Archive for the ‘List Building’ category

You Must Build a Relationship With Your Subscribers

February 25th, 2009

By Sean R Mize

Does your prospect have to go through all the stages where you develop more trust, to finally opt-in to your VIABLE contact list, or buy one of your products? No!

Should you make any less effort to continue building on the trust in that relationship with your prospect once they do opt-in or buy? No!

So is building a relationship with your prospect to trust you enough to give you their REAL name and REAL email address worth the time and effort? Yes!

If you offer ways to prove yourself as someone they trust sooner versus later, the extra time and effort is definitely worth it to be almost guaranteed you are going to get their real name and real email address. And if you make your content truly solutions oriented you are far more likely to have that prospect actually open and read your follow up and broadcast solicitation e-mails.

For now you just need to understand that creating a “Multi- Channel Web Activity System” is not hard, and not terribly time consuming. There is a good possibility you have most of it already in place. It just needs some revisions and edits. You just need to integrate the channels you have in place and add the channels you don’t yet have in place.

You can start your “Multi-Channel Web Activity System” with nothing more than a web site, blog, your opt-in page and your options opt-in page and build on it from there. Again, the point is to resist the temptation to drive traffic to your opt-in only page.

Please don’t think you have to follow all the advice in this eCourse in one sitting, one day or one month. Obviously the sooner you get your entire system in place, the sooner it will gain you the results you’re after. A VIABLE Contact List of prospects that trust you. The concept is just common sense; cast a bigger net and you’ll catch more fish.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? Download my new recording for free here: How to Sell Coaching

Do you want to learn how to use articles like this to drive targeted traffic to your site? Click here: Article Writing Guide

—————————————————————————————————–

Sean Mize teaches coaches, consultants, and small business owners how to package their knowledge and sell it in high priced coaching, consulting, and online class packages, and is an expert at using articles like this to drive traffic to his website, and has taught hundreds of clients his secrets. Sean says “If you have an existing marketable service or skill that you can teach others, I can teach you to package it into a high-priced class or coaching program, guaranteed”

Making List Building Work For You

February 23rd, 2009

By Mark A. Abrahams

Whether you’re just starting your online business or have been at it for awhile, you know (or have been told) the importance of list building. Your online business may be very different than a traditional business but the one similarity they both have is that without customers, you have no sales. You can have a lot of “browsers” or “window shoppers” but it’s usually the regular customers that bring in the business. They’ve tried you once and were satisfied so they’re going to come back and bring you more business. They’ll probably even recommend you to others. You don’t just automatically get a list of potential customers. You have to build this list. As important as it is to build your list, it’s equally important to build it correctly and with ethics.

When potential customers come to your site to view your product and sign up for more information or some free merchandise you may be offering them, this is the start of your list building process. Before you begin sending them your newsletters and advertising, make sure that they really want to be part of your email list long term and not just for a one-time deal. Believe it or not, sometimes unethical people will sign up for free stuff with another’s email address so they’ll get the product without having to deal with repeated emails.

This is where a double opt-in system works great. You’ll respond with another email asking them to please confirm that they do want to be part of your list. This can be the start of a great business relationship between the two of you. Once they’ve become part of your list, send them more than just “generic” emails. Get to know them so they’ll look on you as a friend and not just another email to sift through.

Are you really interested in driving massive traffic to your website? Here’s the answer:

Secret Article Weapon – Download your free ebook now.

Would you like to know more about the magical marketing techniques that have helped me to quit my day job? I have just completed my new ebook.

Secrets To Make Money Online – Download your free ebook now.

Mark Abrahams is a full time internet marketer who has helped others to earn a living online.

How To Build A List Of Eager Subscribers

July 9th, 2007

By Mary Jo Adams

Every online business provides great service to generate satisfaction among their customers. As each and every customer receives satisfaction over their products or the services they get, there is a great chance that they will become a return customer and buy again. Better yet, they will recommend you to other people that could generate more business for you and your site. As more traffic is driven to your site, you can entice many of them to subscribe to your mailing list or opt-in list.

This is a list where in website visitors agree to be sent promotional materials such as newsletters, catalogs and such that could keep them updated about your site or the niche of your site. These promotional materials are sent via e-mail to the members of the list in different time intervals.

When using e-mail as the media of your marketing and advertisements, you eliminate the need for high costs. Email is free and if you can manage to make your own promotional advertisements you can also save a bundle there. With an opt-in subscribers list, you are pretty sure that what you are sending out is received, viewed and read by the subscribers and not simply being deleted. They have signed up for service and have consented in receiving it.

This means that there are constant reminders to your subscribers about all your products, new products and services as well as any promotions and special deals you are having. There is also the chance that they can be forwarded to other potential customers as they tell their friends and families about you and your site.

Of course you should be also aware that a subscriber may unsubscribe when they feel that they are not getting what they want or expected. Make sure that they are satisfied with your opt-in marketing strategies and keep them excited in receiving your newsletters and catalogs. Here are some tips that can help you build a list of eager subscribers.

Make your promotional materials interesting and fun. Try to use a little creativity but not too over artsy. Build around what your product or service is about. For example; if you are selling car parts, put some pictures of what is new in the auto parts world, a new wing door possibly that can fit any car and make it look like a Lamborghini.

Try to research what people are looking for, these way, you stay one step ahead of them all the time and you will be their bearer of new tidings. They will be eager to receive what you are sending them because they new you always have fresh and new things to share with them.

Write good articles that can be very informational but light at the same time. If your subscribers enjoy your articles, they will go to your site by clicking the links that you will be putting on your newsletter to read some more. You can provide articles that can connect to many people. Be diverse in your articles. Put something humorous, then put something informational, then put something that has both.

Are you wary about this because you don’t like writing? No problem, there are many professional and experienced article writers that can do the job for you for minimal fees. They know what they are doing and can provide the need that you have for your newsletters, the money that you pay for your articles are going to be met by the many sign-ups and the potential profit from the sales that you will get.

Create and send an E-book to your customers about anything that is related to your business or site. Use your knowledge and expertise in the field you have chosen to help other people who are similarly interested. Offer this e-book for free. You can write about anything informational and helpful to your subscribers. For example; you can do manuals and guides in so many things. This e-book could be used as a reference for many people.

Share this e-book with everyone, even other sites; just make sure that they don’t change the links in the e-book that will lead people to your site. If you want, you can always get some people to write it for you just like your articles. Your investment once again will be covered by the great marketing this will generate.

Add e-coupons in your newsletters that will help them avail to special discounts. Put a control number in your e-coupon so that they can only be used once. When people get discounts that can be found in your newsletters, they will be eager to receive your newsletter in anticipation of what you are promoting next.

If your subscribers can get benefits from your newsletters, they will be very eager to receive them. Just don’t flood your mailing list with mails so that you don’t annoy your subscribers.

==============================
Copyright © Mary Jo Adams
Publisher of:
www.OnSwitchSolution.com Specializing in
Work at Home and Internet Publishing

How To Triple Your List Building Rate With Squeeze Pages

July 7th, 2007

By Willie Crawford

Most people in the Internet marketing arena know what a squeeze page is. However, most marketers that I’ve seen try to implement one do a terrible job. Therefore they get less than desirable results.

For the uninitiated, here’s a quick definition. A squeeze page is a webpage that, when the visitor “lands” on it, he is asked to opt-in to some type of list in order to proceed further. On some squeeze pages, your only options are to opt-in or leave. On others, you are given a method to continue exploring the site without opting in. Purist would argue that the second type isn’t a real squeeze page.

The rationale behind using a squeeze page is that most Internet marketers realize that the vast majority of visitor will not buy from a site on the first visit. So, these marketers make list building their top priority. If they can just collect the email address, along with permission to follow-up, then they’ll get other opportunities to make the sale later.

A squeeze page, generally, has some enticing bullets on it, and does a thorough job of describing what you’ll be able to access after you enter your data. The enticing offer on the squeeze page, that has the visitor salivating to get at what’s behind that “door,” is essential.

The most effective squeeze pages that I’ve seen, used enticing emails to drive traffic to the sites. These emails were either emailed by joint venture partners, or by the product owner who was introducing a new product.

That email that drove traffic to the squeeze page, sent them there already READY to sign up. That email, if it did its job, thoroughly described what was waiting on the site, and so the squeeze page was only a slight inconvenience. It was not enough of an inconvenience to be noticeably objectionable to those who were already thoroughly sold on the product concept.

The enticing email that does the pre-sell is a step many less- savvy marketers skip. Because their visitors aren’t pre-sold, their conversion rates are much lower than they would otherwise be.

Squeeze pages often experience “leakage” because many visitors knows how to view the page’s html source code, and locate the url of the follow-on webpage. So they can just enter that url to access what’s behind the door.

A good way to prevent this type of leakage (if you want to) is to encrypt the url for that follow-on webpage. Another way to do this is to EMAIL what was promised on the squeeze page. So, if the visitor doesn’t provide an email address (or provides a bogus email address) they don’t get to enjoy what was promised on the squeeze page.

If you’d like to see an example of one of the most effective squeeze pages that I’ve seen lately, check out http://ButterflyMarketing.net

On the page above, notice that if you try to circumvent the squeeze page, you CANNOT just access the information. Instead, you are simply given another chance to opt-in. This is a brilliant implementation of a squeeze page.

By the way, you should go ahead and opt-in at http://ButterflyMarketing.net That way you can study the rest of the process being used. You need to see the full picture in order to set up your COMPLETE process correctly!

One other nice implementation of a squeeze page that I’ve seen is one that passes information from the squeeze page on to the next page. So, the next page that you get to after filling in the form may have your name, or some other personal data, right in the copy on the page.

An example of the above might be a site selling pet toys. The form might ask what type of pet you have and your pet’s name. On the next page, as you read through the copy you might see your pet’s name scattered throughout the page, or you might see mention of the specific type of pet that you have.

The type of squeeze page described above can be very powerful if done correctly. If it’s not too blatant, your visitor may not even consciously notice that the page is personalized and specifically targeting him. For example, if that page only mentions the type of pet that you have, or some other seemingly innocuous fact, the personalization will still make the copy talk to YOU more. However it won’t be as “in your face” as when the copy uses your name.

There is actually a piece of software that will generate this type of squeeze page for you. That way, you don’t have to understand how to set up coding that tells the page how to pass variables from one page to the next. This software is called Squeeze Page Generator. You find it at: http://WillieCrawford.com/squeezepage.html

When you visit the page above, enter your name and email address, and the demo will show YOU what your visitors will see when you use this software on your site.

I’ve tested Squeeze Page Generator on some of my sites, and it DOES increase conversions. I prefer using it where it’s less “in your face” as I’ve described above ;-)

When you use Squeeze Page Generator that way, your visitors feel more connected to you and your copy, but they don’t really know why. I think that makes it more effective.

Many online marketers do use squeeze pages, because, while they may irritate a small percentage of your visitors, they have been proven to increase your signup percentages. If they don’t opt-in to your list, then there’s no way for you to follow-up with those who don’t buy on that first visit. Consider adding squeeze pages to your marketing arsenal today.


Willie Crawford has been marketing on the Internet for over 9 years. Many consider him, and his millionaire mentors, the top online marketers. Learn more of the proven “butterfly marketing methods” Willie and many of his mentors use at:
http://ButterflyMarketing.net

Creative Newsletter Marketing Techniques

June 26th, 2007

by Jan D Verhoeff

Newsletters are as personal as the individual writing them. No two should be alike, however, if your newsletter follows a simple format or guideline, the reader will always know where to find expected items in your newsletter.

Subject Line This should be a captivating Introduction to the interior of your newsletter. Topic and keyword guided, this line directs your customer to read the rest of the message.

Greeting This can be either a general greeting or a personalized form greeting where each reader is addressed by name. I personally prefer the general greeting when I receive a message. I feel that a form letter addressing me by my first name is redundantly underhanded. But, each person has his own opinion of this matter.

What’s in the message? This is a Bulleted List of what’s inside the newsletter. It should have a lead in title for each topic in the contents, including a reference to links outside the newsletter if they are part of your content.

Content The most important part of your newsletter is “The News”. Without news in your newsletter, what purpose does it serve? A newsletter is about informing our customer of information that will benefit them, offering them a proposal, giving them choices to revisit your website or purchase your products and services. Be sure you give more than you expect to get from your customers. Free information leads to a need to know, and you can satisfy their need.

Call to Action Every Newsletter should have a Call to Action. Your newsletter’s purpose is to market your website, business, products, or service. Be honest. Tell your reader what you want them to do.

Opt out policy Due to obnoxious spam that floods our email daily, we occasionally need a rest from the domination of news overload. Out of kindness, leave a means of opting out of your ezine, for those who need a respite. If they find value in your ezine, they won’t opt out, if they don’t find value – honestly, you don’t want them there anyway.

Building a credible ezine requires trust between you and your customer, establish this trust early by giving them valuable information in EVERY message.

Claim your FREE Bumper to Bumper Traffic Guide and Maximize Targeted Traffic to Your Website right now at http://advertizeyourbusiness.com

© 2007 – Jan D. Verhoeff

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jan_D._Verhoeff

Recycle Your Articles to Gain Tons of Traffic and New Subscribers

June 23rd, 2007

by Alexandria K. Brown

While there are many effective ways to get more traffic and build your ezine list, the one I’ve had the MOST success with is to submit articles for use on other people’s websites and in their ezines.

“But wait a minute,” you say. “Aren’t I supposed to be creating great articles for MY OWN e-zine?”

Yes, you are! And after your article appears in your OWN e-zine, you should then submit it to others. Over the past few years, I’ve found this to be the best way to get traffic, build my list, and increase my sales, for five reasons:

1) You can quickly gain FREE exposure to TENS OF THOUSANDS (or even HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS) of untapped prospects at a time. There are many high-traffic sites and ezines with high readerships that are looking for content from people like YOU.

2) Articles let you educate and share good information with your prospects. They also position you as an expert in their eyes, so they’ll think of YOU as the most respected resource in your field. (Traditional ads don’t do that for you.)

3) You have the right to promote yourself, your business, and whatever else you want at the end of every article. And anyone using your article must keep this information intact. (More on that in a minute.)

4) This is a tried-and-true method that will NEVER stop working, unlike the latest and greatest gimmicks to spoof the search engines. (Try one of those and see how quickly your traffic halts once the bottom drops out.) Search engines love real content and will always love real content.

5) It’s EASY, and anyone can do it!

HERE’S HOW TO GET STARTED…

1. PICK A WINNER
Browse through your archives and pick an insightful article that really showcases your expertise. Or, if this is new to you, write a basic article on your subject of expertise. (Not a good writer, or need help? Hire a writer from
Elance.com.)

2. POLISH IT ‘TIL IT SHINES
Publishers will not be interested in your article if it contains typos, misspelled words, grammatical errors, or inactive Web links — these goofs would compromise the integrity of their publications. So make sure it’s Kosher!

3. ADD A COPYRIGHT NOTICE
At the end of the article, insert a copyright notice, dated when you first published the article. Example: © 2006 Alexandria K. Brown

4. WRITE A JAZZY “RESOURCE BOX”
In exchange for your letting other publishers reprint your article, it’s customary to require they include the contact information you provide. This is usually called the “resource box” and it should come RIGHT after your copyright notice. Here’s where you can ham it up.

Don’t waste time promoting your actual business in the resource box. Why? Remember your #1 goal is always to get prospects on your LIST. You’ll gain MORE clients and customers by FIRST getting them to subscribe to your FREE e-zine or special report. THEN you’ve got them! You’ll be in front of them regularly, and that’s when they’ll understand why they should hire you or buy your products.

5. SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLE TO ONLINE CONTENT DIRECTORIES
There are hundreds of ‘free content’ Web sites and announcement lists where you can submit your articles for other publishers to use. Some even let you include a picture and other information about your website. One of my favorites is
EzineArticles.com.

6. SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLE DIRECTLY TO APPROPRIATE PUBLISHERS
For best results, take the bull by the horns and contact publishers directly. But not just any publishers — ones with e-zines that accept articles AND whose readers are your ideal clients and customers. A great place to start your search and build your own list is Charlie Page’s
Directory of E-zines.

7. AUTOMATE THE ENTIRE PROCESS

I know you’re probably thinking right now, “OK Ali, this sounds great, but isn’t this going to be time consuming?”

The answer is most definitely YES. In the past, you’d have to spend several hours a week just to get one article out there. It’s a lot of administrative work, requiring time that you probably don’t have.

But my friend Jason Potash has just released his brand new “ARTICLE ANNOUNCER” software that does all this work FOR you. It blasts out your articles to hundreds of directories, publishers, and other sources to help generate a slew of web visitors to your site, month after month.

My staff and I have tested Jason’s “Article Announcer” product and wholeheartedly recommend it. I urge you to see Jason’s information page NOW, and grab your own copy before the price goes UP in just a few days.

Remember also that if you don’t want to do any of your own article marketing yourself, it’s a perfect task to pass on to an assistant, intern, or freelancer. The key is getting it down to a SYSTEM, which is what this software helps you do.

© 2002-2006 Alexandria K. Brown
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” publishes the award-winning ‘Straight Shooter Marketing’ weekly ezine with 20,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at
www.EzineQueen.com

Viral Marketing. Can it really double your sales in a month?

June 22nd, 2007

The Internet Marketing world was shaken up this year by the apparent discovery of viral marketing. Of course this concept is nothing new, but 2006 has seen it presented in a more digestible and available way.

Previously, successful viral marketing was the closely guarded domain of so called Internet Marketing gurus. It was guarded partly because packaging it and making it available was too complex, and partly because some marketers considered their advantage might disappear if the secret got into the hands of too many.

Luckily for the Internet Marketing world, not all viral-marketing experts thought the same way. Most notably Mike Filsaime and Eric Holmlund had other ideas.

Both these men launched software packages early in 2006 which plant the viral marketing technique automatically behind a website. The market’s thirst for such a tool was illustrated when Mike Filsaime’s package, Butterfly Marketing, was launched on 31st January. 28 days later he had sold 1,500 copies at over $1,000 each, famously making over $1 Million in a month from a single product launch.

Eric Holmlund stole a march on Filsaime when he launched Motivated Marketing weeks later. This product provided all the tools given in Butterfly Marketing and delivered much the same functionality. It was also reported to be more robust, easier to install and compatible with more online payment systems. On top of this, Motivated Marketing hit the cyber shelves at just $247, less than a quarter of the price of its nearest rival and not surprisingly, it was an instant success.

In the time since, thousands of membership sites have been set up and launched. So easy is it to operate, some owners of the software have claimed to set up as many as 4 such sites per week. All are armed with the vital component of a viral-marketing backend. This means that as soon as a user signs on they are granted an affiliate url and encouraged to promote the site. Typically they receive 50% or so on any sale that is made from their affiliate url.

Tim Brocklehurst has gone one step further. At his site, copies of the Motivated Marketing Lite version are available at the lowest price yet seen, and it comes bundled with his “40 Secrets for High-Profit Lists” and a motivational ecourse with step-by-step instructions for accumulating a profitable list.

Its not surprising viral marketing is on everyone’s lips now, available at this price, everyone on the Internet can afford to benefit. For more information on this special offer, go to http://www.listmission.com/?lm=894.