How do you build a list?

34 replies
I can create a squeeze page and all that good stuff... But how do I set up a website that people are actually going to visit? I don't get it... Do I have to pay for traffic to a random web page? Or is it done via SEO and Google searches like with niche sites?

I would really love to build a list of upcoming marketers I could recommend fantastic WSOs to (I wouldn't spam, just send legitimately great WSOs once a fortnight or something).

Cheers!
Calum
#build #list
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

    But how do I set up a website that people are actually going to visit?
    By generating targeted traffic to it, exactly as one would to any other page.

    Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

    Do I have to pay for traffic to a random web page?
    There are both paid and free ways of generating traffic to a page with an opt-in, just as there are of generating traffic to any other page.

    Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

    Or is it done via SEO and Google searches like with niche sites?
    It can be (though I've invariably found that to be the worst-performing way, myself, in every niche in which I've done this. I do get nearly 20% of my traffic that way, but it represents only about 3% of my income, because every other possible traffic-source is better, more responsive and more productive for me).

    Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

    How do you build a list?
    Here are 5 posts/threads which may help you on the subject of list-building, Calum ...

    What are the essential things to know about list building?
    Lists: How Long to Presell - Averages
    Website or squeeze page
    Where to get reports to give away on opt in page?
    Autoresponders vs. Broadcasts
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Kohler
    Lately, I have been using converting offers with a squeeze page/OTO with IM lists using solo ads. Never used them until the last few weeks. They really do save you time, and in many cases, a lot of money.
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  • Profile picture of the author prateek9118
    Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

    Do I have to pay for traffic to a random web page? Or is it done via SEO and Google searches like with niche sites?

    I would really love to build a list of upcoming marketers I could recommend fantastic WSOs to (I wouldn't spam, just send legitimately great WSOs once a fortnight or something).

    Cheers!
    Calum

    Buy traffic. By far best way to generate targeted traffic to your pages. You get targeted list of clients who are actually genuinely interested in your product.
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  • Calcum,

    Alexa suggests some good ways for getting traffic. As far as building your list, there are a variety of ways to do this but I have found that a really effective way is to offer something of value to the target market. This could be content in the form of an ebook like a how-to guide or something of that nature. You have to be sure though that it appeals to the type of people you want to attract. Otherwise you will end up with a huge list of people who are not interested in what you have to say.

    Here are some ideas to get you started,

    6 Surefire List Building Strategies

    Best,

    Shawn
    Signature
    Outsource to the experts...

    We customize your Blog, eBook, Press Release and Sale Copy content with your message.

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    • Profile picture of the author Calum Jones
      Originally Posted by TheContentAuthority View Post

      Calcum,

      Alexa suggests some good ways for getting traffic. As far as building your list, there are a variety of ways to do this but I have found that a really effective way is to offer something of value to the target market. This could be content in the form of an ebook like a how-to guide or something of that nature. You have to be sure though that it appeals to the type of people you want to attract. Otherwise you will end up with a huge list of people who are not interested in what you have to say.

      Here are some ideas to get you started,

      6 Surefire List Building Strategies

      Best,

      Shawn
      Great stuff Shawn! Unfortunately the type of people I want to attract are fellow Internet Marketers, and I'm too new to write anything interesting on the subject. Perhaps I could outsource to one of the more experienced members here, I'm sure plenty of Warriors could write killer IM articles!

      I'm thinking of offering a free bunch of tips or a method of some sort in a numbered list then try to grab the e-mail at the end... I read about the reverse squeeze page in The War Room and it sounded awesome.
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

        Unfortunately the type of people I want to attract are fellow Internet Marketers, and I'm too new to write anything interesting on the subject.
        "Unfortunately" isn't quite the right adverb, Calum.

        If you're "too new", then that's why "IM niches" are the very last thing you should be getting involved with. That's the single commonest mistake that beginning marketers make, and the single commonest reason for their failures, and one of the primary reasons for the success-rate in IM being so low!

        Think again!

        Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

        Perhaps I could outsource to one of the more experienced members here
        Nope. You should start off with a niche you do know something about!

        What you're asking here is - in one way - on a par with the people who start threads asking "How can I get more people to opt in to my squeeze page; by the way I'm in the list-building niche?", and the people who start threads asking "Is it really possible to make money online" when the site in their sig-file is called "How I Made $10,000 Online Last Month". The "one way" I'm referring to is the way that matters, because it's the way that prevents those people from earning anything online, and it's going to be your problem too, which is why I'm pointing it out: you'd be trying to teach people something you know nothing about.

        You'd have probably somewhere between 10 and 100 times as much chance of making money from your blog if you had a blog about "how to grow grapes and make wine at home" (that's a really good niche, by the way), or about "how to decorate kids' bedroom ceilings" (that's also not bad).

        Please excuse my being so outspoken, here, but I've seen hundreds of members in exactly your position come and go from this forum, not earning anything online. I've seen a small proportion of them still here a year later, sometimes even two years later, without having made any money at all, and more and more people gradually suggesting to them that maybe "make money online niches"/"internet marketing niches" aren't the most appropriate niches for them, and they don't take any notice, and they don't progress, and then a proportion of them end up believing (and maybe even announcing) that "internet marketing's a scam and it doesn't work", and all because they started off doing what you're proposing to do. So ... it's probably the single commonest mistake that beginning internet marketers make, and the single commonest reason for their failure, and you need to know this!

        Don't get me wrong: I'm not complaining about your wanting to do that - I'm simply explaining that the fact that you want to do that is directly and causally connected with why you're so very unlikely to make any money from it. It's about the finest possible way to stack the deck very firmly indeed against yourself.
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        • Profile picture of the author Calum Jones
          Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

          "Unfortunately" isn't quite the right adverb, Calum.

          If you're "too new", then that's why "IM niches" are the very last thing you should be getting involved with. That's the single commonest mistake that beginning marketers make, and the single commonest reason for their failures, and one of the primary reasons for the success-rate in IM being so low!

          Think again!



          Nope. You should start off with a niche you do know something about!

          What you're asking here is - in one way - on a par with the people who start threads asking "How can I get more people to opt in to my squeeze page; by the way I'm in the list-building niche?", and the people who start threads asking "Is it really possible to make money online" when the site in their sig-file is called "How I Made $10,000 Online Last Month". The "one way" I'm referring to is the way that matters, because it's the way that prevents those people from earning anything online, and it's going to be your problem too, which is why I'm pointing it out: you'd be trying to teach people something you know nothing about.

          You'd have probably somewhere between 10 and 100 times as much chance of making money from your blog if you had a blog about "how to grow grapes and make wine at home" (that's a really good niche, by the way), or about "how to decorate kids' bedroom ceilings" (that's also not bad).

          Please excuse my being so outspoken, here, but I've seen hundreds of members in exactly your position come and go from this forum, not earning anything online. I've seen a small proportion of them still here a year later, sometimes even two years later, without having made any money at all, and more and more people gradually suggesting to them that maybe "make money online niches"/"internet marketing niches" aren't the most appropriate niches for them, and they don't take any notice, and they don't progress, and then a proportion of them end up believing (and maybe even announcing) that "internet marketing's a scam and it doesn't work", and all because they started off doing what you're proposing to do. So ... it's probably the single commonest mistake that beginning internet marketers make, and the single commonest reason for their failure, and you need to know this!

          Don't get me wrong: I'm not complaining about your wanting to do that - I'm simply explaining that the fact that you want to do that is directly and causally connected with why you're so very unlikely to make any money from it. It's about the finest possible way to stack the deck very firmly indeed against yourself.
          Appreciate your time. I do already have some niche sites along the lines of "decorate your kid's bedroom ceiling" that I've added AdSense to, but I struggle to see how I could make money from any of the visitors to my site via Opt In. I mean there's only so much I could send them offers for "buy this discount paint!" or "remove artex ceilings!" then I feel the well runs dry. I also make sales of an eBook (penis enlargement ) via eBay, but I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate me sending them more e-mails to offer them products? I have around 50 e-mails from that...

          The reason I wanted to use the IM niche is because I browse the WSO sub-forum a lot and sometimes I see really great offers, or I buy one that is exceptionally good. I have no interest in spamming random links, my intention was to share only great products I bought that really worked for me etc.
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          • Profile picture of the author mojo1
            Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

            but I struggle to see how I could make money from any of the visitors to my site via Opt In. I mean there's only so much I could send them offers for "buy this discount paint!" or "remove artex ceilings!" then I feel the well runs dry.
            You're not giving yourself enough credit. If you're fortunate enough to be getting traffic to your site for painting kids bedroom ceilings, you can do a lot with it. Just by thinking a bit outside the box, one way to monetize this type of "home improvement" traffic would be to find "home improvement" type affiliate offers.

            One such affiliate offer that comes to mind is actually a lead gen offer also known a pay per lead or pay per call. You can find these types of offers within Commission Junction, Shareasale.com and Offervault.com to name a few. These pay per lead programs usually structure their payouts in two different ways.

            1. Visitor must complete an contact/opt-in form
            2. Visitor must call your affiliate program's designated toll free number and the call must last for a specified duration determined by the particular offer.

            Keep in mind, each visitor who completes an action must be a valid, legitimate, and new lead for the company. Each company has their own criteria for the definition of a qualified lead.

            You definitely have what it takes to turn your ship around. Keep sailing and you'll eventually hit your stride.
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            • Profile picture of the author Kingshouse
              The people interested in what you have to offer don't necessarily want a new offer every 3 days or so.

              I assume you are an expert in your niche, if so you can ask your 'new' list what YOU can help THEM with (in other words something they would like to do in your niche but are struggling to achieve). This becomes your focus. You can create a product out of this and whatever other things they say they need help with.

              Basically this approach is based on solving people's problems. The focus is not about making money. People (you and me included) want to pay for something that solves a problem they have and not just to buy something because someone else wants to make money out of us.

              Solve a problem and charge for the solution.

              I hope this helps
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  • Profile picture of the author Bayo
    First they've got to know about you, so you should establish where they 'hang out' online and/or offline and then do everything you can to make your presence known and appreciated.

    Remember you're going to have to give before you get.

    BAYO
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  • Profile picture of the author MKCookins
    As Alexa said, it is always far better to be in a niche you are both passionate about and have knowledge in.

    When people sign up to your list, they want MASSIVE value. You do this by providing them great content that you know, and if at all possible proof to back up what your writing.

    If you are in the Im Niche saying how to make 100 dollars a day, then have video proof showing it. If you are in the How to grow big tomatoes niche, then post pictures and give helpful tips on how to achieve this.

    When people learn to know, like and trust you -- that is when the money starts to come in.

    Also when starting an online business NEVER start with a product. Always always find a profitable niche, build a list of people interested in that niche, then and only then find a product worth promoting and offer it to them.
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    • Profile picture of the author MarketMaster13
      Offer a free ebook and create a gateway to it with the information you would like to have in your list.
      Good luck!
      Signature
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      • Profile picture of the author TheFury
        Originally Posted by MarketMaster13 View Post

        Offer a free ebook and create a gateway to it with the information you would like to have in your list.
        Good luck!
        This is what I've been doing and it is working pretty well so far. I went from getting one mailing list sign-in / 5000 uniques to about 1 / 100
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      • Profile picture of the author greenowl123
        Originally Posted by MarketMaster13 View Post

        Offer a free ebook and create a gateway to it with the information you would like to have in your list.
        Good luck!
        This !

        .... and whatever Alexa Smith recommends to do !

        Also...

        Create a Facebook fanpage for your blog, then find similar Facebook fanpages and write comments and helpful posts on it, and leave the link to your own facebook fanpage (which you will make posts on with links to your blog). Place your opt-in form in the top corner of your blog to turn visitors into subscribers.

        Learn about solo ads and other forms of paid advertising to grow your list faster.
        Signature
        Free 40-page eBook "How To Earn With CPA Offers"
        + 14 Free Traffic Training Videos -
        Click here now. (no opt-in required)

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  • Profile picture of the author John Atkins
    It is difficult to get a good amount of SE traffic directly to an opt-in page but you can use other free traffic techniques such as adswaps, forum marketing, guest posting, article marketing, JVs, affiliate marketing (creating an affiliate program for your product) etc...
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  • Profile picture of the author kennethchooks
    Banned
    Well, you build a list by driving targeted traffic to your squeeze page.

    There are many ways to go about this, just like some warriors have suggested.But for me, the fastest would be Paid traffic.

    You can start with facebook ads. Set-up some facebook campaigns, choose interests that resonates with the market you are in. Once your ads gets approved, within hours you will start getting clicks and then leads.

    Test and track from there.

    I hope that helps
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  • Profile picture of the author edwardmmp
    If you want to build your targeted list, you must have a compelling capture page that attracts your targeted audience to opt in. It must create curiosity and interest in exchange with their emails to subscribe to your mailing list.
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  • Profile picture of the author gcbmark20
    Hi,

    Remember if you want to use paid traffic as a way of building your list, you
    need to work out first how much you can afford to pay for each click or CPC.

    Once you know what you can afford to pay you just go out and find solo ads,
    banner ads, Facebook ads that allow you to be able to break even or make a profit
    as soon as someone enters your email list.

    Also the QUALITY of traffic is important too.

    Take both these counts into consideration before buying your traffic.

    Of course you'll always be losing money at first because you are testing and
    tweaking your sales funnel until it's ready for you to be able to scale up your
    numbers.

    Hope this helps
    Gavin
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  • Profile picture of the author mrgoe
    Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

    I can create a squeeze page and all that good stuff... But how do I set up a website that people are actually going to visit? I don't get it... Do I have to pay for traffic to a random web page? Or is it done via SEO and Google searches like with niche sites?

    I would really love to build a list of upcoming marketers I could recommend fantastic WSOs to (I wouldn't spam, just send legitimately great WSOs once a fortnight or something).

    Cheers!
    Calum
    Setup a website that has a high conversion and bring traffic to it. People won`t simply come to your site because it`s nice, if it isn`t advertised somewhere.
    Signature
    Worked as a senior editor on ThePricer.org, experienced in financial topics
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  • Profile picture of the author airil
    Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

    I can create a squeeze page and all that good stuff... But how do I set up a website that people are actually going to visit? I don't get it... Do I have to pay for traffic to a random web page? Or is it done via SEO and Google searches like with niche sites?

    I would really love to build a list of upcoming marketers I could recommend fantastic WSOs to (I wouldn't spam, just send legitimately great WSOs once a fortnight or something).

    Cheers!
    Calum
    Im Using FB for build list for cheap CPC and can be use for any niche.....
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  • Profile picture of the author danlew
    I am using this forum and buying solo ads to build my list of targeted subscribers.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kingshouse
      I used to write articles for traffic generation after Google Adwords became a bit of a financial challenge.

      Over time I have had to return to Paid traffic and like solo ads. Usually you need a freebie so get one and offer it. There are some good solo ad sellers on the WF like A Tilley and Igor.

      I must add one thing here though that your traffic will die a premature death if you have nothing to do with it when it gets to your squeeze page.

      Have you got a good email campaign?

      Products?

      Got something to engage your new list?

      If not they will soon disappear and all that traffic will have been for nothing!

      I hope this helps

      Cheerio

      Will D
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  • Profile picture of the author Fazal Mayar
    Solo ads are the way to go but you can also try different other techniques out there.
    Signature

    Blogger at RicherOrNot.com (Make Money online blog but also promoting ethical internet marketing)

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  • Profile picture of the author stargazinc
    Well! The first question is why people visit your website?

    At the first we need to know the actual reasons for people visit our website. For increasing the popularity of our site we can build “use cases”.

    It’s just a tool which is commonly used in software design. If you use it in your website it would allows for imminent and invents that can make a website very popular.
    When you go to build your website you should always keep one thing in your mind and that is your audience. I mean you need to know what people really want.

    You cannot give a good services if you do not know what your viewers need. You do not need any extra effort if your website can fulfill people’s needs. It will automatically become popular.
    Signature

    "If you don't quit, you can't fail"

    Success will follow.

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  • Profile picture of the author Insightful91
    You ought to drive traffic to your squeeze/landing page by either purchasing it or optimizing your site to search engines to get organic traffic. Try boosting your website's social exposure and building links at reputable, authoritative and high-traffic websites that might generate some actual visits, besides sole purpose of having a link.
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  • Profile picture of the author tarad
    imo, Paid traffic can be faster (and in some cults better) than free traffic.
    However if you don't do your homework before engaging anyone method, you could loose your investments (Time & Money) or even both.

    Do your homework before you pay! Simple
    But don't let it hang on you, Get to Work and take the Action Now or Never.
    Fortunes are made every second you blink your eyes, who says you couldn't be the one raking it in.

    Cheers!
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by TheContentAuthority View Post

      Calcum,

      Alexa suggests some good ways for getting traffic. As far as building your list, there are a variety of ways to do this but I have found that a really effective way is to offer something of value to the target market. This could be content in the form of an ebook like a how-to guide or something of that nature. You have to be sure though that it appeals to the type of people you want to attract. Otherwise you will end up with a huge list of people who are not interested in what you have to say.
      Best,

      Shawn
      I didn't want you to miss this. Another thing new list builders do is market the freebie, rather than the list. So they end up with a whole bunch of random freebie hunters, and wonder why no one ever buys their paid offers, unsubscribes immediately after downloading the freebie, never open their emails, etc.

      Your opt-in offer has two purposes:

      > Attract the type of people you want on your list. For example, if you decide to stick with IM/MMO stuff, do you want clueless newbies, intermediates, top level marketers, or what?

      > Screen out everybody else.

      Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

      Great stuff Shawn! Unfortunately the type of people I want to attract are fellow Internet Marketers, and I'm too new to write anything interesting on the subject. Perhaps I could outsource to one of the more experienced members here, I'm sure plenty of Warriors could write killer IM articles!

      I'm thinking of offering a free bunch of tips or a method of some sort in a numbered list then try to grab the e-mail at the end... I read about the reverse squeeze page in The War Room and it sounded awesome.
      Hitting the IM "niche" when you have nothing to offer is likely going to fail for all the reasons Alexa pointed out.

      As for the "reverse squeeze page", it works very well outside the IM/MMO markets.

      Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

      Appreciate your time. I do already have some niche sites along the lines of "decorate your kid's bedroom ceiling" that I've added AdSense to, but I struggle to see how I could make money from any of the visitors to my site via Opt In. I mean there's only so much I could send them offers for "buy this discount paint!" or "remove artex ceilings!" then I feel the well runs dry. I also make sales of an eBook (penis enlargement ) via eBay, but I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate me sending them more e-mails to offer them products? I have around 50 e-mails from that...
      I'm guessing you picked your niche topics based on either keyword research of some sort or you acquired a list of well-paying AdSense keywords. If you really knew something about the niche, or had any passion for it, you would know what to offer.

      Just in the "decorate kid's ceiling" niche, I can think of at least a dozen things I could offer via a list, some of which I could possibly sell several times over the course of a family's child-raising years.

      Originally Posted by Calum Jones View Post

      The reason I wanted to use the IM niche is because I browse the WSO sub-forum a lot and sometimes I see really great offers, or I buy one that is exceptionally good. I have no interest in spamming random links, my intention was to share only great products I bought that really worked for me etc.
      Here's an idea. Find one of those "exceptionally good" WSOs on list building, put it into practice, and then start with the results.
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  • Profile picture of the author maidenim
    YOu have to market your squeeze page and website in order to build a list. There's paid and free ways to do it I've been doing paid and free and my list is growing every day. I was taught to go after cheap sources of traffic and work to make that profitable before going to the other traffic places where you have to pay more. So far it's been paying off. So find out the different cheap traffic sources out there and work to make it profitable is I guess my advice.
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    Your beginnings are right. Set up the squeeze page and email marketing funnel.

    You can pay for traffic or get traffic for free. I personally love both options because of the perks that they have. There are tons of ways to build up your list. I'm thinking you should start with Adwords and Bing Ads..... and some free marketing techniques like Youtube, forums, and blogs.
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  • Profile picture of the author Duncan2222
    Callum, you mentioned you wanted to attract other internet marketers but you don't have enough experience to write on the topic or to create a product. Well, my friend, your first product is this very thread right here. Compile all the responses, research the recommended resources of all the people that made suggestions, etc...

    My guess is that no one on this thread would care if you used their insight as long as they are credited in your ebook or giveaway....I'd ask each but I'd be really surprised if anyone here wouldn't want their insight included in an ebook you assemble...

    Call it something that will resonate with your audience.......
    actually there are two products here in this thread...

    1. The compilation of the thread and the further research into the different strategies suggested.

    2. How You Created Your First Info Product With No Experience (Then just explain what you were trying to do here, which is learn how to do IM'ing, then share what you were feeling before, after and during this thread, how you maybe were scared to ask question in the WF, the relationships you started to build by simply asking a question in this thread/forum, etc...)

    You'll likely find that what you are experiencing and feeling is likely what others that are your target market are experiencing or feeling as well. Which, will then resonate with your target market.

    I'd be happy to help you brainstorm and come up with creative ways to create products...

    You likely already have several products but you just aren't seeing them. I can help point them out to you if you like...at no charge to you....zero...

    I just would like to pay it back to other forum members for all the knowledge I've gained here in the WF...

    PM me if interested and we can skype or email some ideas..

    Hope this helps...

    D
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  • Profile picture of the author Faisal Mansour
    I have benefited
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  • Profile picture of the author ConnerHogan
    You have to pay for traffic, or work for traffic.

    You can slowly build up a private audience. But it takes years.
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  • Profile picture of the author carlamae
    You have to offer something for free and then upsell. I'm part of a content membership site and I've got endless ebooks, software, themes, courses, plugins, etc. to promote, sell, giveaway, etc. So, what I'm getting at is find an endless source and then tuck into over delivering to your list.
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