Question: Is it your Affiliate program or your opt-in email list?
Question: Is it your Affiliate program or your opt-in email list?
Your product or your list - which is more Critical?
Written by John C Vincent
With all the ballyhoo and hype surrounding the latest and greatest new program, it's easy to forget a crucial ingredient. It's the one necessary element at the heart of all Internet business.
The opt-in list.
Your product may be outstanding, but it won't make or break you.
Don't make the mistake of putting your product above everything else when it comes to your Internet marketing efforts. Don't depend on your product to earn you the wealth you deserve.
A well targeted list
If you want to purchase a luxury yacht, and give it a cool nickname, you'd better start thinking about building your list.
And not just an average list either. You're going to need a well-targeted list of subscribers.
What's more, you're going to need to build your list up until it reaches a peak number. While you're doing that, you'll have to give the people on your list valuable content that keeps them interested.
This builds trust, and a bonding relationship with your list members. That way, when your list is big enough, you can send out a properly targeted offer.
Think about it. If you have no prospects or customers, how can you possibly succeed? It doesn't really matter what great products you may have.
Without a list, you simply won't be in business.
Your opt-in list is the lifeblood of your business. It's your source of customers.
Where would Wal-Mart be without customers? Where would any store be without people ready and willing to shop?
The same is true on the Internet. Your opt-in list is your main source of customers.
By building your own opt-in list, you can dramatically reduce the cost of advertising, because you get to mail your list for free. In fact, each name and email address on your list, has a potential value of $1.00 per month to you (when used properly). So a list of 2,000 opt-in addresses can deliver a potential $2,000 to your bank account.
Now imagine how your bank account is going to look when you have a list of 5,000 people. How about 10,000? Or 50,000!
So ask yourself which you'd rather have right now? A great product, or a large list of targeted opt-ins?
Of course, you need a combination of both. But you need the opt-in list first and foremost!
How do you get an opt-in list?
You get yourself an opt-in list the same way any business gets its customers. You offer an incentive!
With any business, you first need to gain the trust of the people interested in your product. So the incentive you offer should be something of value. It must be something needed by your potential clients. And you must offer it for free (I'll get back to this in a moment).
Use traffic exchanges
A traffic exchange is a great way to build an opt-in list.
I don't mean an automated traffic exchange. They're a waste of time. I'm talking about a manual traffic exchange.
You really can build your opt-in list using a manual traffic exchange.
Unfortunately, most Internet marketers are using these exchanges the wrong way.
What they're doing wrong!
Getting a traffic exchange to work is a simple matter.
Don't sell. Give something away.
I'll repeat it. You must give away something of value, free of charge.
You should not display your site on a traffic exchange. Most sites are simply too busy, and need more time to make an impact than is possible on a traffic exchange.
The person using the traffic exchange does not start out interested in your site. He or she is only interested in getting you to look at his/her site.
So what should you do?
Easy ...
Create a Splash Page.
A splash page is a doorway to information. It loads quickly, and the content of the page can be read and understood in just a few seconds.
A good splash page is a study in simplicity. How simple? Consider a single page with an interesting headline that stimulates curiosity. This headline is followed by a few lines of explanation, and a short form for the viewer to fill out.
On this short form, you ask the potential client for a name and email address.
This form is connected to your auto-responder. When the potential client fills out the form, it goes directly to your auto-responder. Your free information is then sent out to the person who has just opted-in to your list.
That's all there is to it!
Here's what you need to make this happen
1. Get a great free report or give-away ready to go
2. Create your splash page
3. Make sure it has a great headline
4. Get an auto-responder, and load it with trust-building messages
And remember, don't go for the hard-sell in your first few emails. Your goal is to first build confidence and trust.
Why not start selling immediately?
Because your prospect doesn't yet know you. Why would he or she buy from a complete stranger?
Let your potential clients get to know you first. You don't have to be overly personal. Simply let the real you shine through. For example ...
1. What are your hobbies?
2. Do you have a family?
3. Are you into sports?
4. Recommend freebies that you've found useful
You'll soon get yourself a ton of opt-ins (sooner than you think). So be prepared.
Yes, it takes a little patience. You need to focus on this task. But it's worth it.
The first time you get a good response from a mailing to 10,000 targeted subscribers, you'll be blown away by the money you can make!
Smart marketers have retired overnight following this simple, but rarely taken road. Bombing your list with offer after offer hoping to make quick and fast cash surely will have your members removing themselves from your list as fast as they can.
So don't sell, Build!
The well known guru Mark Joyner has been known to sit back for 6 to 9 months, building his list and cautiously targeting his audience, giving away freebies and bonuses. All the time, he's building trust and credibility.
When the time comes to reap the benefits of his list-building, using the list in a responsible manner, he is known to have made six-figures!
Mike Filsaime's success can be found by his almost genius use of free viral marketing sites to build his list.
Yes, the list is very important. But it's how you create and build it that matters.
This is the worst-kept marketing secret on the Internet. Everybody knows about it, but nobody actually does it.
Ask any Internet marketing guru whether or not they would trade their Targeted Opt-in List for:
- The Best Products,
- The Best Software
- A Fabulous Home or an Expensive Automobile :- )
and You'll get a resounding NOOOO!
That's How Valuable a Targeted Opt-In List is to Your Internet Business!
Take my advice ...
You gotta Build That List!
Are you ready to get started, but don't know how? Then visit The Opt In Magic System and follow the simple instructions. It's never been easier to start building your own opt-in list, and you can get started right now...Free!
John C. Vincent runs The Opt In Marketing System Website which provides easy-to-follow, free guidelines on how to build a massive Opt-in email list that continuously makes you money: http://optinmarketing.net/
http://optinmagic.net/
