What's your subscriber worth?

10 replies
In our industry, the standard 'rule of thumb' seems to be that the average I.M. subscriber is worth approx $1 to $2 per month in revenue. Curious to know what your average subscribers are worth to you, based on your sales, etc? Looking forward to everyone's replies! Thanks
#subscriber #worth
  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    That's not a rule of thumb. That's some figure one marketer mentioned once and people have since taken to be the word. But it's not.

    Majority of email marketers would make much less than that. The top few percent would make multiples of that.
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    • Profile picture of the author Brains Gone Wild
      Originally Posted by WillR View Post

      That's not a rule of thumb. That's some figure one marketer mentioned once and people have since taken to be the word. But it's not.

      Majority of email marketers would make much less than that. The top few percent would make multiples of that.
      Will - I've heard these numbers more than once from more than just one marketer. This is based on a 'typical' IM-related subscriber (not buyer) average. Nonetheless, are you a list builder or email marketer? If so, what's your subscriber monthly average value? That was the original question...
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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        Originally Posted by Brains Gone Wild View Post

        Will - I've heard these numbers more than once from more than just one marketer. This is based on a 'typical' IM-related subscriber (not buyer) average.
        It just isn't.

        That may be what people have told you it's based on, and it may be what other people believe it to be based on, and it may be what you believe it to based on, but none of that makes it reliable or true at all. And it isn't.

        Here's the point: there isn't a way of knowing that.

        My own guess, since there are only guesses here, really, is that what Will said above is completely right: that the great majority of internet marketers earn far less than that through their subscribers, and that the top few per-cent earn multiples (and some of them substantial multiples) of that.
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        • Profile picture of the author Brains Gone Wild
          Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

          It just isn't.

          That may be what people have told you it's based on, and it may be what other people believe it to be based on, and it may be what you believe it to based on, but none of that makes it reliable or true at all. And it isn't.

          Here's the point: there isn't a way of knowing that.

          My own guess, since there are only guesses here, really, is that what Will said above is completely right: that the great majority of internet marketers earn far less than that through their subscribers, and that the top few per-cent earn multiples (and some of them substantial multiples) of that.
          Alexa, the point of my question is to get Warriors' feedback based on THEIR lists' value - there is no wrong or right answer here. I was saying to Will that my question is based on a typical IM-related list; not that the $1 to $2 range is based on that.

          Either way, let me rephrase the question so that Warriors like Will don't get their panties in a bunch...

          "What is your subscribers average monthly value, as a result of your efforts/sales?"

          Maybe some people will jump in here to provide an answer based on their experience and their list instead of dissecting the question.
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          • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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            Originally Posted by Brains Gone Wild View Post

            there is no wrong or right answer here.
            I agree. I didn't say, or even imply, that there was a wrong or right answer to your question. I said that the "standard rule of thumb" to which you referred in your original post is a complete myth, and it is. I just wanted (perhaps inadvisedly ) to try to explain to you - because you seemed to me to believe otherwise - that the fact that you've "heard these numbers more than once from more than just one marketer" doesn't make them any more likely to be true. People repeat all sorts of nonsense which there's no way of knowing. This is how the urban myths of internet marketing grow and propagate: people believe them because so many people repeat them, exactly as you're doing. They're still fictional nonsense, though.

            Good luck with the answers you seek. They're not figures I give, myself, as a little regrettable experience of doing so has taught me that they can surprisingly easily occasion resentment, demands of proof, and even overt hostility.
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      • Profile picture of the author WillR
        Originally Posted by Brains Gone Wild View Post

        Will - I've heard these numbers more than once from more than just one marketer. This is based on a 'typical' IM-related subscriber (not buyer) average. Nonetheless, are you a list builder or email marketer? If so, what's your subscriber monthly average value? That was the original question...
        You've heard those numbers from more than one marketer and I will absolutely guarantee you every 'marketer' you heard those numbers from were just repeating a number they had heard previously. There are a lot of parrots in this industry.

        Yes, I am an email marketer. Mine is multiple of that figure. I don't talk exact numbers but I made your quota from just one email to my list the other day.

        It's all about list quality and relationship with that list.

        I hate people who state numbers like that just because it makes beginners think that is what they should be expecting. You shouldn't be happy with $1-$2 per month per subscriber. You should always be shooting for more and so figures like the ones passed around mean nothing really.
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  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    Where did you pull this 'rule of thumb' from? Different lists have different values. A list compiled from flogged solo ads from tired lists is worth less than a list compiled from actual buyers.
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    • Profile picture of the author Brains Gone Wild
      Originally Posted by writeaway View Post

      Where did you pull this 'rule of thumb' from? Different lists have different values. A list compiled from flogged solo ads from tired lists is worth less than a list compiled from actual buyers.
      writeaway - Maybe I should have been more clear - I'm looking for list building/email marketing Warrior feedback on current monthly average value of a typical IM-related subscriber (not buyer). If you're a list owner/email marketer with IM subs, I'd love to hear your subs value. Thx
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas Smale
    Depends what you sell and how targeted your list is.

    Average subscriber for me is worth around $1000 a year - but I have a high end service and not entirely "IM" niche which is notorious for being low quality subscribers/freebie hunters.

    If you have a high end product/service, you don't need thousands of subscribers to make a lot of money. Far too many people assume it's all about volume - when in reality it's about quality and having something desirable to sell.
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    • Profile picture of the author Brains Gone Wild
      Originally Posted by Thomas Smale View Post

      Depends what you sell and how targeted your list is.

      Average subscriber for me is worth around $1000 a year - but I have a high end service and not entirely "IM" niche which is notorious for being low quality subscribers/freebie hunters.

      If you have a high end product/service, you don't need thousands of subscribers to make a lot of money. Far too many people assume it's all about volume - when in reality it's about quality and having something desirable to sell.
      Thomas - thanks for your reply. You seem to be the only Warrior who read my original post and answered properly. Thanks! I agree with you on the quality -vs- quantity. I'm working with a small (but growing daily), free membership list right now that relies heavily on volume of offers each day and low price tags for each offer but I'm still able to average $5+ per month, per subscriber/member. I'm currently testing ways to expand my reach and diversify the list with higher-pricerange buyers, etc.. Thanks, again, for your feedback.
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