Get them to sign up and stay!
Building your list is one of the first things you do right away when starting your online business. It is also an ongoing process of adding contacts daily to your list. When your visitors sign up or subscribe with you, these are all interested and potential customers or clients which will be important to your online business success and profitability.
FREE EBOOK
One way that you can ‘build your list’ is by offering your visitors valuable information through reports, newsletters or a free ebook. Ebooks have always been popular with everyone since they are digital products that your visitors can have within seconds after signing up with you. They are easy to produce and people are wanting information, especially if it is something like a ‘how to’ or ‘top keys’ that will get them excited to want your free ebook.
AUTORESPONDERS
After they sign up or subscribe, you need a good autoresponder set up. This set up should be a series of emails that will be delivered to your potential customer or client on a continual, consistent basis. These emails should be short but provide lots of good information and value.
Within your series of autoresponder emails, always find a way to link back to your site, your products or services. Never sell to your email list. Especially in your first email, which should be a short introduction and reminder why they signed up or subscribed to you. Then start building a good rapport by providing good content and on occasion suggesting they take a look at your products.
KEEP IT SOCIAL!
Including links to your Facebook page, Twitter, Linked, YouTube and any other social media site that your contacts might be interested in following you is essential. Let them know that they can chat, follow, share and interact with you. Your customers and contacts will love the fact that you are accessible and happy to interact with them.
Key to any list building strategy is always keeping in mind it is about ‘building’ connections. It will take time, but if you do it properly you will not only build a big list but your contacts will turn into customers and want to stay on your list. That should always be the goal.
There are so many creative ways to get people to your list. Please share some of your thoughts, ideas and suggestions.
Here’s to your Online Business Success!
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Lynn,
Real-time discussions like this will help people craft better written communication pieces. I’m glad it has been lively!
Lynn, you are clearly doing many things well to have developed such a cool community here. That said, I have a fundamental problem with this post. Perhaps this says more about me than your post.
You point out the importance of autoresponders just before you point out the importance of keeping it social. In my experience, autoresponders are anything but social. If anything they are socially clumsy.
For example, my twitter DM box is full of autosponses from folks that I once chose to follow. In essence I invited them into my home by folowing them. They respond my asking me to invite them over again, “Thanks for following me. Follow me again on Facebook at…” you get the picture. This is the essence of tacky.
All this to say that I must be missing something. Can you help me fill in the blanks?
Thanks Gregory for taking time to stop by and expressing your thoughts. I
certainly agree with you that keeping it social is very important and I hope
I didn’t mislead anyone in believing autoresponders take priority. So
please forgive me for any misunderstanding and I appreciate you bringing
that to my attention.
The autoresponders that I have set up for my business is a series of emails
that are sent after subscribing with me but they are aware that it is a mini
ecourse (if you will) of online marketing tips and techniques my new
contacts can implement right away or contact me for questions and
discussion.
I do see a lot of people learning their way to incorporate social media and
the proper ways to effectively make meaningful connections and build
alliances. Comments such as yours is a tremendous way for everyone to learn
and grow. I am not sure if I ‘filled in the blanks’ for you, but I do hope
that you will come back and visit and offer your comments and expertise.
Hi Gregory,
You don’t mind if I hop in here for a moment, do you? Concepts and technologies are moving along at the speed of light in the cyberworld. Because of this, our jobs are made that much more difficult. We have to remember that this big online space is segmented in so many ways — we can think of it as one huge circle, with concentric circles representing our various interests, or the way we fit in.
We have to remember the importance of “internet literacy.”
What I mean is this: the language, the acronyms, the concepts can be applied to different aspects of our online lives. In the small corner that is internet marketing and online business, “autoresponder” and “autoresponse” conjures up the vision of us whipping out the credit card to pay our email marketing service provider. Thoughts turn to the next newsletter that has to be crafted and loaded into the autoresponse system.
And while a direct message (DM) on Twitter is indeed an autoresponse, it is unlikely that business people actually refer to it that way when they’re not on Twitter. Sorta like if you were having a face-to-face conversation with someone and they said, “Gregory, I like you!” You wouldn’t somehow think that the the FaceBook technique of “liking” someone is what your friend meant.
Don’t mean to ramble. Just wanted to add to what Lynn said because it seems we are indeed crafting yet another type of literacy and we need to be aware it is happening. Thanks Gregory (and Lynn!) for letting me chime in here.
Vernessa chiming is very much allowed! And I really enjoy your analogy with
the ‘one huge circle, with concentric circles representing our various
interests’ – that is certainly how things are going in our online world.
Thank you so much for adding value and interesting, thought provoking
comments on this topic. Sure glad you did jump in and I invite everyone to
feel free to add their voice as well.
Thank you Lynn. You always make me feel welcome; it’s so much easier to share your thoughts in a warm atmosphere. (Bring on the coffee!)
I appreciate your response ladies. Thanks for taking the time to address my reply. I don’t think I communicated my response very well so I hope its ok if I try again.
How do you (for example) make autorsponders personal and social? I understand Lynn’s point about her auto-emails being, “sent after subscribing with me but they are aware that it is a mini ecourse” but making those auto-emails personal seems to be the sticking point. Is it just about the content of the auto responder?
Thanks again for your input. I appreciate your expertise.
Thanks Gregory, I enjoy the feedback and people like you getting into
the discussions. We all can learn and gain different perspectives, ideas
and different ways to look at our business.
I use iContact and they continue to try to make the autoresponder experince
more personal. One thing I always do is use my contacts first name in the
subject line and again in the body of the email.
Next, I provide good quality content and usually a marketing tip or
technique. Finally, I will always add a call to action – especially to let
them know that questions, ideas or suggestions are always welcome. My
social share buttons are included along with the link to my blog.
I think Vernessa was pointing out that our cyberspace is constantly changing
and autoresponders were always about ‘sales pitches’ and not being used in a
more social way. However, it is up to the online business
owner/entrepreneur to make the experience for their potential clients
meaningful, social and engaging whether that is through autoresponder
format, blogging or making videos.
Autoresponders are just one small tool that is a wonderful way to quickly
thank your visitors when then subscribe to your newsletters or sign up to
receive your free ebook or mini ecourse.
Hi Gregory,
Your questions (and Lynn’s answers) get to the heart of what is both wrong and right with autoresponse messages.
Personalization is definitely the key. Making them “social” is a real challenge, but crafting messages that have some type of interactive component in them is one way to inject a social aspect.
Have you ever used an autoresponse system to deliver newsletters or other type of ongoing content? Inside such a system is the ability for YOU to create the messages. You have control of what is written. As Lynn noted, the system she uses allows her to personalize the messages with a first name … I’m sure there are other personalization features.
In a nutshell, that’s the key. Crafting your own messages, personalizing, finding ways to continue discussions (the social aspect) …
Nicely put Vernessa. It is a ‘sticking point’ but as you point out, if you
are an auto responder in its truest sense is not going to be the social
vehicle you should rely on or expect. Working on the proper messaging is
key and will provide additional ways to bring in the social aspect.
Just love how we are keeping this discussion interesting and meaninful.
Learning a lot here. Thank you!
Having a freebie on your site is non-negotiable. However, I do like putting in a live teleseminar, webinar or workshop in there on occasion. Since it has a deadline, you have to go out and promote it and it forces people to sign up by a certain date. Instead of a trickle, all of a sudden you have flood. I just finished one up and I love the results. Now I am planning on hosting a 30 minute call every month.
You know I have heard about how successful the webinars, workshops and such
are. I’m heading in that direction and am planning a webinar real soon. Of
course, since it is my first it will be interseting to see what kind of
results I will actually get. I have heard others ‘first’ trys started with
only 2 or 3 attendees. But I say, so what, at least if will give me good
practice! Thanks for sharing your awesome tips Daphne!
Great list-building information Lynn! I love that there 3 simple focus areas and not a ton of tactics that can overwhelm me!
Being overwhelmed can stop you from taking action. So I am happy to hear
that these tips were helpful and hope your list building is successful!
Thanks so much for stopping by and hope to see you again real soon.
One thing I recently found was that WordPress provides a way to sign up easily and more people are signing up to the blogs then the freebie.
Thanks Roberta, that is something I will add to my list of why you want a
‘self-hosted’ blog vs. the freebies. Appreciate the feedback!
Lynn:
Thank you! I have been working on building my list for almost a year. Right now I have 205 people. I am not sure what the problem is except that my freebie may just bee too much (it comes in 3 installments.) I have another in development right now and is being launched June 12 but I am scared that this one won’t be wanted either. I have done all the list building strategies with very little growth. However, I think that I forgot about the creating connections. I was working towards the end results and giving them good content in my newsletters. Thanks for the shift in thinking.
Maureen I am very happy that you took time to visit and leave your comments
and thoughts. I’m glad that it helped you to change your way of thinking.
If you are open to it, I wouldn’t mind taking a look at your next ebook you
are planning to launch and also your set up for pulling in contacts for your
list. I would be happy to give you some ideas. If you are open to that,
please visit my online calendar
*http://Learnit2Earnit.ClickBook.net*
* *and schedule a free consultation with me. I sure hope that you will
visit again soon!
I love the sentence in the last paragraph that in building a list we’re building connections. When we build connections and build a relationship with the people on our list, we’re actually building a community. That just creates a more personal feeling, doesn’t it.
Excellent reminders, Lynn. Thank you.
Appreciate your kind support Yvonne. And I agree with you about ‘building a community’ – it really is all about that and not just stuffing our lists with names. Sure that can be one strategy, but I haven’t found that to be a lasting one.
So glad that you enjoyed my post and happy to have you share your thoughts and advice.
Lynn,
What a great reminder. I have to get things set up to start building that list.
Well once you get it set up Bruce it will be amazing how you will attract others as they will want to know more about you, your products or services. If you need any help in getting started, please drop me an email. I would be happy to help in any way that I can.
Lynn,
This is the critical part of building your business and that is building that list. You are right we have to be giving something of value away and when they land on your blog or website we should be presenting value in the content. I like your suggestion on keeping things social and showing people where to find you to interact.
Steve
Thanks Steve for offering your thoughts and advice. Well said when you
mention list building ‘is the critical part of building your business’. I
appreciate your supportive comments and am so glad that you stopped by
today. I sure hope you will consider visiting again soon and sharing your
business ideas and tips.
Solid set of tips for getting started. As serendipity would have it, you penned an article about things to do to build your list, and I wrote a guest post (on GrowMap.com) on some of the things that will have your valuable subscribers running for cover and pressing UNsubscribe.
Aside from having great content, relevant offers, and powerful delivery, I’d add go into building a list with an eye to keeping subscribers well satisfied. Many thanks!
Appreciate you sharing your guest post, I enjoyed reading it and what a wonderful analogy Vernessa! I don’t like Spammers just as much as the next person. But it is amazing how some online business owners, still today, feel it necessary to cram our email boxes for their chance at sales.
I do like your comments about keeping in mind when building your list, you want subscribers that are happy, will stay and most of all, feel confident in you, your business, products and services.
I appreciate you stopping by today Vernessa. Sure hope you will come back again soon.
Thanks for coming over sharing your insights, Lynn.
I really like your idea about pre- and post-training for entrepreneurs before they unleash their ezines and offerings upon their subscriber base.
What occurred to me (an epiphany!) is that many know their craft, and they are good at engaging their audiences, but they might not be good writers. Or they might not be adept at spreading out their offers — interspersed with good content — over time.
I totally agree Vernessa! I for one will admit I have a ways to go when it comes to crafty titles, good sales copy and just plain verbiage that holds visitors attention. While I am getting better, it is all about experience and learning from others.
Your comments and advice are what I love to hear in discussions — it is a great way to help others. Thanks again for adding value to this topic. It proves to be very important to each and everyone of us that are looking for success!
I’d better go ahead and admit this … my titles are often to the point yet fairly unimaginative. It’s a toss up for me: do I want people to know exactly what the article is about when they encounter it on the 1st page of Google (haha!) … or do I want them to try to guess around some clever contrivance.
I usually go for plain, dry. When I’m in the mood (really) I put forth some extra effort to see if I can do both. (That’s a secret, Lynn!) ;)
Building a list is definitely a key to success. Like Melanie, I’ve used lots of different offers to get people to opt-in to my list. I’ve found free teleseminars to be a great way to get people on my list and share helpful info with them.
I have heard that webinars, teleseminars and seminars are all great ways to build your list. So glad to hear that it is working for you as well. I’m actually working on getting my first webinar put together. Maybe I can pick your brain for some tips and techniques! Thanks Michelle for stopping in and offering your comments and advice.
Really good info, Lynn!
There are lots and lots of lead-generators entrepreneurs can use to build their lists. You can offer a recorded teleseminar or webinar, 30-minute consultation, tips sheet, free chapter of your book, recipes, templates, a monthly calendar of inspirational quotes, a CD they receive in the mail, and on and on.
And you can change up your freebie offers once in a while to “test” which ones get the best response.
I think list building is crucial to your success and I also think it’s fun to put on your creative thinking cap and come up with a unique and irresistible freebie!
Melanie
Thanks Melanie! Now that is a great list of ideas and some of them are very
creative. I do agree with you about changing up your freebie offers every
now and then, something I have to take some time to do on my stie. Always
appreciate your feedback and advice, thanks again for stopping by.
Thanks Lynn for sharing this info! So many people are confused on how to build their list. I think back to how purchased a $1,000+ product from Shannon Cherry. It started with signing up on her list, getting bonuses from her, free calls to answer questions, and just essentially building a relationship. So yes, it does work! I’m proof!
Yes Kristen, you took the steps as I and others have, so if we think back to
how we got onto others lists, then the trail could be easily duplicated.
Good points. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments.
You are right. Offering freebies is one of the best list-builders! I have freebies all over the internet. I think of building my list as prospecting. I’m prospecting every single day to bring people onto my list. Another great way is to offer something for a JV partner’s list. You get the benefit of building your list from theirs.
Awesome tips and ideas Martha. I like ‘prospecting’ as it makes me think
of ‘prospecting for gold’ and as you always will hear, your list is gold!
Thanks for sharing the JV partners tip too!
Ohhh….I, too, like the image of prospecting…maybe because I like bright, shiny objects? But, seriously that speaks to me of taking a proactive, focused approach. After all, successful gold miners researched their claim, invested in it and in the tools necessary, then panned in a very methodical way for one thing…not all up and down the riverbed. Casting a wider net, I have learned, just doesn’t work and I find myself tightening my niche and narrowing my scope more and more. It must be metaphor week for me. Quick question…what is a JV partner?
Hi Tambre, just wanted to jump in and say how much I appreciate your ‘gold
mining’ analogy! Throwing out bigger nets has proven to me, as you say, to
tighten up and be more specific in my niche too.
JV Partner is a Joint Venture Partner.