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Choosing a topic to build your list.... Help!

by halfsaint
13 replies
I really want to start building my list so I've been trying to think of a topic and what I'm going to offer my subscribers in return for opting in. I have experience in eBay and my first idea was to offer subscribers information on choosing the product to sell and how to find it at the cheapest price from a source which loads of people know nothing about (exactly what I did ) But I need a bit of advice because I know the making money Online niche is very over saturated and I dont want to make life hard for myself! Im thinking that starting a list that is in a over saturated market is still workable as I'm thinking of using paid traffic anyway? I guess this idea came into my head first because I just don't want to start a list on a topic I don't really know alot about? If I did start a list with eBay sourcing tips im sure I could write much better promotional emails compared to if I was writing about a topic I knew nothing about?

If you were me would you stick to a topic you knew about but with lots of competition or start a list on a topic which has no competition at the risk at writing crap content?

Thanks so much for your help! I really appreciate it
#build #choosing #email marketing #list #topic
  • Profile picture of the author ContentWritingPhD
    Banned
    It can be very confusing when choosing a topic because there are so many things to consider from although I think it will be more efficient if you choose a topic that you are really interested and knowledgeable about. When you have decided on a topic, study and research on how you can market it.
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  • Profile picture of the author carlamae
    You need to stick to a topic that relates to your niche....what is your niche?
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    • Profile picture of the author halfsaint
      Originally Posted by carlamae View Post

      You need to stick to a topic that relates to your niche....what is your niche?
      Well I started a site in the health/pregnancy niche but I knew nothing about that so my content wasnt great, I really want my list to be about selling on ebay and finding awesome wholesale sources
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  • Profile picture of the author John J M
    Going the ebay training route would basically get people in the door. I guess you would then want to just send offers to the list as follow-up?

    You have to remember that whatever you choose, you need to continue to offer value to the list in some way.

    What I do and teach is that you should be helping other people succeed through email marketing. If you do that, you can bring them through a whole system that will in turn make you money but also get them results. If everybody can win, everybody is happy.
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    • Profile picture of the author halfsaint
      Originally Posted by tarahouse View Post

      I would start with your ebay knowledge as you seem enthusiastic about it and this will come through your writing and keep your list enthused.
      You can always deviate later with amazon and the such, but at least it will get you into the habit of writing good content which in turn will keep your list active.
      Yeah I love talking to people about ebay and how to make great money on it so I think im going to stick with that

      Originally Posted by hustlinsmoke View Post

      Ebay is a great place to start. John Thornhill who is a great guy is one of the first to power ebay to the Im leverage that is needed.

      With that said, Ebay is a very tough market now and I don't even think Thornhill is doing much with it.

      Picking a niche is not like picking a color for a wall to paint.
      You have to do research ect to get the right niche. Yeah if your passionate about something and could care less about money then do what you love, but if your going to do it for money you need to keyword research and such to find the right niche that fits, and I would search for a large microniche, say 5,000 searches a month.
      Thanks for the suggestion i'll check him out! yeah ive done some research and the keyword I want to target has competition but not alot

      Originally Posted by John J Rivers View Post

      Going the ebay training route would basically get people in the door. I guess you would then want to just send offers to the list as follow-up?

      You have to remember that whatever you choose, you need to continue to offer value to the list in some way.

      What I do and teach is that you should be helping other people succeed through email marketing. If you do that, you can bring them through a whole system that will in turn make you money but also get them results. If everybody can win, everybody is happy.
      Yeah im going to write some really good content, do you set each subscriber a set amount of emails? or do you keep on writing them?

      Originally Posted by PaulThomas View Post

      If you are going to build a list then, if you want it to be successful, then you will be providing value to the list over the long term.

      You will be able to add far more value if you
      1. know about your topic
      and
      2. are passionate about your topic

      Just make sure there is enough traffic on the main keyword, and that has decent cost per click. If it does not then look what are other keywords in the google keyword results that are of interest, and have good volume and cpc.

      By making sure there is good cpc, then there are likely plenty of valuable products that may be of benefit to your list.

      Think of what you like doing on your weekends and spare time. What do you search for and read on the net.

      Check out the keyword numbers of a range of topics which you enjoy and can have a long term interest in.

      Life is too short to do something you do not like. Only do things you love!!
      Thanks for the advice, there is know competition on the keyword im thinking of targeting and it has 12k searches a month so im going to aim to target that
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  • Profile picture of the author tarahouse
    I would start with your ebay knowledge as you seem enthusiastic about it and this will come through your writing and keep your list enthused.
    You can always deviate later with amazon and the such, but at least it will get you into the habit of writing good content which in turn will keep your list active.
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  • Profile picture of the author hustlinsmoke
    Ebay is a great place to start. John Thornhill who is a great guy is one of the first to power ebay to the Im leverage that is needed.

    With that said, Ebay is a very tough market now and I don't even think Thornhill is doing much with it.

    Picking a niche is not like picking a color for a wall to paint.
    You have to do research ect to get the right niche. Yeah if your passionate about something and could care less about money then do what you love, but if your going to do it for money you need to keyword research and such to find the right niche that fits, and I would search for a large microniche, say 5,000 searches a month.
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  • Profile picture of the author PaulThomas
    If you are going to build a list then, if you want it to be successful, then you will be providing value to the list over the long term.

    You will be able to add far more value if you
    1. know about your topic
    and
    2. are passionate about your topic

    Just make sure there is enough traffic on the main keyword, and that has decent cost per click. If it does not then look what are other keywords in the google keyword results that are of interest, and have good volume and cpc.

    By making sure there is good cpc, then there are likely plenty of valuable products that may be of benefit to your list.

    Think of what you like doing on your weekends and spare time. What do you search for and read on the net.

    Check out the keyword numbers of a range of topics which you enjoy and can have a long term interest in.

    Life is too short to do something you do not like. Only do things you love!!
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  • Profile picture of the author troy23
    eBay is a good way to go and is giving people a different angle from the usual YouTube, solo ads list topics.
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  • Profile picture of the author zourkas
    Hello halfsaint,

    If we take into account that an average person reads 1 book a year, you can read 10 top books about your new topic and you'll still know more than most people who are seeking for the content and solution you'll give. However what ever you are going to do you don't have to stop learning !

    Good luck,
    Zourkas
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    • Profile picture of the author halfsaint
      Originally Posted by zourkas View Post

      Hello halfsaint,

      If we take into account that an average person reads 1 book a year, you can read 10 top books about your new topic and you'll still know more than most people who are seeking for the content and solution you'll give. However what ever you are going to do you don't have to stop learning !

      Good luck,
      Zourkas
      Thats a good way to look at it thanks for the advice!
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  • Profile picture of the author halfsaint
    Thanks for all your replies! Im looking at good products I can promote to my subscribers but there really is a lack of them out there on the topic of ebay! I cant use JVzoo's affiliate network as they only payout via paypal and Paypal closed my account (I literally cannot stand that company) so Clickbank and CJ are my only real options but I cant seem to find anything that is even half decent on Clickbank? Any ideas of other ways to find products to promote to my subscribers?

    Thanks alot
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    • Profile picture of the author PaulThomas
      Originally Posted by halfsaint View Post

      Thanks for all your replies! Im looking at good products I can promote to my subscribers but there really is a lack of them out there on the topic of ebay! I cant use JVzoo's affiliate network as they only payout via paypal and Paypal closed my account (I literally cannot stand that company) so Clickbank and CJ are my only real options but I cant seem to find anything that is even half decent on Clickbank? Any ideas of other ways to find products to promote to my subscribers?

      Thanks alot
      You have a few choices

      1. find products you like in the space, and see if they have their own affiliate program. Often they will have their own program seperate to the big affiliate networks.

      2. Make your own product.

      3. Find a broader topic area that includes other topics that already have plenty of good products to promote. The google keyword tools is good for finding out what broader niches your niche fits into.
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