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Road to Success

Step 2: Make A List

A list?  A list of what?  A shopping list?  A bucket list?  A honey-do list?  No, you’re an internet marketer so you need a list of people to show stuff to.  What kind of stuff?  All kinds of stuff, but we’ll go into detail on that in subsequent mailings.  For now, what we’re looking for is a list of potential customers who have given you permission to send them emails promoting whatever stuff you’re going to sell and whatever knowledge you may share.

Well, how in the world do I do that?

I’m glad you asked.  There are any number of ways that this can be done.  Some are better than others and some are downright wrong.

Spam

Spamming is never a good thing.  It irritates people who haven’t asked for your information and can lead to bans of all sorts and you will ruin the reputation that will make online business possible.  Just don’t do it.  The only good spam comes in a can.  Mmmmm, I can just eat that stuff for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Well, now that we’ve established what not to do, let’s talk about what you ought to do.

Opt-in Form

As I said earlier, you want a list of people who have given their permission to send them informational and sales mailings.  At its most simple level, you can simply ask for emails.  Take a look over to the rightmost column.  There’s a picture of a pencil and envelope over a basic opt-in form.  You’ll note that the form consists of two fields and a button.  This is basically like the jar that you see at certain restaurants where people drop their business cards in hope of winning a free lunch.  If you could figure out how to give away a free lunch with your opt-in form, you would have a major coup over many marketers and might build your list very quickly.  However, if you wish to bait your opt-in form with an incentive, it is more typical to offer an eBook or other online treat.

Deliver Some Value

Okay, once you’ve gotten someone to entrust you with their email and possibly your name it’s time for you to give something back.  As previously mentioned, opt-in forms typically lead to an “ethical bribe” such as an eBook, video instruction or other virtual goody.  Whether you wow them with a gift or enroll them in a stream of continuous awesomeness or both, it is essential to maintain contact and to provide never-ending value in exchange for the trust they’ve put in you by subscribing.  This isn’t the DMV.  You can’t just give folks a skinny little eBook and leave them in a lobby waiting for something to happen.  Feed them, love them, nurture them and it will all come right back in droves.  The list isn’t just an amorphous ATM machine.  It’s a collection of people.  Individuals with wants and needs and a curiosity about what you have to offer.  You’ve gotten them to sign in, don’t leave them hanging.

Share, teach, inspire.  That’s how you grow a list, folks.