Newsletter, Autoresponder, and List Building Tips Using RazorrConnect.com

It’s common knowledge that opt-in list building is one of the pillars of building a home based internet business. As one writer says, “The list is your business.” But why is it then that so few who are starting an internet business actually do their own opt-in list building?

This is the first in a series of three articles on this subject. In this article I answer the question, “What exactly is a list?” A clear understanding of what a list is and its strategic role in building an online business is foundational to building a quality email list. Secondly, I address the question of “quality.” Many advertize ways of building a huge list, but few address the question of insuring the “quality” of the list. The difference between having a mediocre list and a quality list is huge! The latter will make you so much more money. The third article answers the question, “Why give opt-in list building priority?” I will be showing you some hard facts on the relationship between list building and money making.

By the end of this article, you should have a clear understanding of what opt-in list building actually is and have several images that will help you visualize the strategic role of list building in starting an internet business.

Definition of “Opt-In Building”

What is variously called an “opt-in list”, an “email list” or just a “list” is the data base of people, their names and email addresses, that are interested in you and in your niche. They are the people who like what you provide and are willing to hear from you periodically. These people are looking for information about any one of hundreds of subjects (the best cell phone to get or how to use auto-responders or whatever) You make a value exchange with them. You offer them information, in the form of a report, a newsletter, a course, etc in exchange for their name and email.

The reason for this is that statistically 95% of customers will not buy a product the first time they look at it. They visit your site and see your offer and then are gone, likely forever! You want a chance to put it before them periodically. It is said that it takes about 7 exposures for the average buyer to make up their mind to buy. Furthermore, even those who don’t buy might be interested in other products that you will offer in the future. You’d like the chance to continue to give this interested group of people, your opt-in list, information of value and expose them to other products that would serve them. That’s the theory of an email list.

The way to do opt-in list building is by offering an information product (an e-book or a subscription to a newsletter) on a “squeeze” page where they must give their name and email to get your offer. Or there might be a registration form on a home page of a website to get the product.

A List Is: Images for visualizing the role or function of opt-in list building

· A List Is An Audience You Can Sell To.

A store builds a customer base through its location, its publicity and its reputation. They know that if there are no customers coming through their doors they will make no sales. With the internet, your email list is your customer base. Sure, you can drive traffic to your site through umpteen different means, but they are just one time visitors. The profitability of your online business depends on having a customer base. It is your audience. You have to grow your audience otherwise you have no one to sell to and you make no money. These are the people you constantly seek to give value to and in doing so you build trust and rapport with them. You want them to be a loyal audience who love to give you business.

· A List Is a Beeper to Remind Your Audience That You Are Available to Serve Them.

It takes time to build a relationship. The saying, “Out of sight, out of mind” is still true of people. Hence, your opt-in list provides you with a way of regularly getting the attention of your loyal audience of customers. You keep reminding them of products you offer and of value you want to give them.

· A List Is a Key That Opens the Door to Success.

You’re starting an internet business. Your goal is to make money with the hope of one day replacing your job income and permitting you to retire or some such goal. The two most important assets for being successful in your home based internet business is first “information” and second “your email list”. Without information you have nothing to offer people to make them want to be on your email list. But just as important, you may have lots of good information, but if you have no list, or a small list, or even a mediocre large list you still can’t make much money. So your opt-in list building is your key to making good money on the internet.

You now understand what opt-in list building is and you have these three visual images which graphically illustrate the role of an email list: 1) the list as audience to sell to, 2) the list as beeper to remind loyal members of your offers, and 3) the list as key to making good money online. In the next two articles in this series I will discuss what makes for a “quality list” and why and how to make opt-in list building a priority in your online business building.

List Building is the first, most important and constant task of all Internet marketers. List Building is more of a science than anything else. Businesses have been collecting contact information about their prospects and customers for decades. Marketing Lists are all about building relationships and trust with your prospects so they feel comfortable doing business with you. That’s the reason why most traditional marketers fail. Traditional marketers use the “shove it in your face till they buy or run” approach. Building a list takes a consistent effort in order to be successful.

Lead generation involves gathering information on qualified consumers interested in your particular product or service. In the end, isn’t about generating more traffic. It’s about generating quality leads that drive sales. Lead generation is about finding people who are ready to say yes.

The first step in successful list building is to begin with the end in mind. A list of customers who are potentially interested is the core in any customer base. List building is not about getting them to your website or getting them to call you, or to buy something right away. List building should be renamed relationship building. Building relationships with people is the key to a sound future for your enterprise. Building relationships by responding in a timely fashion and providing feedback, builds the foundation for your ability to engage them and eventually add them to your client list. It is important to nurture relationships and retain existing customers. Building these human relationships with your list is the key to the future of your business.

Building your business requires you to become a progressive and resourceful leader. Do this by learning what your customers want, and providing it to them. Helping consumers who are interested in your products to actually find them is extremely important. Building a list requires many tactics working together. The correct combination can build your list at a rapid pace. List size is not as important as the conversion rates and return you get from the list. Building a list is an ongoing project.

A good responsive list takes a lot of hard work and effort but the rewards are worth it. A list gives you opportunity to sell them on future products that you recommend to them. List Building takes care of those who did not buy first time round. Email List Building ensures that you do not have to keep looking for fresh traffic to send to a website each time you have a new product to promote. Free giveaways are one of the most effective list building methods.

Internet marketing is becoming more competitive every week. New people are constantly rushing into the market in hopes of online wealth and a dream lifestyle. Thousands of new voices clamoring for attention. If you have built a responsive list, you are already miles ahead of the new entrants into the field. Building a responsive list doesn’t need to be scary. In fact to build one that is responsive, can actually be fun for you and also fun for your readers. Building a successful opt-in list doesn’t happen in a moment. Building trust from subscribers is the hard part.

List building can be exciting, frustrating, fun and painstaking all at the same time but once the first few subscribers appear it is extraordinary how the whole process gains momentum. Lead generation is paramount to sales success. List building takes the guess work out of marketing. List building is the key to your Internet Marketing success.