Freedom is not a Pipe Dream (it's an Email List)

Introduction:

The question is not “How do you build an email list”? It is a good question and there are tools to automate everything. But the most important question is not HOW. We will explain that. But it is WHY my priority should be building an email list.

NO MORE ADVERTISING TO PAY IF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN EMAIL LIST!

Once you know that if a client is interested in a subject, AND if he starts to know, like, and trusts you, he will buy everything you can offer on that theme. That is what we call a repeat buyer. He/she wants to know everything there is to know about that subject. There are good reasons to build your email list.

A) Behind every email you have someone who is interested by your subject. Have you surfed on Internet, found some very interesting information, clicked somewhere else and completely forgot where you found that information? It happens to everyone. You can’t count on your visitor to find you again. There are millions of websites. He probably doesn’t remember the keywords he used that got him to your website in the first place.

So while he is there, you have about 8 seconds to attract them to something on your home page. Before capturing their email, you need to draw them in with a word like FREE. A free eBook, free report, a free video, or an interview on MP3. If they want it, of course they’ll give their email to have it delivered in their inbox.

THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS HAVING A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE

B) An email list is your insurance policy. Your list belongs to you, no one else. Google and Facebook regularly change their algorithms. You could lose your whole business setup in one day. (It has happened). But building your own email list is your “online asset”. These are people who have learned to know, like, and trust you. You are communicating with them every day and when you present an affiliate offer, a certain percentage of your list will buy it.

THE MONEY IS IN THE (EMAIL) LIST

The money is in the list. That’s what the master marketers say. It’s the only way to build a relationship with your visitor. He or she sees your ‘about me’ page and decides whether you look or sound trustworthy. Or they hear your voice on a MP3 or see a video. This personal contact lowers the ‘mistrust barrier’ and now they will study what you have to offer them

If you have a proposition of a paid offer and you have 1,000 persons on your mailing list (people that have already downloaded your free offer), you can expect that 7% (according to certain marketers) will buy from you.

THE EMAIL LIST ALLOWS YOU TO BE PROACTIVE

A mailing list allows you to be proactive, like in direct sales. You don’t wait for the client to come to you. You go to them.

One marketer said his list was like an ATM that he’d go to if he needed money. Of course, the paid offer has to be high quality every time and you need to maintain the relationship with follow-up messages. If you do not follow-up, the prospect will unsubscribe from your mailing list. That’s where you use an autoresponder service like Aweber, Mail Chimp, or Get Response. You’re not going to write to each person who opts-in individually. You prepare in advance a series of automated messages.

WHAT DO YOU GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR AN EMAIL?

Let’s talk about the free report that your visitors will want to download.

WHAT SHOULD WE OFFER AS A “LEAD MAGNET”?

How can I deliver it?

You can offer anything that can be delivered by electronic means. You can use a delivery service like the one available on Leadpages. Or get a share link from Dropbox or Google Drive.

Most online businesses use AWS3 (Amazon Web Services). First, get an account with them. Then create a “bucket”. Upload your document. Set the permissions to the public. Find your download link. It is pretty long, so use a good link shortening service like Bit.ly (or the plugin Pretty links on your website) to shorten it and create a custom link that your visitors will recognize.

a) An eBook – If it’s an eBook, it can be written by you or something that comes from a PRL program (private rights label). Always rewrite the content so that you put your “twist” on it. There are thousands of books out there, the rights to which can be bought for a small fee. This is the case of the book offered in the video ‘9 good reasons to build your own money-making blog’. Perhaps you have downloaded the PDF “75 ways to make money with your WordPress blog”. I got the right to use it in a course I bought. I just added my book cover and logo.

But you can offer something that is packed with information and simple to make. I have an eBook of 4-5 pages (it doesn’t have to be long) on ‘The 8 tools I use to do all my videos including my own homemade teleprompter’. It includes photos and prices of the tools (and affiliate links to Amazon in case someone wants to buy).

A ONE-PAGER IS FINE TO BUILD AN EMAIL LIST

The main thing is that it has a high perceived value and that it is something your website visitor absolutely must have.

b) MP3 – It could be an interview of an authority figure that has something to do with the subject of your blog. You can do the interview on SKYPE. You can also read a passage of a book or one of your best articles using AUDACITY to record or edit. Many people will upload it to their iPod or smartphone and listen to it while travelling or during workout. Make sure you use a microphone other than that of your computer. I use audio technical ATR3350.

c) A video – A video has a high perceived value. You could simply film yourself talking about one of your best articles. But you can do a PowerPoint presentation (with animation) that you record with a screen recorder on your laptop. You can use Snagit from Techsmith or with Camtasia software.

Tip: To get started, some marketers ask a known expert in their field if they can interview them. Often you can record by Skype . Another way of getting personalized content is to invite some people to a free seminar on your subject. Film yourself or the speaker. Get is transcribed using a gig on Fiverr and you’ll have all the content you need. You can offer the first session for free as a “lead magnet”. And sell the rest of the video course to your followers.

2. WHERE SHOULD YOU PLACE THE AD ON YOUR HOME PAGE?

Place it in the top right-hand corner in the sidebar just under the header. Create your eBook cover. You can make it yourself on Canva.com or ask someone at Fiverr.com to do it for you.

You can also go to My Ebook Cover Maker if you have several to do. It needs to look like something that your visitors will want to trade their email for.

IS THE TITLE IMPORTANT?

You’ve heard it said that a book is judged by its cover and I would add its title. So yes, work to find the right title if you don’t already have one with a PRL product. You can do split testing to see what works the best. Th

ere are titles that have amazing success stories in the book or marketing world. You can get some tips here from a 6 time best selling author.

SUMMARY ACTION STEPS

Write up a ‘one-pager’ of some tips you could share that concerns your subject.

Always give more than what people expect. Why not give them a free report but also offer, as a bonus,

A MP3 where you (or someone else) reads the content. They will be able to utilize the time that is usually lost while travelling or doing housework.

Get other bloggers to recommend your site to their list.

By the way, I have a free eBook for you. Click HERE to download it (or click on the image to the right). Enjoy!

To your success,

Bert Amsing

Digital Marketing Consultant

P.S. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or help that you may need at [email protected]. I’m looking forward to connecting with you soon.