List Building Tips (Part 13)

Today we continue with the series on List Building Tips. Last time, we talked about JV Partnerships. I hope that you have been able to find suitable partners for your online business. Networking with other site owners is also a good way to expand your business reach.

Let's take a look at two more tips this week...

33. Allow republishing

Many site owners and list owners see republishing as a process that has the potential to lower the value of their “unique content.” Unfortunately, in perceiving the republishing process this way, they deny themselves the opportunity to grow their influence and to gain additional subscribers.

In particular, republishing allows list owners to spread access to their content, gain influence, and encourage new people to join their list.

Furthermore, it is relatively simple to do: whenever you create an article (either in your newsletter or elsewhere), simply include a resource box below (or a header above) that contains information about you, the author and a link to your newsletter. You should explain that you allow the content to be republished, provided that it is unaltered and references you.

In addition to simply allowing republishing, you should make proactive attempts to get your articles republished. Seek out relevant sites, and try to get them to consider your content.

Of course, you can use the usual sources to self-publish your articles in a prominent place. However, a better strategy may involve seeking out high-profile Internet-based magazines and attempting to get your work featured as a feature article.

34. Add testimonials to your squeeze page

When it comes to getting subscribers, it is always a good idea to try to increase your conversion rate. Why? Because it is the quick and easy way to add more people to your list at a faster rate without changing your traffic generation strategies at all.

One way in which you can convert at a higher rate is to add testimonials to your sales letter or squeeze page. Of course, the central focus should be the opt-in form; and you should avoid distracting visitors away from it. However, dressing the margins with testimonials or including them after the opt-in form is never a bad idea. It will build rapport with your visitors and encourage them to trust you and your list.

How do you get testimonials? Simple. Just ask your current subscribers to send an email with their testimonial.

Written testimonials are fine, but if your readers are capable, it might not be a bad idea to include audio or video testimonials. These, of course, are more difficult, but having them on the site will greatly improve the image that visitors will develop of you.


Watch out for more List Building Tips next time! ^_^

List Building Tips (Part 12)

When you work online, it is usually advisable to work closely with like-minded individuals. It is no surprise that from time to time you will see and hear of JV (Joint Venture) Partnerships. There are a number of ways by which you can go into JV partnerships. This edition talks about the three most common ways by which you can engage in the practice.

32. Setup JVs with other list owners

As mentioned previously, cross-promotional methods are some of the least expensive ways to promote your business. And while they might take a while to take full effect, they can often generate tremendous results that will massively grow your list.

One particular type of cross-promotion is a cross-list joint venture partnership. This typically involves identifying a number of list owners who might be able to provide some type of joint venture partnership value. Included below are some of the possible cross-list JV partnerships you might consider:

A. Product Partnership

Very frequently, two partners will collaborate on the creation of a single product that they will then promote to their own lists and to others. At first, you might see this as a means to sell products, not grow your list, but think again!

When your partner promotes the product to his or her list, your name and your site will now be associated with him/her. This will immediately endow you with the trust of his/her readers, which is something that could otherwise take you years to gain.

With these types of partnerships, more is almost always good. As long as you have enough time to manage each of your partnerships, adding additional products and promotional events to your calendar will only serve to expand your influence and gain you subscribers.

B. Promotional Partnership

Instead of collaborating on the creation of a product, you might consider collaborating on a joint marketing scheme. That is, rather than simply agreeing to cross-promote each other on your own lists, you could agree to promote each other in a more broad sense. This collaboration might involve referring each other to clients and to individuals in the inner circles of your respective businesses.

C. Specialized Partnerships

Instead of adopting either one of the strategies above, you might consider adopting a more specialized partnership. That is, you might focus on product creation (and, thus, back-end promotion of your own site), while your partner focuses on promotion of the product through his or her list.

This type of partnership arrangement has the potential to provide both profits in the short run; and, in the long run, back-end subscriptions. However, in general, it will be hard to maintain unless you have a JV partner whom you can trust and are able to work well with.

Look into your business at the moment and ask yourself as to what type of JV partnerships you have entered. If you haven't tried it, I encourage you to do so. 

My text ad exchange, Winning Solos T.A.E., has a number of JV Partners to promote increased membership. If you also own a text ad exchange program, feel free to contact me and talk about a possible JV partnership agreement.

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List-Building Tips (Part 11)

To continue on our list building series, here are three more techniques that you can employ to help build your list. 

They are all pretty simple to implement and apply. If you want people to sign up, make sure that your opt in form or lead form (where people can add their name and email address) are available and visible on your site. You can have pop ups or slide in windows to add to your site to capture the information.

Do keep it simple and easy to read, so people won't need to read too much or be confused on what you are offering. Another is to provide a free sample of your report. You can give away say 10% of the work and have them sign up to get the rest.

Here they are:

29. Add more subscription forms

In general, adding more subscription forms to your sites gives visitors more pathways through which they can find your list and join it.

So take some time to work through your sites and decide where you can add new subscription forms. To save time, you might think of adding it in the same place on each page (i.e. on the right margin).

If there is no place suitable, you could have a pop-up or slide in window with your optin form in it. If you use a WordPress blog, there are several plugins that will do this.

30. Eliminate barriers to signing up

In many cases, we can make it difficult or confusing for visitors to become subscribers. Through complicated or long forms, poorly-written instructions, or misplacement of the sign-up form, we make it harder for people to subscribe.

Remember: when it comes to list-building (or any other type of marketing), simple is best. So keep it simple and concentrate on getting all of your visitors to become list members. Once they’re on your list, let them decide whether or not they want to stay, and whether or not they want to buy.

31. Offer free examples

Before someone signs up for a list, they will want to have at least a rough idea of what they’re getting themselves into. That is, they will want to know if they’re signing up to be spammed legally; or whether they’re going to get regular, high quality, inspiring content that makes a positive contribution to their lives.

One way you can help to remove the doubt that people might have about your list is to give them free examples. For instance, you might consider creating a video that is free to view and then ask them to opt-in for the next video.

Another idea is to have an archive of all of your past newsletters or ebooks freely accessible. Visitors can then browse this archive to see how frequently you pitch products, how frequently you provide good advice, free products, and how good the quality of your content is.

So have you started building your list? What steps have you taken? It would be a good idea to reflect and assess on what you have done and achieved so far. Well, till next edition.

List-Building Tips (Part 10)

Never underestimate the power of word of mouth advertising. We all have first hand experiences with this. How often have you actually recommended a favorite book, movie, or restaurant to friends and families? Sure we don't get paid for it, but we do it just the same! 

On the other hand, you also spread bad news if there are services or products that dissatisfy you. Remember that word of mouth advertising is a powerful tool you can take advantage of.

In this week's edition, read about word of mouth advertising, as well as two more techniques you can employ to help you build your list.

26. Word of mouth advertising

While paid advertising and formal cross-promotional methods are an excellent way to boost subscriptions, informal word of mouth advertising is often the lifeblood of both small and large businesses. And when you start building your list, you can encourage your subscribers to tell their friends about you.

How can you do this? First, make sure your content is worth sharing. Ask yourself would you want to share this with your friends?

Next, suggest that they promote your newsletter or website; and give them incentives to promote your list. i.e. a free product, cash or prizes.

If you want to improve the chances of a good outcome, you might consider sending people through a “tell-a-friend” system in order to automate it and make it easy, and also to deliver access to a product download page.

With social marketing dominating the web these days, it’s easier to share content than ever before. Put a Re-Tweet button and a Facebook like button on your web page for your readers to click and share.

27. Ask your readers to forward good emails

Every few emails, suggest and allow your readers to forward your newsletters that they like to friends. Additionally, make sure that these emails contain links people can use to subscribe to your list.

If your readers like the email, and forward it to friends as a result, then you may easily be able to pick up some extra readers without putting in much additional work.

28. Use ‘Thank You’ pages effectively

Another good way to build subscriber rapport—and this word of mouth advertisement—is to send new subscribers to a “thank you” page after subscribing to your list.

Usually, you would have the download link of the free report or info you offered on the front squeeze page, but it’s a good idea to have additional freebies to show you are ‘over-delivering’.

This page might contain free unadvertised bonuses, such as reports, audio content, and video content. Reaping this unexpected windfall of benefits for simply subscribing will encourage your new subscribers to pay you back via promotion.

And having a tell-a-friend form or Re-Tweet button or Facebook button will make it easy for them to share.

List-Building Tips (Part 9)

To continue the series on List Building Tips, let's take a look at some more ways on how you can build your list.

One is how to design you pages properly so that potential customers get to see you "opt-in" form right away. An "opt-in" form is where interested individuals can type in their name and email address to subscribe to something you are offering.

Next one is to do guest blogging or to feature some guest bloggers on your site too. There's nothing better than working collaboratively with other online marketing professionals.

Lastly, it's about joining and participating in JV Giveaways. If you have an e-book or a report that you have put together, you can start joining JV Giveaways as it is a good way to market your information product.

Read on for this week's tips.......

23. Keep your opt-in form ‘above the fold’

Getting subscriptions isn’t simply a matter of sending thousands of visitors to your site. It involves both traffic generation and conversion strategies.

One such strategy is to place your opt-in form above the “fold”—or the imaginary line that separates the content that visitors will see when the page loads from the content that they won’t see, that is further down the page.

Whenever the opt-in form (and your pitch) is placed above the fold, visitors are more likely to see it before leaving the page; and are subsequently more likely to use the form to subscribe to your list and get your free incentive.

24. Ask for and offer guest articles

Another strategy for keeping your list active, energized, and interested in spreading the word is to periodically get guest posts for your newsletter and offer to write for other marketers’ newsletters.

You can select prominent individuals from your niche or outsiders who have relevant information. Whatever you do, make it sure it’s a win-win-win situation, like all JVs should be. Good content, and a reciprocal event between you and a JV partner.

Keep the information relative, interesting and engaging; and it will make your newsletter readers want to stay and look forward to getting more. If it’s really good, they may post the article to their site (if you give permission) which can bring you more traffic and subscribers.

25. Run or participate in a JV give-away

Running a product give-away is an excellent way to generate attention, improve your relationship with JV partners, and gain new subscribers.

A JV giveaway is where many marketers contribute a free gift at one website and everyone promotes that one website and marketers share the sign ups. Running a JV giveaway is a pretty big project but the rewards can make it pay off.

First, you’ll need to get a website up where the giveaway will be held. There are several website scripts that have been developed especially to run these JV giveaway events.

Once you have your site going, you will need to find some marketers in your industry who have a product they can add to the giveaway.

The more JVs you can get on board, the better your giveaway will go. But the real success comes when everyone promotes the giveaway. Make sure there is enough incentive for all who participate to promote the event.

For starters, the easier way to benefit from JV giveaways is to just be a contributor and add your free gift. There are new JV giveaways running all the time so keep a look out for JV invites for them or find them by searching Google.

But when you think you’re ready for it, run your own giveaway as the benefits for running one are many times greater than for just the contributors.

Come back for more tips next week! Be on your way to success. Start building your own list.

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Running a Test

Hey! I'm just running a test to see how my revisions at my TwitterFeed account goes. This is a break from regular topic.

So what's TwitterFeed? Well TwitterFeed enables me to auto post my latest blog post to my Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts. It really is awesome, but sometimes fails to work esp. when I don't get to post too often. So I do some tweaking to set it running again. Thus, this post. :P

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