3 Fast & Simple Ways To Build That All-Important "List"

3 Fast & Simple Ways To Build That All-Important "List"

by: Jana Rudisill, Group Manager http://groups.msn.com/YourBizSuccess/    ©2007 Reprint rights available by permission only, otherwise, all rights reserved.

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If you are promoting a program online, you hear it constantly: "The Money Is In The List!"

Obviously, you need a list. Perhaps you have read tons of articles, purchased eBooks, and listened to audio recordings of countless "Online Marketing Gurus," and followed every bit of their advice, dotting every "I" and crossing every "T" with either no success, or very lackluster results.

All of the above efforts you have made have cost you, in both time and money. Even if you have built what you feel is a substantial list, if they are not responsive and never buy your product, or join your program, you are losing profit! It only takes a few months of tracking your advertising efforts against your profit to realize that fact.

So, what went wrong? What could you have done that you didn't do, or what did you do that gave such poor results? Either mistake has the same end result, little or no profit for your efforts. You see many testimonials of people that have had great, profitable success, and wonder what they did to succeed, and where it is you failed.

Many people choose a "theme" or topic that they think will be popular and cause everyone to jump on the bandwagon and buy. This is usually not the best way to go.

Here, I will offer a bit of advice. To those who have started an opt-in list, and somehow failed to get that list to respond, I believe you can still "breath new life" into that list and find success. Just keep reading, and incorporate these tips in your efforts and watch your list explode!

For those Just starting a list, here are 3 of the top methods to jump-start your efforts and build a responsive, and therefore, profitable, list.

1. Gain the trust of your customers. Give honest assistance, advice, and product knowledge to them, and they will trust you. Refrain from "hype" about your product - stick to the real facts. Never lie. Telling someone that they will earn six-figures in less than three months with no work on their part if they join your program, is a piece of fiction, and you know it! If that were true, you wouldn't need a list! Tell them "up-front" that success is equal to the amount of effort they put into it, and the advice they follow. That will gain their trust far quicker than outlandish promises. Here are the main methods I use to help my friends (yes, they are my friends, and I treat them as such, and care about the success of each of them).

a. Research and locate helpful articles on the subjects that will help people in your list to learn and grow their own success.

b. Try the methods yourself and weed out what doesn't work.

c. Then, "gel down" the sum of what works into helpful, learning-curve reducing articles. Create at least six closely related articles that are ready to send as encouragement, and helpful training, to people who join you. After all, if they succeed, you succeed!

Now the real work begins! Forums are wonderful! Why? They are one of the most valuable, and overlooked, resources on the internet for online marketers! If no one ever told you that before, they either don't know it's value, or they are keeping it a closely guarded secret for their most ambitious team members. Join forums that are targeted to your area of interest. Read through the questions posted, and their replies. You can gain a lot of information from these!

The more you know on the subject at hand, the closer you get to becoming an "expert" in that subject. Now, when someone asks the same question, you will know the answer.

Now, start posting answers to the questions people post. The more good, helpful advice you give on the forums, the sooner you will have people on that forum directing questions to you personally. Now, they are your friends, not just strangers on a forum. When you feel they trust you, you can ask them to join you in your programs. Be sure to have a link to your site on the forum. Almost all forums allow a "Signature Line" which is a link to your site. Do NOT put an ad beside the link. That could get you banned from some forums. When in doubt, don't risk it.

Remember, when your customers and subscribers believe in you and have faith in your advice, the money will follow. They all want a product or service that is worth the price, and if lots of people offer the same thing, they will always buy first from someone they know and trust. People do not like to purchase from strangers if they don't have to. Be a friend and mentor, and the profits will follow you.

2. Always promote something you have researched, and tried yourself before you offer it to your list. I never promote what doesn't work for me. If you do, you will lose the faith of your friends, downline members, and newsletter subscribers. If I don't believe in something, it is hard for me to sound interested, let alone be enthusiastic about it. Believe me, they can tell if you are being "genuine" or not. Your biggest mistake would be to assume that your downline won't realize that you are not really helping, but just thowing affiliate URLs at them, and that you don't really care for the program itself.

Invest your time, energy, and money (yes, you will have to spend a little to gain a lot) and you will be able to promote things you had no understanding of before you looked at it closely. The more you learn, the more you can earn.

Whatever you are promoting, be sure to help your downline or subscribers by supplying them with promotional materials, and pointing them to useful resources that will help them to succeed. Tell them to spread it around to their downlines as well. What is good for one, will also help the others promote too.

3. Make friends with your up-line and others with large opt-in lists who are successfull online. Obviously, if they have built a large opt-in list of their own, their advice and help, one on one, is far more beneficial than just reading an article (even a very good article). There is no better teacher than someone who has "been there - done that" and can tell you exactly what they did. There is no substitute for first-hand experience!

These experienced opt-in list users can let you know what to do to succeed and what to avoid like the plague, simply because they have already gone through the whole "learning curve" and can give you insights that could take you months (or years) to gain on your own.

Building a responsive opt-in list is not an instant, overnight occurance. It takes work and due diligence. A very wise Aunt once told it to me as a child in very easy terms: "Plan your work, and work your plan." Any time I strayed from that sound advice, I fell flat on my face. But, when I followed her words, I never failed in my endevours.

As your opt-in list grows, be sure to keep track of the responsiveness of it. If you have been sending emails to someone for over a year and they have neither bought, nor subscribed to any of your offerings, and yet, have not "unsubscribed," it is probably time to remove them.

Remember, you Must, by law, place a working "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email you send to your list. Be sure to include a "time allowance statement," i.e., "please allow 5 to 7 days for removal from the list." That way, you have time to remove them from the list, without fear of SPAM complaints if one or two emails slip past before their removal is completed. Always be prompt in maintaining the integrity of your list. Keep organized and updated, and your list will be profitable.

Just remember to keep your subscribers happy, satisfied, and gaining a little extra "bang for the buck" and they will be responsive and more willing to buy from you.

 

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About the Author: Jana Rudisill, Group Manager http://groups.msn.com/YourBizSuccess/

 

During the last 18 years of marketing, I have tried many programs. Each is reviewed extensively before offering them to my opt-in list, and I will not hesitate to let someone know my opinion of how well a program performs. Questions or comments on this article are encouraged; I can be contacted by email at: e6s4life@gmail.com

©2007 Reprint rights available by permission only,
otherwise, all rights reserved.