has probably existed for thousands of years. E-mail list building is just how we have adapted to technology in order to market more effectively.

        List building will not die, but we have to adapt to all the changes just as with everything else in IM.
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
          Originally Posted by KuhNoodle View Post

          Wait hold on.... did I miss something or did you just say list building has worked for thousands of years? Really.... come on. I doubt ancient civilizations had the mental capacity to build lists. At least not in the sense of how we do it today.
          Wait a second. Let me get this right...

          You're saying that the civilizations that engineered the pyramids and built them with hand labor, created the number system we use today, devised democratic government, wrote literature that's still being studied over 20 centuries later, and more didn't have the mental capacity to build marketing lists?

          Do you really think the ancient caravans simply wandered randomly across the desert until they stumbled over someone to trade with? Bringing it forward about a millenium and a half, do you think traders didn't have predetermined places they stopped and people they contacted?

          Let's be real, here.

          They may not have had some of the tech toys we use in listbuilding today, but to say they didn't have the mental capacity is silly.

          And even if you look at today's technology, how many of us actually had the brain cells to pull the idea out of the ether and make it so?
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          • Profile picture of the author Ian Jackson
            Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

            Wait a second. Let me get this right...

            You're saying that the civilizations that engineered the pyramids and built them with hand labor, created the number system we use today, devised democratic government, wrote literature that's still being studied over 20 centuries later, and more didn't have the mental capacity to build marketing lists?

            Do you really think the ancient caravans simply wandered randomly across the desert until they stumbled over someone to trade with? Bringing it forward about a millenium and a half, do you think traders didn't have predetermined places they stopped and people they contacted?

            Let's be real, here.

            They may not have had some of the tech toys we use in listbuilding today, but to say they didn't have the mental capacity is silly.

            And even if you look at today's technology, how many of us actually had the brain cells to pull the idea out of the ether and make it so?
            Absolutely, spot on.

            And further to my earlier post, list building is a (recent) label given to a marketing process, and that process is all about developing relationships; relationships to be nurtured and cherished for whatever the subscriber and "list builder" have in common.

            So when did people start building relationships...? :rolleyes:
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            • Profile picture of the author christiangrey
              Banned
              List building in my opinion still works fine but you have to be very resourceful to make it work right.
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            • Profile picture of the author TelZilla
              Originally Posted by Ian Jackson View Post

              Absolutely, spot on.

              And further to my earlier post, list building is a (recent) label given to a marketing process, and that process is all about developing relationships; relationships to be nurtured and cherished for whatever the subscriber and "list builder" have in common.

              So when did people start building relationships...? :rolleyes:
              LOL, I love the way this thread has turned.

              I have to agree with you, but I also am inclined to take it a step further and say...

              Marketing IS the process of building relationships.
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  • Profile picture of the author mohsinmallik
    List Building has worked for thousands of years.
    Don't you think it's a bit too much .
    Everything is DEAD if you don't take action and stay focussed.
    This is the truth. Taking is the most important part to be come successful. You may have $1000 per minute blueprint in your hand but if you do not take action, it will not make 1 cent per year for you.
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    • Profile picture of the author butters
      Originally Posted by mohsinmallik View Post

      Don't you think it's a bit too much .
      Think about it, he is actually probably right...
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    • Profile picture of the author datingworld
      Originally Posted by HarrisonJ View Post

      List Building has worked for thousands of years. You build a list of contact info for people interested in a type of product/niche, then market them similar products and services each day/week/month. Email works well because its one of the foundations of the internet and everyone has it and checks it mostly every day. Some day we might be building another type of contact info list, just depends on what is most profitable.
      Originally Posted by mohsinmallik View Post

      Don't you think it's a bit too much .
      Mohsin, read what Harrison is saying, he is 100% correct.
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  • Profile picture of the author jenmidas
    No it's not. Perhaps there's an evolution here and there compare to email marketing back in 1990s

    All the major bankings, airlines, shopping mall still collecting emails to perform customers/clients retention.
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  • Profile picture of the author ContentIn48Hours
    List building is definitely an evergreen form of marketing. Like all marketing it needs to continually be tracked and tweaked.

    The one thing I have learned through the years is that nothing stays the same.
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    • Profile picture of the author Big Rob
      Thanks for that,Darryl.

      Amazing how Celeb endorsement gets extra traction.

      Two things resonated in the second article:

      "We didn't have to spend any money on marketing because our readers were our marketers."

      "A lot of time and effort is put into researching the places that the letters are telling people to go to."
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      • Profile picture of the author TelZilla
        Originally Posted by Big Rob View Post

        Thanks for that,Darryl.
        You're welcome. I thought it might be a wake up call for those people who were sitting on the fence on building a list.

        If people realized just how valuable a list really is, they would focus all their time and attention on building one.

        Amazing how Celeb endorsement gets extra traction.
        Yep. And you'd be surprised how little you have to pay to get the endorsement of some celebs.

        Two things resonated in the second article:

        "We didn't have to spend any money on marketing because our readers were our marketers."

        "A lot of time and effort is put into researching the places that the letters are telling people to go to."
        While I'm sure that some time and effort is put into research, I'm also pretty sure that a lot of those places are paying the list owners for the privilege of being recommended.
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    • Profile picture of the author priyainterpret
      Originally Posted by IMStevenSmith View Post

      List building is definitely an evergreen form of marketing. Like all marketing it needs to continually be tracked and tweaked.

      The one thing I have learned through the years is that nothing stays the same.
      Ya, absolutely you said is correct. These are evergreen things they will never die.
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  • Profile picture of the author GuruGuna
    No it is not dead. Many use this as their main driver of revenue. One need to be serious about building a list. If no action is taken, then it won't work.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ian Jackson
      "List building" could be thought of as simpy the latest technological way to do deals, and trade. Since we first walked the Earth, we have relied upon each other to form partnerships that have led us to living the lives we live today in the 21C.

      The tools and methods have changed, but the principles remain roughly the same, do they not?
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  • Profile picture of the author paul nicholls
    list building and email marketing is the backbone of my business and yes it's insanely profitable if you do it properly

    the problem is, more people are only focused on making a quick buck and not building a real business

    ever since i got away from adsense, amazon and seo my income has shot up and is a lot more stable now too :-)

    Paul
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    • Profile picture of the author Kaden44
      You are absolutely right, to be honest I am actually starting this new venture with implementing list building to be successful online, and I must say it seems very hopeful.
      I have started a new blog and is hoping to gain a massive amount of traffic, and also gain a steady following so it lasts and becomes a business, could you give me some tips? thanks you
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  • Profile picture of the author Frederik Jorgensen
    Man.. You can't even log into WF without someone saying something is dead. That's just how this business works.

    Some guy tried to build a list and he got 0 opt-ins his first day and he call it dead already.

    Me and A LOT of others can just laugh at this, because we are doing it with success so we know it works ;-)
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    • Profile picture of the author Matt Bard
      Originally Posted by Frederik Jorgensen View Post

      Man.. You can't even log into WF without someone saying something is dead.
      Banner advertising on FFA (Free For All) link sites is dead.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
    You're all wrong. List building died in 1922.

    RoD
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  • Profile picture of the author Malcolm Thomas
    List building still works wonderfully...if... You know and understand what you are doing. Too many people believe that spamming their lists with junk offers is the key to email marketing but it's not.

    If you focus on building a solid relationship with your list and offer valuable content on a regular basis, then email marketing is where the money is at.
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  • Profile picture of the author rmolina88
    I love how everyone says that everything ever made is dead. :rolleyes:

    Trying to eliminate competition?
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    • Profile picture of the author iwowwe4you
      Nothing is dead unless you use it in a wrong way...
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  • Profile picture of the author stefanvanray
    Truly inspiring! I would agree with most of the feedback. List building is just another piece of the money making puzzle. The key, as I'm sure most of us have found, is having our hand in as many marketing baskets as possible. Nothing stays the same for sure, but that's why it's our responsibility as marketers to try to stay ahead of the curve and use those inevitable changes to our advantage.
    Here's to your success!
    -Stefan
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  • Profile picture of the author dbrwn
    Just as one individual here said, nothing is dead. It is just that technology changes and with those new changes comes newer ways of marketing online. That's just the nature of the Internet.

    Email marketing isn't dead, e-books aren't dead, Facebook isn't dead, Twitter isn't dead, Article writing isn't dead and shall I go on?

    None of that stuff mentioned above is dead. It all still works because if it didn't then explain why people are still using these methods then and seeing results?
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  • Profile picture of the author tomerep
    If you're working with unresponsive email list, then literally its "dead". What I have considered to be a "dead story" nowadays is the SEO. I think its about time to get serious in building email list..
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  • Profile picture of the author Reinhart Osmond
    Yeah list building will never die as long as there is internet and blogging.
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  • Profile picture of the author zeroaffiliate
    Yeah, i agree that list building is one of the fundamentals for building any online business.

    Even in offline business, they are also building a list everyday so i don't think we will see it go anytime soon.
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  • Profile picture of the author PerformanceMan
    An email list worth $150,000,000.00. Now that is encouraging
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  • Profile picture of the author ebusyness
    List building is still and will be a major factor in making money online. It is simply qualified leads in a niche. Babies are still born so lists will always work. Sorry but the truth is you can sell great products to great consumers and you can sell rubbish products to idiots and vie versa - people will always optin
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  • Profile picture of the author MartinPlatt
    You have to continually refine your craft to rise above the 'deadwood'.

    Continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different result is insanity.

    My list definitely works, can't speak for everyone else...
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  • Profile picture of the author jakerobinsonvt
    maybe if nobody buys it's dead or if you don't use it, it's dead for you but i think its one of the best long term ways to make money on the internet...traffic can vary but you'll always have the people on your list.
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  • Profile picture of the author sfllc
    List building is timeless just as night club promoters
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  • Profile picture of the author clever7
    I know a lot of you don't follow every section of this forum, but there is a very short thread by copyassassin in The Copywriting Forum that is pure gold if you're into list building.

    For you idiots who think email marketing is dead...[proof it's NOT!]

    Read the LA Times link in the first post, then look to the links in the second post.

    If you understand what the owners of these sites are doing, then you'll understand the magic you can create when you build a list, and just how profitable a list can get.

    Now go out there and build your list.


    Thank you for this information. It’s really interesting.
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  • Profile picture of the author simonjwarner
    Building a buyers list is 100 times more effective than a freebie seekers list tho!
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  • Profile picture of the author jeffreyaman
    As long as people keep checking their email listbuilding will be relevant.. Simple as that..
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    • Profile picture of the author Mormo
      I'm starting to wonder if facebook is better then list building.

      I been building a list for over 6 months and only have 35 opt ins.

      Getting a like is easier then a double opt int.

      My ezine is going straight to the junk folder.
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      • Profile picture of the author Horny Devil
        Banned
        Zzzzzz . . . same old, same old. You can't log on to this place any day without another crappy couple of new threads on list building.

        It's a personal viewpoint either way, and it's a personal choice either way. Surely you folk have got a whole bunch of things you could be doing that would be far more productive than this endless. monotonous waffle that always results in a knowledge gain of zilch.

        Everything you need to know about list building can be succinctly summed up thus:

        1. List building in many areas of IM (and certain offline business's) is a very valuable tool and a huge asset to your business . . . but only if your offers to that list are of a suitable quality, every time, that encourages them to remain responsive.

        2. Many business types don't need lists.

        3. That's it.

        List building may have been around for what seems like forever. I hope to god the threads about it aren't.
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        • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
          Originally Posted by Mormo View Post

          I'm starting to wonder if facebook is better then list building.

          I been building a list for over 6 months and only have 35 opt ins.

          Getting a like is easier then a double opt int.

          My ezine is going straight to the junk folder.
          Define 'better'.

          List building works you've just not mastered it yet perhaps. Though 35 quality subscribers are better than 3,500 who never read your emails...

          Originally Posted by Horny Devil View Post

          Zzzzzz . . . same old, same old. You can't log on to this place any day without another crappy couple of new threads on list building.

          It's a personal viewpoint either way, and it's a personal choice either way. Surely you folk have got a whole bunch of things you could be doing that would be far more productive than this endless. monotonous waffle that always results in a knowledge gain of zilch.

          Everything you need to know about list building can be succinctly summed up thus:

          1. List building in many areas of IM (and certain offline business's) is a very valuable tool and a huge asset to your business . . . but only if your offers to that list are of a suitable quality, every time, that encourages them to remain responsive.

          2. Many business types don't need lists.

          3. That's it.

          List building may have been around for what seems like forever. I hope to god the threads about it aren't.
          I bet almost every successful business ever had a customer list.
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          • Profile picture of the author Mormo
            Originally Posted by RockingLastsForever View Post

            Define 'better'.
            It seems like it's easier to get more leads on facebook then double opt email subscribers. Also I can get more people to see me through facebook posts then emails that go into the junk folder. Also status updates are less bothersome then emails. Also I can spend 15$ and reach like 5000 people anytime I want too. Also status updates can go viral.

            Sorry I am fairly new but right now facebook pages are making more sense then the e-zine I am publishing.

            I guess facebook fan pages are kinda like a list though, just not email.
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        • Profile picture of the author Mormo
          Originally Posted by Horny Devil View Post

          Zzzzzz . . . same old, same old. You can't log on to this place any day without another crappy couple of new threads on list building.
          I actually searched and posted on an old thread so I wouldn't start a new "Is List Building Dead" thread. Facebook just seems better then an email list to me at this point.
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          • Profile picture of the author CyberAlien
            Originally Posted by Mormo View Post

            I actually searched and posted on an old thread so I wouldn't start a new "Is List Building Dead" thread. Facebook just seems better then an email list to me at this point.

            Or you could use FaceBook Apps to bring traffic from FaceBook and collect emails at the same time
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  • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
    Usually the most valuable asset a business has is the relationships
    of trust it has with its customers or clients.

    And to cash in on that asset you need some way of communicating
    with those clients.

    A retail store has a location that their customers can come to.

    But they could also build an email list of their customers too and
    communicate with them that way.

    A real estate agent might have an office and use newspaper ads.

    But that agent could also build an email list of their clients and
    communicate with them that way.


    We could go on but if you think about it, email is fast, costs next to
    nothing to send and it can be a very effective communication medium.

    It makes sense for most businesses to use it.

    Kindest regards,
    Andrew Cavanagh
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  • Profile picture of the author kinyash
    List building is very much alive. Actually i think its one of the best sustainable online business model. But the main thing here is building quality responsive lists, thats where the money is. I really do feel pity for those who still buy lists online and try to force them to work.
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