List Building Outline
“I wish I’d built a list earlier.” That sentence is one of the most common answers whenever someone asks, “If you knew then what you know now, what would you have done differently?” Successful marketers know there’s no such thing as “too soon” to build a list.
Tips: Are you a business owner? If you do, you know it’s imperative to generate leads. A business will not grow without new leads. This article is chock full of insights on how to get lots of new leads.
Main eBook Title: Attract Prospects and Capture Them Onto Your List
Chapter 1: When Should List Building Take Place?
– It should be one of the very first steps you take as an online marketer.
– You don’t need to wait until you have an authority position in your niche.
– People love to grow with you, so they will love following your journey as a subscriber.
Chapter 2: Tools You Can Use to Build a List
– Aweber – popular one w/ $1 first month trial
– MailChimp – free option for list building
– GetResponse – another popular email marketing tool; go over features of all, pricing plans, etc.
Chapter 3: Where to Capture Name and Email Addresses
– Squeeze page – video, text, bullet points
– Blog posts – after they read your stellar content
– During the purchase process – they’ll be sent an opt-in confirmation when they buy something
Chapter 4: Creating an Irresistible Opt-In Freebie
– Free report or course
– Interview with another expert or mentor
– Series – 6 weeks, 7 days, one year, etc.
Chapter 5: Let Word of Mouth Beef Up Your List
– Remind your subscribers to tell a friend (or use tools that let them easily share)
– Quality of list emails will spread (ie: in forums, people often ask whose list they enjoy being on)
– Deliver the Wow factor – amaze them so that people are jealous of what your subscribers get.
Chapter 6: Participate in Giveaway Events
– Sign up for or get a group of related niche marketers together and host an event where each person gives one amazing freebie
– In order to get the freebie, people have to sign up to your list for the download
– Everyone promotes to their list, so you’re exposed to many prospects
Chapter 7: List Swap Promos
– Never expose your list to marketers who might not be ethical
– Blast a swap introduction or promo that you agree to ahead of time
– Find someone with similar size lists (or larger) – and make sure it’s a responsive list, not a cold list of old names.
Chapter 8: Advertise for a Price
– Pay for a solo ad in someone else’s newsletter
– Use AdWords to drive people to a landing page where an opt-in is included with valuable content
– Pay for banner ad space in popular forums – or ad space on a like-minded niche blog
Chapter 9: Social List Building
– Facebook – free, viral posts as well as paid sharing
– Google Plus – host hangouts and drive viewers to your squeeze page to get a freebie you’re discussing
– Forum participation – use a signature file to send people to get their freebie and sign up.
Chapter 10: List Retention Tips
– Continue catering to your lists’ needs – retention is how you continue building your numbers.
– Keep serving them over time with surprises and freebies – don’t make it a one-time thing.
– Don’t suddenly change course with your marketing style. If you want to suddenly be a controversial persona, then start a new list to try that out on.
Tips: Go to networking events in your community. Lead generation isn’t just about emails, ads, and social media. It’s also about getting personal and direct communication. Hit as many networking events that you can, especially those related to your target audience. This is one of the most effective ways of generating leads.
Bonus Report: 5 Ways to Increase Opt-Ins
Chapter 1: Have a Controversial Opt-In Freebie (something against the grain, with a shocking slant)
Chapter 2: Give Away Something Most People Charge For (high value)
Chapter 3: Consider Using Pop-Ups and Overlays
Chapter 4: Split Test Your Opt-In Offers (test for everything – colors, headlines, etc.)
Chapter 5: Create a Velvet Rope Area of Your Site for Subscribers (members-only access for subscribers)
Opt-in or Viral Report: 5 Mistakes Marketers Make with List Building
Chapter 1: Promising Nothing But Updates (they’ll just check back or use an RSS feed)
Chapter 2: Requiring Too Much Information on the Opt-In Form (first name and email, max – not address, phone number and last name)
Chapter 3: Not Testing the Opt-In Process (has to be functional – so add yourself to your list to make sure it’s working)
Chapter 4: Breaking Your Promises (if you promised a 12-month series, be able to keep your commitment).
Chapter 5: Not Giving People a Chance to Subscribe at Every Opportunity (everywhere – upon ordering, in the blog, when they land and read, etc.)
Tips: Incorporate social media into your efforts to generate more leads, and you will be more successful. Many people do all of their browsings through social media sites these days, so that’s where your business needs to be. Cover the major platforms with great offers specifically targeted to your potential customers and watch the leads come in!
7-Part Email Autoresponder Series: 7 Ways to Make Your List More Appealing
Email #1: Subscribers Get Discounts and Coupons
Email #2: Subscribers Get Pre-Launch Access and Previews
Email #3: Subscribers Get Deals You Arranged with Other Marketers (like discounts on their products, or early access)
Email #4: Subscribers Get Live Video Access to You (hangouts, webinars, etc.)
Email #5: Subscribers Get Exclusive Reports (case studies, research, etc.)
Email #6: Subscribers Get Tools You Normally Sell (plugins, mobile apps, web applications)
Email #7: Subscribers Get Instant Direct Access to You (via email – you personally respond)
Tips: Look into pay per click campaigns to generate leads. The first place most people go to seek business opportunity is Google. If you aren’t on page 1 organically for the typical search terms they use, then you need to pay to be there. You only are charged if people click the ads, so it’s an excellent way to simply build brand awareness as well.
Articles:
#1 – Can You Build a List Without a Website? (yes – social networks, product sales in marketplaces, etc)
#2 – Should Affiliate Marketers Build a List (absolutely – you’re the guide to the niche audience and they trust your recommendations)
#3 – Free Versus Paid Email Marketing Tools (pros and cons of each – ie: free is limited in size, has ads on it, etc)
#4 – Should You Separate Your Email Lists? (depends – if you want people to be able to sign up for one thing only, fine. No need to have one for each product unless they’re not related).
#5 – Why You Should Weed Out Your List Occasionally (if you’re using a paid tool, you’ll be paying for the total subscribers, even including the unsubscribes – so purge those)
Product Reviews:
#1 – Lead Pages – lead capture tool – helps you create custom landing pages
#2 – MaxBlogPress Subscribers Magnet – create opt-in forms that are responsive for mobile access
#3 – Hybrid Connect – a plugin that lets them sign up with Facebook, create custom opt-in forms, and split test their process.
#4 – Covert Messenger Pro – discreet popup that resembles social chat box – you can use it to build your list and direct traffic to a squeeze page
#5 – OptinSkin – helps build subscribers from blog posts
Tips: Invite potential customers to actually opt into joining your community on your website. You’d be amazed at how many website browsers will make the decision to provide their email. Make sure, though, that you’ve got relevant content to share with them afterward. Think about developing a newsletter or a series of tips emails.
