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Building a Relationship With Your List

by KevinChapman
19 replies
If you've seen my posts around the warrior forum you might know that I'm a big advocator for list building, I really believe that by building a list and marketing to that list you can become a success in Internet Marketing.

When I first started out in this business I got straight in to list building but I didn't treat my list right, I would send them to affiliate offers using the emails provided for me by the product creator or I would send them to a blog post that I got from Ezine Articles. It was only a few months ago that I had a attitude and email list overhaul.

I realized that if I wanted to make big bucks from my subscribers I had to treat them right by building a relationship with my list, so I started to write my own emails, this is such an important thing to do - your subscribers really will thank you for it! By writing my own emails my subscribers could better understand me, my business and the products I was promoting and it keeps those unsubscribing stats low!

Another thing I changed was the way I promoted my products, I ditched affiliate marketing, started to create my own products and instead of making money being my goal providing value to my list became my goal. So each time I emailed my list I made sure that I provided value, like with my newsletter Fire Up To Success, I provide value every week, then if I have a product that relates to the value and will genuinely help my subscribers I'll add the link.

Lastly I added a support line, so now if one of my subscribers wants to get in touch with me all they have to do is send me an email and I'll reply to them personally. This has helped my subscribers to feel like they have someone there for them when they need any advice or support and this has helped to build my relationship with them.

Now because of these changes I've made to my attitude and email marketing methods, I've built a list that know me and I know them and because of this I'm better off, in more ways then one and more importantly so are my list!

Hopefully my experiences will help you to realize that building a relationship with your list is the key to successful internet marketing.
#building #building a list #building a relationship #email marketing #emails #list #list building #relationship
  • Profile picture of the author KenJ
    Hi Kevin,
    I agree. People desperately want know what to do to make money. But they want someone who will come alongside them and help them. Not bark at them. I also add personal stories about life from my perspective in my emails. So I tell people what I did on holiday and post photos of places I have been.

    People like people.

    KenJ
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  • Profile picture of the author KevinChapman
    Hi Ken,

    I do the same, I share with my list little bits about my life and what I've been up to, I'll often get emails off people who have the same hobbies as me or travel to the same places.

    It's an awesome way to build a connection with people.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cowabunga
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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  • Profile picture of the author 4DayWeekend
    I like the way you have developed your e-mail marketing strategy. In fact, it sounds very similar to the way I do things. These days I rarely promote affiliate offers with the exception of products I genuinely believe in. Because the promotions aren't regular, my readers know they're genuine.

    In 2013 people don't buy into products, they buy into you. So that personal touch with your readers is hugely important. I certainly notice the difference when I launch one of my own products and mail them. Lets just say, they're loyal

    Cheers,
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  • Profile picture of the author norahthenewbie
    Very nice post, kevin! I'll be sure to follow your strategy!
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    • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
      It's important to build the right kind of relationship with
      your list of subscribers.

      Sure, getting applause from your subscribers is great,
      but to make it a real business, money needs to change
      hands too.

      A mistake that many list builders make is giving away too
      much free content and not making enough paid offers.

      Instead, I prefer to build a mutually beneficial relationship
      where I give my subscribers some good content and they
      give me their attention and buy my paid offers when they
      are ready to do so.

      Oh, and I don't shoot for low unsubscribes either. I want to
      push the envelope and get a strong reaction from my list of
      subscribers where they more firmly decide to stay engaged
      or unsubscribe.

      Dedicated to mutual success,

      Shaun
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      • Profile picture of the author KevinChapman
        Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

        It's important to build the right kind of relationship with
        your list of subscribers.

        Sure, getting applause from your subscribers is great,
        but to make it a real business, money needs to change
        hands too.

        A mistake that many new list builders make is giving away
        too much free content and not making enough paid offers.

        Instead, I prefer to build a mutually beneficial relationship
        where I give my subscribers some good content and they
        give me their attention and buy my paid offers when they
        are ready to do so.

        Oh, and I don't shoot for low unsubscribes either. I want to
        push the envelope and get a strong reaction from my list of
        subscribers where they more firmly decide to stay engaged
        or unsubscribe.

        Dedicated to mutual success,

        Shaun
        Hi Shaun,

        Of course making money is still important and once you build the relationship with your list and provide them with value the sales will start rolling in.

        But for me, having making money as my goal doesn't work, it might do for you and that's okay because we are all different and something that works for me isn't necessarily going to work for everyone else.

        If I'm always thinking about getting money now rather than providing value for my list and letting the money roll in at a later date once they start to trust me, I tend to get more loyal buyers rather than just a one off purchase.

        I will always shoot for low subscribes because I want people to enjoy my list and what I offer them. I know that if someone unsubscribes it might just be because my list isn't what they thought it would be but ultimately I want to keep as many loyal active subscribers as possible
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        • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
          Originally Posted by KevinChapman View Post

          But for me, having making money as my goal doesn't work, it might do for you and that's okay because we are all different and something that works for me isn't necessarily going to work for everyone else.
          Making money from my list is one of my objectives - but
          not my primary objective.

          My primary focus is on making a real difference in the
          lives of my subscribers.

          I get paid in direct proportion to the real value I create
          in their lives.

          So, Win-Win.
          Originally Posted by KevinChapman View Post

          If I'm always thinking about getting money now rather than providing value for my list and letting the money roll in at a later date once they start to trust me, I tend to get more loyal buyers rather than just a one off purchase.
          Making money and providing value are NOT mutually exclusive.

          You can choose to do BOTH at the same time.

          You can actually deliver a lot of value to your subscribers
          by providing them with highly relevant paid offers that help
          them solve their most pressing problems.

          Many subscribers, especially in desperate and/or rabid markets,
          want to solve their urgent problems NOW and don't necessarily
          want to wait a few weeks until you present them with an offer
          that removes their pain.

          Also, unfortunately, the attention of subscribers falls off
          alarmingly rapidly with time after they join a list- especially
          if you do things that most other list owners do.

          In over 9 years of list building, I've made a ton of common
          (and uncommon) mistakes - especially on the list relationship
          building side of things.

          Years ago, I would have agreed with most of your post and
          views. But now, after many bruises and blind alleys, I would
          question some of your assumptions.

          Don't get me wrong... I believe in building strong relationships
          with subscribers too. I guess we just differ on when is the
          right timing to present paid offers.

          If I have a paid offer that solves my subscribers pain, I have
          a duty to let them know about it as early as possible. It's
          then up to them - if and when - they want to buy.

          In my book, providing quality offers does not equate with not
          providing value to subscribers either. In fact, many times a
          paid offer will deliver more value to the subscriber that even
          my best great free content.

          Dedicated to mutual success,

          Shaun
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          • Profile picture of the author KevinChapman
            Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

            Making money from my list is one of my objectives - but
            not my primary objective.

            My primary focus is on making a real difference in the
            lives of my subscribers.

            I get paid in direct proportion to the real value I create
            in their lives.

            So, Win-Win.
            We seem to have the same primary focus Shaun!

            I don't think that providing value and making money at the same time are mutually exclusive. In most of my free value filled newsletters I'll promote one of my products but only if it will benefit my subscriber.

            Within my newsletters I provide a step by step approach to internet marketing and along the way I'll offer them products that will help them but most people for me don't buy straight away, it's takes them a few newsletters to really get to know me and understand that I am a real person who actually wants to help them, then they start purchasing from me.
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      • Profile picture of the author gcbmark20
        Have to agree with this statement by Shaun.

        Yeah it's great to get the response you've been looking for...

        ...but you have to remember that you are in this to make sales
        also, build your business and build a buyers list as you progress.

        I've found down the years that once you present a pattern with
        your emails both in adding your own stories etc and how often you
        send out your emails...

        ...Your subscribers will naturally look out for them and expect you
        to send them on certain days.

        This is the point you want to get to but if you are too afraid to
        ask for the sale then you are just making friends not building a
        business.

        All the best guys
        Gavin

        Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

        It's important to build the right kind of relationship with
        your list of subscribers.

        Sure, getting applause from your subscribers is great,
        but to make it a real business, money needs to change
        hands too.

        A mistake that many list builders make is giving away too
        much free content and not making enough paid offers.

        Instead, I prefer to build a mutually beneficial relationship
        where I give my subscribers some good content and they
        give me their attention and buy my paid offers when they
        are ready to do so.

        Oh, and I don't shoot for low unsubscribes either. I want to
        push the envelope and get a strong reaction from my list of
        subscribers where they more firmly decide to stay engaged
        or unsubscribe.

        Dedicated to mutual success,

        Shaun
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  • Profile picture of the author KevinChapman
    Thanks for all the replies guys, I really appreciate all the feedback
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  • Profile picture of the author garmahis
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
    I also found this post useful
    How to build trust with your email list subscribers
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    • Profile picture of the author PazG
      Yes, you'll often hear that if 'you give lots of value then the money will follow' which I do not necessarily agree with. The value that you give should always have an end game whether it is to promote affiliate products or your own. So yes you need to provide value to your subscribers, but you also have dictate the type of relationship that you have with them. The basis of my email content is 'I want to help my subscribers to help themselves'.

      And please bare in mind that giving 'value' doesn't mean that you have to give stuff away for free.
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      • Profile picture of the author KevinChapman
        Originally Posted by PazG View Post

        Yes, you'll often hear that if 'you give lots of value then the money will follow' which I do not necessarily agree with. The value that you give should always have an end game whether it is to promote affiliate products or your own. So yes you need to provide value to your subscribers, but you also have dictate the type of relationship that you have with them. The basis of my email content is 'I want to help my subscribers to help themselves'.

        And please bare in mind that giving 'value' doesn't mean that you have to give stuff away for free.
        Oh I agree that you always need to have an endgame, theres no point pretending that you aren't going to try and sell your list something when you are.

        'I want to help my subscribers to help themselves' is a attitude to have and definitely something I apply to my own list, you can only help someone so much, if they don't take action what more can you do?

        I give away free information but I'd never give away everything I know for free.
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        • Profile picture of the author featherstory
          I totally agree.

          I have unsubscribed from many lists that offered me nothing useful or were only selling in an anonymous tone.

          On the other hand, the people I've bought from have great relationships with the readers. I've known I wanted to buy from them long before I saw an opportunity to do so, not only because they offered great, free information, but also because they were interesting, fun, honest and you could truly tell they cared about helping their clients.
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  • Profile picture of the author usfemail
    I tend to get confused sometimes about providing value. I want to give away free stuff, but I know that if I give away too much free stuff, it will be difficult to get anyone to purchase anything.
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    • Profile picture of the author PazG
      To provide great value I do not think that it is totally neccesary to give away freebies. I look at email marketing in terms of writing my own magazine. I try to entertain and inform, think about how magazines achieve this. A magazine will not teach you anything at a deep level but it will be entertaining and informative using facts and even stories and anecdotes.

      Instead of thinking about what you can give away for free in order to provide value, try this instead:

      In each email you write try and provide a new concept, idea or principle to your subscribers. Giving them an 'aha moment' in each email is a great way to provide value without giving away anything for free. Remember, a principle that might be common knowledge to you might be totally game changing for your subscribers!

      Originally Posted by usfemail View Post

      I tend to get confused sometimes about providing value. I want to give away free stuff, but I know that if I give away too much free stuff, it will be difficult to get anyone to purchase anything.
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  • Profile picture of the author troy23
    Usfemail

    Yes I agree. I once had a niche that got hundreds of opt ins a day.
    I gave away a free pdf and a video for 52 weeks of the year - good value one would think.
    Many thanked me for what I had been sending.
    However, few would buy. I had a few regulars that would buy anything I put out, but out of those thousands of opt ins only a few opened their mails a few weeks or months down the line.
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  • Profile picture of the author KevinChapman
    Just been away for the weekend and it's great to see this thread still alive and kicking!
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