Top Tips To Build A Profitable List

In the world of online marketing, your list of subscribers is often deemed to your most valuable asset. However a list is only valuable if you have a strong relationship with the subscribers on your list. How many of you have subscribed to a marketer, online business or brand, and then very quickly unsubscribing, or else removing their emails as they arrive in your inbox. A list is only profitable if they are in your particular target market and they eventually buy your products or services, or else refer others to you.
In the world of internet marketing, you will often hear that the money is in the list. However the money is really in the relationship with that list. How many of you have subscribed to a marketer, company or brand, and end up very quickly unsubscribing, or else deleting their emails as they arrive in your inbox. A list is only profitable if they are in your particular target market and they eventually purchase your products or services, or else refer others to you.

So how do your ensure that you are building a profitable list?

1. Focus on the quality of your list rather than the quantity…it is far better to have ten subscribers that are interested in your niche rather than 100 than have little interest. Ensure your marketing is attracting the type of subscriber that you are looking for. If you are new to marketing, ensure that you learn how to market competently.

2. Give excellent value - find something that will be of value to your market and give it to them for FREE in exchange for their email address. Realistically, everyone wants to know WIIFM (What's In It For Me?). You will only attract the attention of your target market if they see that you have something that would be useful to them, and they can have it, without giving away too much. This can take the form of information, advice, or complementary resources.

3. Build a relationship with anyone who subscribes to your list; to build on the previous tip…give value a lot…send links to valuable information, share tips, and solve problems. The more value you give, the more profitable your list will be. There is nothing as unprofessional as a marketer who is constantly pitching to their subscribers and constantly asking them to buy. Guy Kawasaki managing director of Garage Technology Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm and a columnist for Entrepreneur Magazine advised that in our social media interactions we should inform 99% of the time and promote only 1% of the time.

4. Rise above the noise and be different - don't follow the herd…think outside the box…Dan Kennedy is an excellent example of this. He advocates outrageous marketing and has a written a whole series of books with the theme of 'No BS'. He stands out as a 'straight shooter'.

5. Use audio, video and email to communicate with your subscribers. VAK refers to a system of learning styles which basically shows that people learn predominantly in one of three ways - Visual, Auditory of Kinaesthetically - and they do so with varying degrees. This means that in order to maximise the likelihood of our messages being communicated to the masses, and actually impacting our subscribers, we need to try to appeal to as many learning styles as possible. Some people like to watch a video. Others like to listen to a recording, while others like to print an email off and have something physically to hold in their hands while they read etc.

6. Understand the psychology of why people buy - the majority of people only buy from people that they trust. People trust either a friend or a person of authority. This is human nature. Ensure that in your communication you show that you are both a friend, as well as an expert in your particular area.

If you actively implement the six tips above in the development of your list, you will indeed dramatically increase the likelihood of building a profitable list.


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Aileen Gallagher is a highly respected internet marketer. She is a founding member of the Six Figure Mentors and is an associate of YourNetBiz.