I’m not hugely successful with list building, primarily because I’m not very diligent about maintaining the relationships I create using the technique, but I do know a formula that works to get people signed up to your mailing lists. It builds up a targeted list of prospects over time, and you can be successful with next to no traffic. This is my Christmas present to you in 2010, disregarding the fact that I am not in any way religious.
You will generate your traffic using PPC marketing (Google AdWords or the Bing and Yahoo! equivalents; I recommend Matt Levenhagen’s membership Xtreme Profits if you need to learn more about that) or search engine optimisation on a specific keyword (my favourite SEO training product is Paul Counts’s Traffic and SEO Course, available from me at a considerable discount; Paul sells it for $67 at the time of writing).
You have to be able to target a specific keyword with the product you want to use to build your list. This should be a generic name and not a brand. Where I have been successful with this approach is in using it to give away scripts, but it could be equally apply to typical PLR training courses and informational products.
I put up a product for people to download on the squeeze page itself, so that prospects can download the product without signing up to your list. There are two reasons for doing this:
- If you are using AdWords, you need to be able to provide what you say you provide on the ad within a very short number of clicks. Whereas squeeze pages are not explicitly forbidden in the AdWords terms, they are now frowned upon because Google don’t want you grabbing personal information that they see as unnecessary. In this way, I can satisfy the terms of AdWords by providing a single-click access to the product.
- It allows me to advertise that the product being offered is completely free. Such an ad is a high-quality ad that will attract a good click-through rate, which is an essential aspect to AdWords marketing.
I am focusing on AdWords with this technique, so you may not need to do this if you are purely using SEO.
So how can you get them signed up? I use specific psychological language to achieve this:
Here’s the [insert product name] you wanted.
[insert link to product download]
But the version you really want is this one!
[Now add a description of a better product that is available for the signup].
What do I mean by a better product? A more souped-up version. For example, if it is an instructional product, the sign-up version could include videos. If it is a script, the sign-up version could have more powerful features.
You could try charging for this. I’m considering this with one of my products to find out whether it works well or not.
In tests, I have achieved a 40% opt-in rate using this approach (with a better, free product available after the opt-in is accomplished).
Download links for the better, free product should be in the emails to make it more likely that you are getting a good address that is read often.
Here’s where you can recoup at least some of your investment in PPC traffic, if not more, immediately. You could offer a one-time offer after your list completes the sign-up. If you are using single opt-in, make the offer just after the click here to subscribe button. If you are using double opt-in, make the offer just after the click here to confirm link is selected. One-time offers convert well, and if you need a script that provides the functionality required, you can find my one-time offer script here; this is marketed using this very same technique. If you’re already signed up to one of my mailing list, you’ll need to sign up to another one to get the best one I offer.
I hope you find this information useful. If you read it as a result of being on my mailing list, I would like the opportunity to wish you a good Christmas and a happy new year, whether or not you are religious. As I stated above, I am not religious, but I enjoy celebrating Christmas with my family; I consider it a choice to do so. I won’t go on, lest this post become a rant!
Hello David,
Thanks for the email list-building information, I found it useful.
(I will START building email lists very soon. 2010 or 2011?)
Like you I am not religious. Christmas means nothing to me.
Just crass commercialism and a large chunk of time when “normal” life here in Australia comes to a halt and it is very difficult to get anything done (except on the computer) because s o many people are on holidays at the same time.
Unlike you I do not have a family.
(It is almost midday Christmas Day here and I have not seen or heard a human being yet today but I have just received an “ohayo” (means good morning in Japanese) via Skype.)
So I will spend Christmas Day setting up test WordPress installations on my new non-cPanel hosting accounts (now that I have finally figured out how to do it using a combination of SSH, Putty and SFTP.)
I have already experienced your OTO/LTO offer a while ago but I may have another look.
Anyway, thanks David and hope you enjoy time with your family.
Wayne.
P.S. the second “word” in your captcha is very difficult to decipher. Slightly better after refresh. I will give it a go.
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davtom Reply:
December 26th, 2010 at 02:24
Hi Wayne. Glad you got through the captcha stage. I am looking into removing it actually.
I will enjoy my time with the family, but some times it is frustrating as I’d simply rather be working. I also find that tempers tend to fray a lot around Christmas time, especially with a certain member of my family who has a short fuse. So there are definite advantages to not having the family to worry about!
Good luck with your endeavours.
David
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P.P.S. I should have said that what I found most interesting about your list-building technique is that, unlike alsmost all other internet marketers you do force the optin for the initial offer. (I have come across others not forcing but it is not common.)
[Reply]
davtom Reply:
December 26th, 2010 at 02:26
As with anything, it’s something you need to do right, but I know of at least one seven-figure marketer who uses the same approach and claims to have tested it and found it better.
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David;
Great Job,
I will try gathering subscribers this way in the near future…….. Great read. Can you let this blog know your results on charging for the better product? A more souped-up version.
I hope your Christmas day is a great one. I am religious. I believe that Christmas is all about the Birth of Christ.
If your religious or not We all are still good people. So, I hope your day finds you and your family well and safe on this wonderful day.
Ron Martin
[Reply]
davtom Reply:
December 26th, 2010 at 02:36
Hi Ron. I like your attitude. I would actually like to have faith, but I am too sceptical. Having said that, I do believe that Jesus Christ existed.
I will try the charging test, and see how that works out. My suspicion is that it will decrease the conversion rate (because a sale is required rather than just an opt-in) but I don’t know what will happen with the offer that appears later on. Traffic is low in the niche I have so expect it to take quite a while.
David
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Thanks for this list-building tip, David. Merry Christmas to you, too. I hope your family visit is wonderful!
“Google don’t want you grabbing personal information that they see as unnecessary.”
Funny. One can’t even create a Gmail account without providing a cellphone number anymore. Google claims it’s for “verification,” but anyone who knows anything about Google, knows it’s for tracking/’keeping tabs’.
Anyway, thanks and have an awesome new year!
[Reply]
davtom Reply:
December 26th, 2010 at 02:36
Thanks David. Yes, it is somewhat hypocritical, as you point out.
David
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Dave,
Every time I receive an e-mail from you I can not help but think of the owner, who has passed away, of the Wendy’s Hamburgers chain.
I have both the basic model and souped up version of your OTO script and intend on implementing one on my first project of the New Year. I will also use your list building technique with this same project.
I will have to say I am not religious but I am A Christian and it saddens my heart to hear someone say they would like to have faith but can not.
I do hope you had a blessed CHRISTmas with your family,
Dr. Clyde
[Reply]
davtom Reply:
January 8th, 2011 at 23:23
Dr Clyde,
I was glad to read your words, although I did not respond to them at the time. Thank you.
Good luck with your list-building efforts!
Dave
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