Lesson Sixteen

List Building

Do you have a list? Do you need a list?

Remember that a list is just more then one person opting to receive the information you are sending them.

In its most basic form having a list just means knowing a few people who know a little less about a particular subject then you do.

When we refer to having "opt-ins" it simply means that the people on your list are ‘opting’ to receive the information you wish to share with them.

So how do I start my own list I asked Guru J?

"Well Paul I will answer that one by asking you to do something for me.  Grab that blank pad and my Mont Blanc sitting next to it.  But first let me ask you a question.  Paul, if I told you I had $1 million dollars in my top draw here and I offered it to you with no strings attached or I picked up this little one cent piece and told you that I would give it to you and then double it ever day for a month and then you could keep the end amount, which option would you choose?"

Being the intuitive business person that I am I thought there must be some trick but I couldn’t imagine what it was so I said I would grab the million dollars.

“Ok”, said J, “Grab that pen and calculator and do the math day by day”.

At one week in 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 cents on day seven so at this point I am glad I took the million.

By day 14 our 1 cent piece has turned into $81.92 so I am still delighted with my wise choice of the million dollars that J had in his draw.

Day 25 the amount is more impressive and remember what ever it becomes is being doubled every single day, has become $167,772.16 so now the math’s is getting just a little bit close for comfort.

Day 30 and my calculator begin to reveal that by doubling the 1 cent piece I now have $5,368,708.  Which is $5.3 million dollars and just imagine if we started on 2 cents or used a 31 day month?

"So Paul, half way through the month it doesn’t look that exciting does it and your list probably won’t either but as things begin to compound, it does get a little exciting as time goes on doesn’t it.

So here is what Guru J was getting at.

You need to have something decent to offer your list.  Like an ezine or as mailing houses all around the world call them a newsletter.  But please remember this….

Your market is anyone who knows less then you do so by creating a free 4 or 5 page report an any of the topics you are reading about in this book would be ideal.

Then of course you would be wise to get an auto responder Lesson One and set it up to send you new list sequential messages on the subject that they have opted to get information from you on.

It is crucial that you do not try and sell people on your list things in the beginning as you must first gain their trust by supplying good free information on their topic.

Once a relationship has been established after 6-8 weeks you can then politely present offers as part of your ezine or information emails.

But if you do make a promise to a subscriber it is crucial that you follow through on it.

If you get somebody on your list by offering them free tips on advertising do not be tempted to send them any offer on a completely different subject even though you may think it is a great deal.

The people on your list will unsubscribe quickly if you send them information different than what they have signed on to receive.

The Guru then got me to write the following tips for growing my list underneath where I had done my sums earlier.

1. Build separate lists for each topic;

2. Write every email that you send as if you are writing a note to a good friend;

3. be very personal and let subscribers know a little more about you just like you would in a real friendship as time goes by;

4. Get your list to like trust and respect you by only making offers with integrity;

5. Automate your business with an auto responder.

Guru J showed me a number of his lists that night and he explained that by having five different lists in five very different niches he had developed a very reliable income stream. Even if his marketplace in one, two or even three of his niches were to be effected or even disappear completely, his lists would still deliver.

After all Guru J had tested this theory week after week and month after month.

Some keys things he told me that night -

1.  Good relationships last a lifetime.

2.  If the people on your list like, and respect you they will always be receptive to you emails and or any information that you send them.

3. You need to create real interest so try to tell your list something that they do not already know. Do your research.

4. Use deadlines by offering discounts for prompt action, after you have, of course, built an association with your list members.

5. Offer special bonuses that are only for your list not general customers.

To sum up the things you need to start your list: -

1. Build a basic website remember Lesson Five

2. Get an auto responder to capture your prospects name, email address etc Lesson One.

3. Send all of your subscribers a polite thank you for joining your list and remember do not try to sell them anything for the first month that they are on your list.

4. Begin to introduce product offers in your communications

5. Process your sale.

O.T.O Goldmine that I will give you some more information about in Lesson 21 is a perfect ready-made offer until you have developed your own products.

If you have a great website building program like XSitePro that we featured right back in Lesson 5 you simply copy and paste the code that o.t.o goldmine provides you into XSitePro and you then have a ready made offer that can appear immediately your subscriber goes to click out from your thank you letter.

6. Spend your money.

One final note on list building -

I believe that many Internet marketers are playing Russian roulette with their email lists.

By sending more than one or two emails each week and especially offers that will be received by multiple lists, you run the risk of suffering buyout from your subscribers.

Unless the information is relevant and interesting to you, I suggest you cull ruthlessly remember lesson eight.

The only problem is that your subscribers will also opt-out unless your information remains relevant and makes them money.

You might want to check out the website below as Glen Hopkins is a master list builder and offers some advanced list building information.

Visit Glenns website <<< here >>>

If you haven’t heard about Glenn he is the list builder that the Gurus turn to for advice and his e-book is one of the best things I have ever read about Internet Marketing.

Watch this brief video by Germain Griggs legendary Internet Marketer about List Building

Wealthy Affiliate Will Not Make You Rich We will Teach you how to Make Yourself Rich.