Build Your Subscriber List Quick and Easy

Woman in a neon triangle

Subscriber List: A thing of value

It would be quite understandable if you have looked at the title of this post and muttered to yourself something along the line of, this guy (meaning me, the writer) is crazy, there’s no such thing as “quick and easy” when building a subscriber list. You might express even more disbelief if you had started a subscriber list that did not work out as well as you had expected. So if this sounds familiar I’d ask that you don’t click away yet, and don’t give up on building your subscriber list yet either, because we may be able to help each other.

Of course, I’m assuming that a subscriber list is something you still value and would like to have; and if that is true then let me suggest that you make a fresh start by utilizing the suggestions outlined further down this page; but before we proceed it might be helpful to share some of our previous efforts to build a subscriber list, because it is important to recognize and separate methods that failed from those that work so we can avoid the former and utilize the latter.

If you’re like I was I discovered the subscriber list-building methods that really work, you probably have read countless articles and success stories of people creating small fortunes with subscriber lists and sought expert advice on how to create a subscriber list of your own. Then when you thought you knew everything there is to know about building subscriber lists and have followed their advice to the letter and still weren’t able to create a list you can make a profit with, you became upset and this led to disappointment and, ultimately surrender; and you stopped trying.

Proper research

Then you decided to invest your money in a different way by hiring professional email marketers, subscriber list builders and content writers to help you out, but quickly realized that the expenses you incurred, when compared to the very small percentage of your subscribers who actually bought anything from you, it was clear that you were still in an unprofitable position; especially after seeing the statistics and sales figures yielded by campaigns you launched with the help of those so-called professionals.

So you asked yourself, what could have gone wrong? Why have others succeeded where you have failed? Could it have been that you committed the common mistake of launching email marketing campaigns without the proper research? Or that you chose a topic you thought to be quite popular but it turned out not to be the case? One lesson which is learned from proper research is that list subscribers do not buy a product or service instantly simply based on their subscriber status or because the email marketer (you or I) sent them offers.

I’ve learned that the first and most important step you can take in order to build a profitable subscriber list is to get your potential customers to know, like and trust you after which they are more likely to take a chance on your products; because let’s face it, just launching an subscriber list would not make you an expert and a believable seller. You have to put some acquaintance work into the process by publishing a number of articles on your chosen topic, presumeably the subject you know best and feel most passionate about.

Consistency

If your chosen topic is not the one you know most about, then change it and write about the topic you know well, and make sure your overal website theme is based on the same topic so that your articles, blog posts and website theme conform to the same topic. This is known as consistency and it is the one element that helps to establish expertise and create trust between a website publisher and audience more than any other.

In addition to consistency of topic in your articles and website theme, it is certainly helpful to gain some knowledge about your website visitors; because knowing a little about their preferences, likes and dislikes will help you to create the kind of content that will more likely win them over. You can gain this insight by asking your visitors to complete a brief survey from time to time, or even at the end of each article or blog post you publish.

Similar information can be obtained through forums, in the sense that these sites allow you to provide expert advice as it pertains to the topic of your expertise. This is another instance in which the results will not come instantaneously, but rather in time as your participation is recognized as helpful, valuable and – in some cases – indispensable to other forum participants. The expert advice and opinions you provide at these forums should be as forthright and factual as those you provide in your blog posts and, as a result, forum members will follow you to your site and may end up being part of your customer base.

Highlighting value

At the point you feel that people trust you, you will then be able to start your own subscriber list which could consist of subscribers from various sources; and after that you can build a customer base from these same sources which could end up consisting of website visitors, forum participants, survey responders and even your own friends, who can usually be good customers once you let them know about your website. just email them a link to your site so that they will be able to see what your business is all about. It is important to understand that the money will only come in when consumers and subscribers know, like and trust you.

As for your product or service it is important to know and understand that most people looking to lay out their money to buy something is no different to you and I; they want a product or service that they believe will be a good exchange for their money. They are simply not going to buy something on your recommendation if they don’t know and trust you, but they also will not buy an item if it is not worth the money, so you need to find a product or service that people want and need.

You don’t have to be the product maker as long as you have researched and learned about it well and have determined that it is of high value. Invest your time, effort and money to learn what you can sell to the satisfaction of your customer and subscriber base, thereby keeping them happy and you in their good graces. Even if it is a product you don’t want (you don’t necessarily have to like it either), it may well be something your customers need, so do your research well and you would see the results can be very positive (and profitable). It often helps to provide your subscribers with promotional material that they could actually use and spread around, so a free ebook can get generate a lot of interest and positive results.

A profitable subscriber list

By now you’ve probably heard about the joint venture (JV) whereby subscriber list owners cross sell each other’s lists. This technique works only after you have built your own subscriber list; but it might be quite helpful to make friends with other subscriber list owners anyway. This can be most beneficial, especially if it is someone who has already launched a successful subscriber list and have the experience in this venture. Because – as they say – experience is still the best teacher. While there are many articles available on the Web for you to read and learn from, there is nothing like getting a first hand account from someone you trust, so if you’re going to pursue a joint venture it helps to know (and probably like) the other marketer as well.

Experienced subscriber list owners as joint venture partners will make sure you know what to do and what not to do since they also value their lists that they will be entrusting to you (your product and/or service) and therefore must make sure that you do nothing to tarnish their reputation with their subscribers. So while different situations occur for different people, the general concept can still be very helpful to you and them. There are many things to avoid and it is in the interest of your joint venture partners to tell you which ones are most critical.

Building a profitable subscriber list don’t just happen overnight. There is much preparation and effort involved in the process; and since a subscriber list should be built from scratch you will do well to diligently maintain the quality of your list as it grows; keep it organized, manageable and even if you have to get or hire help just make sure that your subscribers are happy and satisfied, and they will be willing to buy from you continuously.

Just for the record, “quick” as used in the title of thisd post is a relative term, so think of it in the context of a subscriber list that serves your purposes (profitable, well-maintained and consisting of list members who know, like and trust you, as opposed to continued failure and disappointing efforts which could go on forever. Hope this helps… Good luck!

 

Unique Touch Will Set Your Entrepreneurship Apart


Approach your entrepreneurship with a
dare-to-be-different attitude, and it will
create the edge you need to succeed.

– Tony Phillips

Your special something

That special something that only you can bring to your entrepreneurship and transfer it to your clients and/or customers has been defined in different ways by different industries. Some refer to it as a “schtick”, others a “modus operandi” or “tactic” and still others, a USP (Unique Sales Proposition/Proposal), the last term used most often in the copywriting business.

That unique touch I refer to adds value to your website and your service or product and is one of the most over looked and under rated strategies for improving your Web entrepreneurship. The Web and modern technology make it possible for anyone to offer that little something extra that nobody else does, and usually at no additional cost.

The why, what and how!

First the Why! Let’s look at why this is a good practice for big and small businesses alike, including your entrepreneurship: It’s a good thing to do because you will make more money if you integrate the schtick into your daily activities by making it a part of your overall business practice!

Second is the What! Now let’s take a look at exactly what value adding is! Value adding is giving surprise high quality and useful gifts. It’s giving something that your competitors aren’t offering. It’s promising the world and delivering the universe. It’s taking care of your clients and always providing something that your clients need and want, when and where they want it.

Third is the How! We’ll now take a look at the different ways this can be done: If you receive a free gift from someone when you don’t expect it, do you remember that person?

NAVAN Global, the REAL SEAL!

The USP example

Answer: Yes, most of us do, especially when it is something we can use or have needed. How can you do this in your entrepreship? The best way to answer this question is with an example as stated below:

If you go out to dinner and order a menu item, what do you expect? You expect to get what you ordered from that menu, right? Now imagine that you ordered a T-Bone steak medium well along with your beverage of choice and whatever side orders comes with the dish.

Say you enjoy your meal and is satisfied with the service as well as the price you pay, which you consider very good or great. You grab the bill and is ready to leave when the restaurant owner comes to your table with a package which turns out to be a bottle of good wine ($25.00 value) from his own cellar and gives it to you with these words: “our special gift to you”. Wouldn’t that make you more likely to go back to that restaurant for future steak dinners? Probably not only steak dinners either!

That’s one simple example, and I understand that it is impractical for you to sell steak dinners in a Web entrepreneurship, but I also understand that everyone may not relate to Internet newsletters or know what an eZine subscriptions is; however, you will agree we all have had a decent restaurant meal at one time or another, so a steak dinner is something we can all relate to. The point is, that restaurant owner got your attention with his unique touch.

The unique ingredient

Think of something you have that many other entrepreneurs don’t or, if others have it, they cannot serve it or apply it with the same skill or touch you can. You may have studied oceanography in college or maybe you’re a good swimmer who never went to college but have a knack for marine life and you own a Web entreneurship/website about marinas. Add something directly from you that anyone else will find it hard to match. That’s the best description of your unique touch / schtick / USP.

So you can see that by offering this free and unique gift you have achieved several things:

  1. You have developed a product (at no cost to you) that you can sell and make a profit on. Think of it this way: Your unique touch, when added to an existing product has the potential of making that product like new. Just like new paint on an old house. “A coat of paint makes it what it ain’t”.
  2. You have used that product to increase the chances of your new entrepreneurship getting repeat customers or visitors to your website (prospects now but future customers), as well as keeping their attention, if not loyalty will ensure that any specials you run and notify them via email they will open, so your list will also be easier to maintain.
  3. You have promoted you site/service to other Web marketers that you may wish to do a joint venture with at some time.

Other ways to add value for less effort is to:

  • Offer a 110 percent guarantee instead of a 100 percent.
  • Offer FREE tips about how to get the best out of your product, etc., get the idea?
  • It’s all just a matter of finding ways that you can give more, because the more you give the more you will receive.

I sincerely believe that and I hope you do also…You’ll be better off for it. Good luck!

Digital & Electronic Products – Unbeatable in Quality and Price!