Keeping a list responsive

31 replies
Hi!

I have a list -- that I give away a free thing each and every week that is super valuable and sometimes I promote products within my niche. Normally , when I promote I can expect a good return. BUT for the last two weeks I've noticed that I am getting NO return. I've been lucky to get one sale.

I would have thought giving away something each week to my list would keep them responsive but it seems after all that time invested I'm making nothing.

What should I do to keep them responsive? It's not like I'm not giving something of value or offering as much help to my list as I possibly can. After two weeks of no return I'm getting more and more discouraged. Any advice? Pretty please?
#keeping #list #list building #responsive
  • Profile picture of the author Nightengale
    There are a lot of variables here which will affect your results. It's a numbers game and you may be burning out your small list (if it's small). If you're not getting sales every week from your existing customers, I wouldn't worry as much. They may just not ready to buy again right now.

    If you're consistently growing your list and still not seeing sales from consistent efforts with new people coming in, I would worry a little more. It's extremely important to always be adding fresh leads to your list. You must do both in equal measures.

    Beyond that, I'd say two weeks is not enough to judge. Keep building your list and keep making offers. Wait another 2 weeks and see where you are.

    You can also survey your customers and see what they want. That will help you target your offers more precisely.

    Hope that helps!

    Michelle
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    • Profile picture of the author sweetcrabhoney18
      Originally Posted by Nightengale View Post

      There are a lot of variables here which will affect your results. It's a numbers game and you may be burning out your small list (if it's small). If you're not getting sales every week from your existing customers, I wouldn't worry as much. They may just not ready to buy again right now.

      If you're consistently growing your list and still not seeing sales from consistent efforts with new people coming in, I would worry a little more. It's extremely important to always be adding fresh leads to your list. You must do both in equal measures.

      Beyond that, I'd say two weeks is not enough to judge. Keep building your list and keep making offers. Wait another 2 weeks and see where you are.

      You can also survey your customers and see what they want. That will help you target your offers more precisely.

      Hope that helps!

      Michelle
      Super helpful... I might just be overly paranoid or something.. Thanks for the reassuring points and the reminders. Means a ton to me. Thank you tons again.
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  • Profile picture of the author talfighel
    I would recommend that you get new subscribers all the time.

    Just having a list and not getting new leads could kill your business very fast.

    As the old saying goes:

    New blood is the life blood of your business.

    Make sure that you get new leads every single day.
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    • Profile picture of the author AlexCN
      If you have a small list and have been promoting offers that aren't
      worthwhile, that could certainly be the reason for a drop-off in sales...

      Watch the CTR and open rates of your emails as well - that could be
      very telling.

      Add new subscribers as often as possible, and clean out your AR of 'dead' leads as well once every month or so.

      Alex
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    • Profile picture of the author sweetcrabhoney18
      I'm getting a few new subscribers each day.

      My open rates are the same as they have been for the last 5 months.

      I'm promoting the same things other people in my niche are promoting and they are getting super high conversions.

      It's super annoying.... it seems like I'm doing good with numbers and compliments from my list but I'm actually not.

      Originally Posted by talfighel View Post

      I would recommend that you get new subscribers all the time.

      Just having a list and not getting new leads could kill your business very fast.

      As the old saying goes:

      New blood is the life blood of your business.

      Make sure that you get new leads every single day.
      Originally Posted by AlexCN View Post

      If you have a small list and have been promoting offers that aren't
      worthwhile, that could certainly be the reason for a drop-off in sales...

      Watch the CTR and open rates of your emails as well - that could be
      very telling.

      Add new subscribers as often as possible, and clean out your AR of 'dead' leads as well once every month or so.

      Alex
      Signature

      keep moving forward

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    • Profile picture of the author Alice12345
      Originally Posted by talfighel View Post

      I would recommend that you get new subscribers all the time.

      Just having a list and not getting new leads could kill your business very fast.

      As the old saying goes:

      New blood is the life blood of your business.

      Make sure that you get new leads every single day.
      Agree of that. You have to find a new way to increase your daily subs.
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  • Profile picture of the author winebuddy
    you built a list of people that want free stuff.

    Now you are trying to sell them stuff.

    "What happened to my free stuff?"
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    • Profile picture of the author sweetcrabhoney18
      Originally Posted by winebuddy View Post

      you built a list of people that want free stuff.

      Now you are trying to sell them stuff.

      "What happened to my free stuff?"
      Actually no... the majority of my list is built from my JVzoo products. Only after they buy my products do they get onto my list and thus find out about the weekly freebie they get. A very small percentage of my list is built from a freebie product.
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      • Profile picture of the author talfighel
        Originally Posted by sweetcrabhoney18 View Post

        Actually no... the majority of my list is built from my JVzoo products. Only after they buy my products do they get onto my list and thus find out about the weekly freebie they get. A very small percentage of my list is built from a freebie product.
        Most buyers are RED HOT after they purchase something from you or from an affiliate link you provided. When you make a sale, offer them an upsell. A product that they can buy for a higher price.

        I am pretty sure that once they are on your list and a few days go by, they become cold and are not willing to buy again from you.

        The best cure is to get another page (opt in page) where you just collect names and emails of people who have never saw you before and have never brought anything.

        You should get another list for that and have 2 lists.
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        • Profile picture of the author sweetcrabhoney18
          Yes I have 2 upsells right after buying the main product for all my products in this niche. Then I have a basic autoresponder with information and advice. With weekly emails -- I'm not seeing anyone becoming cold. Maybe next month or after Easter I'll do another sales funnel.

          Originally Posted by talfighel View Post

          Most buyers are RED HOT after they purchase something from you or from an affiliate link you provided. When you make a sale, offer them an upsell. A product that they can buy for a higher price.

          I am pretty sure that once they are on your list and a few days go by, they become cold and are not willing to buy again from you.

          The best cure is to get another page (opt in page) where you just collect names and emails of people who have never saw you before and have never brought anything.

          You should get another list for that and have 2 lists.
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      • Profile picture of the author lotsofsnow
        Originally Posted by sweetcrabhoney18 View Post

        Actually no... the majority of my list is built from my JVzoo products. Only after they buy my products do they get onto my list and thus find out about the weekly freebie they get. A very small percentage of my list is built from a freebie product.
        If I understand correctly, you build your list by selling them stuff and then
        you train them to get freebies.

        Looks like you are successful with training them. LOL.

        There is nothing wrong if you want to give out something for free but
        if you give away something for free every week, you brand yourself
        as kind of the salavation army.

        Your subscribers are obviously willing to spend money.
        Otherwise they would not be on your list.
        Now they are happy to take your free advice
        and buy the cake elsewhere so to speak.

        Here is a different approach:

        You want to keep your list responsive and in paying mode all the time.

        Give them a piece of content every week - but only give them a teaser.
        The rest: ask for a few dollars to get the full article or video.

        Then you brand yourself as the expert that is worth money.

        And if you then send out an email promoting an affiliate offer
        your conversions will shoot through the roof.

        Your subscribers will be expecting that they have to pay once they open your email. They either would have to pay for your premium content or they have to buy the product you are promoting.

        Do this for a couple weeks and your income will go through the roof.
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        • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
          Originally Posted by hpgoodboy View Post

          If I understand correctly, you build your list by selling them stuff and then
          you train them to get freebies.

          Looks like you are successful with training them. LOL.

          There is nothing wrong if you want to give out something for free but
          if you give away something for free every week, you brand yourself
          as kind of the salavation army.

          Your subscribers are obviously willing to spend money.
          Otherwise they would not be on your list.
          Now they are happy to take your free advice
          and buy the cake elsewhere so to speak.

          Here is a different approach:

          You want to keep your list responsive and in paying mode all the time.

          Give them a piece of content every week - but only give them a teaser.
          The rest: ask for a few dollars to get the full article or video.

          Then you brand yourself as the expert that is worth money.

          And if you then send out an email promoting an affiliate offer
          your conversions will shoot through the roof.

          Your subscribers will be expecting that they have to pay once they open your email. They either would have to pay for your premium content or they have to buy the product you are promoting.

          Do this for a couple weeks and your income will go through the roof.
          This is perfect advice! HP hit the nail on the head!
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        • Profile picture of the author NickMarks
          Had to jump in here real quick.. You thought he was putting you down in this post below. He's not at all.. hpgoodboy, on point 100%..

          First, with all due respect, I would just make sure you try to take some peoples advice, and put aside your feelings. To you, I may sound rude in saying that, I'm not meaning to be AT ALL. Really..

          In business you MUST have "thick skin" so to speak. Be willing to learn, know that you don't "know it all". Because truth is WE don't know it all.. I was marketer of the year, and ya know what? I don't know it all.. I still seek and take peoples advice ALL THE TIME.

          Sometimes the root of our problems in business, is ourselves. Not willing to change, stuck in our own ways and not willing to take advice..

          In this case, we have a lot of people here offering some great advice. It's up to you to take the advice, and apply it to your business, test things out. Again, I'm not trying to be rude in this post AT ALL. Just wanted to help.

          My advice to you is, take hpgoodboy's advice and offer some content. To get the rest of the content, charge them for it.. And when you create the weekly report or video, email them follow up about it, to make sure they get it.

          -Nick

          Originally Posted by hpgoodboy View Post

          If I understand correctly, you build your list by selling them stuff and then
          you train them to get freebies.

          Looks like you are successful with training them. LOL.

          There is nothing wrong if you want to give out something for free but
          if you give away something for free every week, you brand yourself
          as kind of the salavation army.

          Your subscribers are obviously willing to spend money.
          Otherwise they would not be on your list.
          Now they are happy to take your free advice
          and buy the cake elsewhere so to speak.

          Here is a different approach:

          You want to keep your list responsive and in paying mode all the time.

          Give them a piece of content every week - but only give them a teaser.
          The rest: ask for a few dollars to get the full article or video.

          Then you brand yourself as the expert that is worth money.

          And if you then send out an email promoting an affiliate offer
          your conversions will shoot through the roof.

          Your subscribers will be expecting that they have to pay once they open your email. They either would have to pay for your premium content or they have to buy the product you are promoting.

          Do this for a couple weeks and your income will go through the roof.
          Signature

          Nick Marks is an author, speaker and was announced as the Internet Marketer Of The Year 2007 by Russell Brunson & DotComSecrets.

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  • Profile picture of the author gcbmark20
    Hi,

    1) Stay consistent - Keep your list warm don't allow them to go cold.

    2) Get them excited first - Show them what is possible first then ask for the sale.

    3) Just sending them FREE gifts every week isn't necessarily going to keep them HOT.

    You need to show that you're there to HELP them on a personal level.

    They want you as their GO TO person for help, advice, tips and strategy.

    SHARE YOUR RESULTS!

    What have you struggled with in the past?

    What did you learn and how can you share that knowledge to help your
    subscribers short cut their way through all those pitfalls that can stand in
    their way.

    Don't be too quick to judge your results.

    Keep emailing your list, you will get better as an email marketer over time.

    When you do you'll find a lot of your subscribers stay on your lists and open
    your emails for months or even years down the line.

    It's all about finding that 1st initial connection with your readers.

    Then turn your prospects into buyers and your buyers into RAVING FANS
    of yours.

    Good luck,
    Gavin
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    • Profile picture of the author sweetcrabhoney18
      These are all good points and things I do and have been doing since I built my list.

      My list is of buyers so it's not like they aren't targeted. At the end of every email I let my list know that I welcome questions and I'm always happy to help.

      The free thing I give away is HIGHLY valuable. Most people in my niche sale the same kind of product for $10 and up and it's not even something they do weekly.

      I get thank you emails all the time. I got a few yesterday even.

      I don't want be giving away so much of my time , effort , advice , and not get what I was getting before in return. I'm unsure if it's me that's making them unresponsive when I'm trying everything to make it known that I'm there to help and can help with all kinds of problems.

      I don't plan on stopping the effort I'm putting into this list within this niche but the lack of response is making me think about changing the amount of effort I'm putting into it. It's just starting to become extremely depressing to go from a highly responsive list to one that sounds like crickets all of a sudden.


      Originally Posted by gcbmark20 View Post

      Hi,

      1) Stay consistent - Keep your list warm don't allow them to go cold.

      2) Get them excited first - Show them what is possible first then ask for the sale.

      3) Just sending them FREE gifts every week isn't necessarily going to keep them HOT.

      You need to show that you're there to HELP them on a personal level.

      They want you as their GO TO person for help, advice, tips and strategy.

      SHARE YOUR RESULTS!

      What have you struggled with in the past?

      What did you learn and how can you share that knowledge to help your
      subscribers short cut their way through all those pitfalls that can stand in
      their way.

      Don't be too quick to judge your results.

      Keep emailing your list, you will get better as an email marketer over time.

      When you do you'll find a lot of your subscribers stay on your lists and open
      your emails for months or even years down the line.

      It's all about finding that 1st initial connection with your readers.

      Then turn your prospects into buyers and your buyers into RAVING FANS
      of yours.

      Good luck,
      Gavin
      Signature

      keep moving forward

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  • Profile picture of the author bluebrain
    Two weeks is too small period to think the list has gone cold. Results vary in time. Probably follows next two weeks of intensive sales
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  • Profile picture of the author Leon Zykos
    Hi,

    Basically you would have to vary your emails in a way that flows from giving them great information to building relationships to promoting products to them. In this way, as you build up the relationship with your list, they will be more inclined to buy from you.

    Hope that helps
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  • Profile picture of the author actionplanbiz
    maybe your sending the same emails as everyone else?
    maybe your too transparent on your emails?
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  • Profile picture of the author kayfrank
    Giving out freebies too often can have the opposite effect. People expect freebies. Its good you jumble it up a bit...but maybe it's gone on too long. Do you know if you are providing offers that your list actually want? Perhaps (if you haven't already) you could ask them what they need at the moment and create something yourself that you could give for free. Then you can put a price on it afterwards and sell it to future subscribers.

    Your list needs to be able to interact with you somehow - relationship - two way relationships - are critical, and although you could use a blog or form as Antonion suggests you don't have to. Why not just let them reply back to your email and then reply personally?
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    • Profile picture of the author sweetcrabhoney18
      Sounds like you are just putting me down because I like to give away a free item each week to my list to help my list. No one wants to be compared to the salvation army , especially when they are already having a hard week. Thanks for the advice.

      Originally Posted by hpgoodboy View Post

      If I understand correctly, you build your list by selling them stuff and then
      you train them to get freebies.

      Looks like you are successful with training them. LOL.

      There is nothing wrong if you want to give out something for free but
      if you give away something for free every week, you brand yourself
      as kind of the salavation army.

      Your subscribers are obviously willing to spend money.
      Otherwise they would not be on your list.
      Now they are happy to take your free advice
      and buy the cake elsewhere so to speak.

      Here is a different approach:

      You want to keep your list responsive and in paying mode all the time.

      Give them a piece of content every week - but only give them a teaser.
      The rest: ask for a few dollars to get the full article or video.

      Then you brand yourself as the expert that is worth money.

      And if you then send out an email promoting an affiliate offer
      your conversions will shoot through the roof.

      Your subscribers will be expecting that they have to pay once they open your email. They either would have to pay for your premium content or they have to buy the product you are promoting.

      Do this for a couple weeks and your income will go through the roof.
      I connect with my list directly. I'm continuing to get the same number of clicks just not sales. I think if I did a blog or a forum for my niche , my JV's would be upset that I'm giving away so much advice for free. I rather answer questions via emails instead. Thanks for the advice.

      Originally Posted by AntonioSeegars1 View Post

      Building lists have never been the best way to make sales. If you want to make sales, you have to connect directly with your customers. Your responses are probably going down because people have put you in the spam category. If you want to keep your list responsive, you need to provide them with a forum, or a blog, where you post new information that allows them to go through it whenever they want to. If you have this, people will be more interested in what you have to promote.
      The offers I promote are ones in the niche I'm in. They are the same offers my JV's promote and make sales. I've done a survey before and know what my list wants and enjoys ; that's what I promote. At the end of each email I welcome questions and some times I get a few. I'm super interactive with them. I try to make it as fun and worth-wild as can be - which is the reason behind the freebie in the first place. Thanks for the advice.

      Originally Posted by kayfrank View Post

      Giving out freebies too often can have the opposite effect. People expect freebies. Its good you jumble it up a bit...but maybe it's gone on too long. Do you know if you are providing offers that your list actually want? Perhaps (if you haven't already) you could ask them what they need at the moment and create something yourself that you could give for free. Then you can put a price on it afterwards and sell it to future subscribers.

      Your list needs to be able to interact with you somehow - relationship - two way relationships - are critical, and although you could use a blog or form as Antonion suggests you don't have to. Why not just let them reply back to your email and then reply personally?
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  • Profile picture of the author Marco Moeschter
    I would also say giving to much is not the right way. I tried this method with my list as well and as soon as I stopped giving something for free their response to my mails decreased as well.

    Maybe you have to entertain them a bit more! I usually don't send them the same kind of content every time. That means I sometimes tell them about a new blog post of mine. The next time they get a video from me and after that a slideshare presentation or a valuable post on another website. I increased the open rates with that a lot.
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  • Profile picture of the author zenxseo
    add more people to your list

    filter your email list from buyers to non buyers ( frequently with $1 offer )

    if you think when you are promoting same offers you JV's promote and your not getting result try to offer Bonus with that offer

    Good luck
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  • Profile picture of the author Walt SEO
    As a person who has subscribed to quite a few marketers.. I'd advise you to pause for a small while. People will get curious and start missing your content. Works magic.


    Walt
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  • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
    According to your niche, you could be being "out bonuses". That happens in the IM niche for larger launches. Barring that, I would say that either you need more fresh blood, or you night even be giving too much away. You train your list as to what to expect. If you give away a lot...why buy?
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  • Profile picture of the author Raelyn Tan
    Try to send them something motivating instead of constantly giving freebies. It builds trust, make you more personal, and make them look forward to opening your emails. Plus it takes less effort!

    Most people already have a hard week and have lives with many problems.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan723
      As others have indicated, you need to be bringing in fresh subscribers on a regular basis to maintain sales. Also, you should segment your list, and always make sure that the offers you send out are highly relevant to the segment you're mailing.
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      • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
        Originally Posted by sweetcrabhoney18 View Post

        I'm promoting the same things other people in my niche are promoting and they are getting super high conversions.
        If you're promoting the same things as everyone else, what are you doing differently to stand apart from them? They could be saying, "same old, same old" to themselves by the time they see your email.


        Originally Posted by sweetcrabhoney18 View Post

        Sounds like you are just putting me down because I like to give away a free item each week to my list to help my list. No one wants to be compared to the salvation army , especially when they are already having a hard week.
        If you look past the wording that seems to bother you, Hans actually gave you some very good advice.
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  • Profile picture of the author alicia11
    i am feeling the same as you. Looking for advice too.
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  • Profile picture of the author davidaclark
    What freebies are popular? Which ones are downloaded the most? Can you find or create a good product that is better than, but on the same topic as the best freebies?
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  • Profile picture of the author Raimundas M
    Make sure you include affiliate links or links to your products within every freebie you send.

    You are leaving a lot of money on the table.

    I agree with hpgoodboy though.

    All your free content should have a purpose and lead to some kind of action or a sale.
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