Help Turning a 25k Optin List Into $5k/month

[Mitch-Sanders]

Hi There,

Any advice is useful.

I am a 50/50 owner on two pocketbikeracing websites (two niches - Pocket Bikes and Mini Bikes) with a member base of around 35k.

We have done several surveys to the users and almost all of them are happy to be marketed to, but only want products relating to the niche.

We currently have advertisers who are buy banner ads from us, but at present the two sites are only making around $1500 with adsense being $400 of that.

What I plan to do, to warm the list up, is do 4 emails over the course of 30 days, which each email just giving them something for free (I have already contacted the one and only ebook owner I found on google and formed a jv with him so I can give away his ebook.)

After warming the list with the 4 emails, apart from contact the current advertisers, I am not really sure of the best kind of affiliate promotion to do on the sites. The goal is to raise the revenue from $1500/month to $5-6k/month doing a weekly mailout.

Any advice would be highly helpful.

P.S. during the process of warming the list, im going to send them a Self Development email campaign, just to test to see how many unsubscribes/nasty emails we get back. I will make sure the product is good and gives away more than it takes.

Some more ideas on the niche are motorcross clothing and alcohol, accept the age bracket is 17-35 with 80% males.

Thanks in advance.

[Vadym Zyabkin]

Howdy,

I think 4 emails over 30 days is a little too spread out. What's your general mailing pattern?

I mail my lists at least once every 3-4 days. And generally, it goes 2-3 freebies/goodies and then a salespitch. So I send 'em a pitch about once every 2-3 weeks.

Don't worry about unsubscribers. Chances are, they weren't going to buy anyway, and you don't need them wasting space on your list.

Cheers.

[ZikideNaim]

Hi,

As Vadym wrote, I think that 4 emails over 30 days is a MUCH too little spread out, I'm sending three to four emails per week. I'm the IM niche I send most emails with content and goodies and the forth or the fifth is a salespitch. while in niches like yours with less competition, with small and responsive community I would try to create fresh content to target new subscribers, to place ads in non related sites as in small niches, people do not always know where to search for information and they will be happy to find leads to guide them.

Don't know a lot about that niche :) but after Googling it and thinking about, I would try to "think different", to send at least 12 per month while most of the emails will have good and helpful content, I think you can come up with a lot of racing related, parts related, news, security, related products content in the subject and although it's a good idea to JV with the "one and only ebook owner" I would try to find a good writer and to create some exclusive content, a new ebook which would help you to grow a targeted list and gain reputation.

Again as Vadym suggested "Don't worry about unsubscribers", You should concentrate in building a targeted and responsive list, but, I wouldn't use the "Self Development" as the main email campaign, I would warm the list with "the subject related content" while dripping the "Self Development" content throughout the campaign as a supplementary content.

Have Fun,
Ziki de Naim

[Ty Hall]

Hi,

I agree with the others - once a week mailing is not often enough. Increase the mailing schedule and you will get increased results from the mailings. Sure you'll have some unsubscribers, but like was said - they probably werent going to purchase anything anyway.

Also - Ziki said: "I would try to find a good writer and to create some exclusive content, a new ebook which would help you to grow a targeted list and gain reputation."

This is the single most important advice you've been given so far.

You want to build yourself as an expert to your list. When they think about your niche, you want them to think of you as the expert in that field. If you do this right, you will eventually be a "rock star" to these people, and when you recommend a product, they will purchase it based on your recommendation.... and you make money!

Go on elance.com and pay someone to ghost write an ebook related to the topic for you. It has your name as the author, your bio in the book, and then give it away to people that opt in to your list, as a bonus when ordering, etc.

After you have spent some time building yourself as an expert to your niche, give some thought to how you can build in a members only website. Is there information within your niche that people would pay $10 - $30 a month for a membership? You have a captive audience of 25K people. Run some numbers. If you can get 250 of them (only 1%) to each pay you $20 a month, then that is $5,000 and you've reached your goal.

IMO you will make more money selling memberships to a members only website than you will by trying to sell advertising on your site. Plus selling advertising means that, for it to be effective for the advertiser, you have to lead people OUT of your website. Not a good strategy in my opinion.

To Your Success,

Ty Hall

[John Taylor]

Mitch,



What I plan to do, to warm the list up, is do 4 emails over the course of 30 days, which each email just giving them something for free


That's not "warming your list" that's training them to expect free stuff.

If you want to warm your list then you need to manage their expectations
by sending them promotional emails.

Yes, provide them with good quality content in your emails, but if you just
send them free stuff.. that's what they'll look out for in your future emails
and when you do start to send promotional emails.. it'll be a culture shock!

With that type of list I'd suggest at least 2 emails every week. I'd look for
affiliate offers that are on topic and offers that are closely related. So, for
example, bike parts and instructional videos on riding tecniques would be
highly relevant. Offers for insurance, travel, leisure clothing, bike related
games etc. would be close enough to be of interest.

John

[Ty Hall]

Mitch,

Again I agree with John - dont give away the candy store. Just give away a sample of the candy, build yourself as an expert in doing so, and you will develop a following. Then when you tell your list to purchase something, they will do what you say.

As a rule, the more frequently you mail offers to your list, the more responsive it will be.

You will literally have a percentage of your list that will buy every single thing you recommend. It is powerful stuff.

- Ty

[Mitch-Sanders]

Thankyou all for your support, ideas and guidance.

I am going to eventually build some products, but for now, going to aim to do 2-3 emails per week, with lots of great content around the topics.

You have all been a great support and I am very greatful to have this community to get advice where I am not yet experienced.

I will let you know how it goes. ;)

[RyanMoran]

I just bought a website with a big list, and the way that I'm recouping the investment and also warming up the list is by running a 4-day discount sequence (straight outta Frank Kern's toolbox).

The same goes when I'm doing an affiliate promo - I warm up the list by doing a four or five day sequence promoting one offer and making it an event.

That builds relationships, because bonuses and discounts are perceived just as good as "free" content... maybe more so.

That does the trick, and I make money doing it.

If you're set on giving away free content, do it on a teleseminar and "launch" the live class. That will get them excited instead of just reading your emails.

[Robert Kimsey]

Give your list content that they can come to know as good info but always leave them with an offer. If they respect your advice (and that is what usually compells them to continue to open your emails) then they will want to know about any products and services that you might have available.

The fact that you offer accessories is good because that is a captured buyer but you should expand your potential market by offering other items for that demographic. If these are 17-35 year old males, man that opens a lot of product potential.

Make a list of things 17-35 year old males would like, like to do or think about. There is your offerings now set up your affiliations with those products or services and hammer it out to your list with the valuable content you are already offering.

Just a little comment from an old marketer

Bob Kimsey
The Vhiper Network

[David Sigouin]

I think sending more emails over 30 days would be a good advice..

Send something like 2-3 emails every week instead..

[Simon Shawcross]

Having been on a fair few lists over the years I've found there are those who bombard with emails sent almost daily- and this is a turn off, for me anyway. Then there are those who are so infrequent I've pretty much forgotten who they are by the time an email arrives.

Two emails a week rich in content or containing links to interesting content and a sales pitch every second or third week gets me onside as a potential customer.

[Kunj K]

2-3 times per week has worked best for me.

Most of the time offering something of high-value for free, then a promotion for a product of mine maybe 1 out of 5 times. And it has to be something that will complement my list well. But I do have a short 3-line blurb about my infoproduct catalog at the bottom of every email. So it's like a "By the way... I've created some great products that will help you become more successful with _____, you can find them at _____.com/catalog"

[Martin R Butler]

I agree with Robert and Si,
There are thousands of products that your target market would be interested in. Check out Amazon and get an affiliate account.

Get into the mini moto forums and ask questions on

sourcing parts
Tuning
competitions,
suppliers
readers specials
Ect'

and with this information, create a newsletter. I disagree with 3-4 emails a week and feel that this sort of niche, people wouldn't want to be bombarded with emails.

Make sure you don't fall into the trap of promoting stuff just for the sake of promoting something or you will lose people.

They should look forward to receiving your emails and not think "oh here's another sales pitch"

[Orlando Cassara]

Martin,

2-3 emails sent out a week works great.

I usually offer something of high value for free,which allowes me to complement my List, then I give a promotion of my product.