Lots of marketers, both online and off, utilize the internet to attract the attention of potential customers and build email lists. List building may seem like a trivial task but, in the end, it can be incredibly beneficial. Here are a few reasons why.

• If Google, or any other search engine, changes it algorithisms, you may end up with a site that is no longer ranked as highly as it once was. You won’t get as much random web traffic, either. If you build a quality list you won’t have to worry about your ranking because you can contact those who are interested in your services directly.
• Lists help you to build long term relationships with your customers. A lot of people making purchases on the web do not purchase right away. The browse and shop for a while first. If you keep contact via email you’ll be at the forefront of their minds when it is time to make a purchase.
• Lists are profitable. Say you have a strong following of people who really trust what you say and do. If you launch a new product they’ll be the first to buy it, giving you almost instant sales and profits.
• You can use your list to make a bit of residual income as well. Offer a few advertising spots in your newsletters. You’ll be forming a sort of partnership with your advertisers and the money they pay can help to offset the costs of your web hosting, newsletter creation, etc.
• You can increase sales but offering special promotions to those who are subscribed to your list – like discounts or free gifts. Make sure your website details the  benefits of subscribing so that others are inspired to give you their email addresses as well.

There is quite a bit you can do with a strong list if you’re a good marketer. The trick is to build your list – and your brand – first. Good luck!

Sean

Sales Expert - Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker

You’re probably wondering what I mean by  co-registration. Co-registration may seem like a fancy word, but it’s really a simple concept that allows visitors to your website to sign up for more than one service at a time.

Have you ever noticed that many websites include a list of questions and check boxes at the end of their online signup forms? You have to check a box next to any number of newsletters or ebooks you’d like to receive in addition to the one that brought you to the page to begin with. In some cases, a tricky marketer may change the wording to say that you need to check off the box if you do NOT want to subscribe to additional newsletters. In many cases these services aren’t necessarily owned by the same company you signed up with at the start. Many webmasters use co-registration as a method for promoting the products of marketers who are participating in joint ventures.

You should treat co-registration requests the same way you would treat a request for a joint venture. If a webmaster asks you to include registration form for his newsletter on your landing page you’ll want to research the product he is offering and determine whether or not it’s something you’re comfortable promoting. The same applies if you’re asking someone else to include registration information for your products on their page.

It’s important to make sure the opt-in process is as simple as possible when using co-registration tactics. A web user registering for one service won’t appreciate opening his email inbox to find a flood of “click here to confirm your subscription” messages. It’s best to avoid double opt-in features when using this type of marketing technique. Never make your clients jump through hoops to get the information, whether it’s an ebook or newsletter, that you’ve promised. This only frustrates new readers and causes them to immediately ditch your subscription.

There are a number of automated co-registration services available online, just as there are a number of services for standard list-building. You’ll need to look around, compare the benefits, and make a decision as to which is right for your business based on your individual niche and needs.

Co-registration seems to be growing into an increasingly popular marketing method and it’s definitely one you should consider adding to your arsenal. Working together with a partner to advertise each other’s products will increase the rate with which your email subscriber lists grow – guaranteed!

Has anyone participated in a co-registration venture before? If so, please let me know how you felt about the results!

Sean

Sean McPheat

5 Secrets You Need to Know About List Building

Most Internet marketers walk a fine line when it comes to their e-mail marketing campaigns. While we can all vouch for the effectiveness of e-mail marketing, the tactics used in the list building process are sometimes questionable, if not downright unethical. Never fear – you can work around this and build a profitable list in less time than you think!

It took a lot of trial and error, but I found that there are a handful of things a marketer can do to build a successful e-mail list a little faster than most. Today I’ll share my five favourite tips – and they just so happen to be amongst the easiest I’ve used!

1. Design a squeeze page. A squeeze page is a marketing page that gives a little bit of teaser information about your product, services, newsletters, and giveaways. You’ll use this page to blatantly and shamelessly ask your visitors to leave their names and e-mail addresses in exchange for the information they’ve been looking for. Follow up with your promises and e-mail the information you guaranteed right away. Otherwise, your new prospects won’t trust you and will quickly remove themselves from your list.

2. Create an effective signature and always use it. At this point in your career you should be including a descriptive signature and a link to your website or signup page at the bottom of every e-mail you send. You’ll also want to set up descriptive signatures for use on message boards and forums. The more you tell people about yourself, the more interested they’ll be.

3. Start a viral marketing campaign. Simply put, viral marketing means your information is being spread via word of mouth. If, for example, you send an e-mail offering a free gift or product, you might include a link at the bottom which makes it easy for your current subscribers to tell a friend or family member about the products you have available. That friend will join your list while at the same time sending the original message to her friends, and so on. Viral marketing is free and takes little more than a creative pitch.

4. Implement an article marketing campaign. Write a few informational articles and publish them in online article directories and ezines. At the end of each article you’re going to include a 2-3 line biography about yourself with a link to your web page. If your reader wants more information, he’ll have to go to your page and join your e-mail list.

5. Use strong keywords on your website. Most people find the things they are looking for after performing a simple Google search. Make sure that they find your website by using appropriate niche keywords within your website or blog content. Doing so will cause your web page to appear closer to the top of the search engine result pages!

These list building methods are tried and tested. Better yet, they’re free. Implement one at a time until you are able to determine which one is working best.

Are you willing to share your successful list building secrets? Leave a comment and tell us about what works best for you.

Happy Marketing!

Sean

Sean McPheat

Marketing Consultant - Internet Marketing Consultant - Sales Expert

List Building Tips

Now that you’ve settled on an e-mail marketing strategy and understand the concept of list building, you need to get out there and start actually drumming up names for your list. Instead of boring you with a list of things that I found personally profitable, I asked a few friends to share their favorite list building tips. Here’s what we came up with:

Article Marketing topped everyone’s list. I know we’ve mentioned it before, but I cannot stress the importance of article marketing enough. It’s easy to write an article or have someone write one for you, and it’s even easier to post it on the web for others to see. Everyone who clicks on the link in your article will do so because he or she is already interested in what you have to say, giving your list credibility and potential.

Submit to ezines or other online magazines and newsletters. Take advantage of the fact that someone else has already built a successful e-mail list. Publishing an article in an ezine related to your field will automatically expose you to thousands of interested parties you may not have reached otherwise. You won’t have their e-mail addresses unless they click your link, but you’ve gained a ton of exposure.

Blogging is an excellent way of establishing yourself as an authority within your field of expertise. Publishing informational articles on your blog will keep people interested in what you have to say, while encouraging them to sign up for free additional information when you make it available. These people may join your newsletter list or simply subscribe to your RSS feed. Either way, they’ll be hooked on whatever you have to say.

Give away a free report or e-book. It’s not difficult to find or write an e-book to use in your list building campaign. You’ll give away a valuable product in exchange for contact information. Your readers will know that they’re signing up for an e-mail list, and they’ll be so happy with the free information you provide up front they won’t be able to wait for your next publication.

Offer discounts to visitors who opt into your e-mail list and offer subscriber-only incentives on a regular basis. No one will turn down a discount on something they really want, and people don’t like to feel as though they’re missing out on something. Some people will join to get your coupons “just in case,” and many will find themselves pleasantly surprised by the information you have to share.

It is important to monitor each method to determine which is working and which is not. You should be able to easily tweak or remove any method that isn’t giving you the results you expected. Remember, list building takes time. Don’t give up after a few days or even weeks. The process can take months, but will eventually yield the results you desire!

Happy Marketing!

Sean

Sean McPheat

Marketing Consultant - Internet Marketing Consultant - Sales Expert