Building a list

[William Joiner]

After stumbling around on the internet for a year trying various web site promotions, I have come to the conclusion that a mailing list is the only way to make money. I am in process of building a list with my free web site at www.billjoiner.ws.

What is a ball park number for a minimum number of members in a list to do a joint venture? I do not have a product but would use my member list for the joint venture.

Also, I would like any suggestions and advise as I am a greenhorn.

[Mike Merz]

Hi, William ... welcome to JV Notify Pro.

Though it's not the size that counts (no innuendo intended), but the relationship you have with your list ... and how targeted the list is to the offers you're passing on to them ... most merchants that are searching for potentially productive JV partners (as opposed to simple affiliates) look for a list of 1500 to 3000 as a starting point ... some as high as 10,000.

But ... again ...minimum list size is just one way of pre qualifying a potential JV candidate ... and it's not always a prerequisite.

Best,

Mike Merz

[Jack Bissey]

Bill,

I too am struggling to build a list....I have one product now, my own ebook and another in the works......I will share any information I have and if you get a list together and want to test market using my ebook, i would be happy to discuss it.

Regards,

Jack

[Edmund Loh]

Bill,

I too am struggling to build a list....I have one product now, my own ebook and another in the works......I will share any information I have and if you get a list together and want to test market using my ebook, i would be happy to discuss it.

Regards,

Jack

Hi Jack,

Re. building your mailing list, I can share a method with you though it's quite basic (because if I write it all here, it may as well be a book!)

Looks like you have an eBook ready and another one in the making, so you'll want to prioritize your Internet Business Model this way:

1. Make your Index page a Landing Page to collect leads. Tip: You say you have another book in the making, right? Why not use it as a special report to offer to your visitors for free in exchange for subscribing to your list? It'll give them a further incentive.

2. When they subscribe, they'll go to your Thank You page to download the report. Cash makers are here now: you pre-sell your main book in the Thank You page. Secondly, you have links mostly pointing back to the sales letter of that book. Thirdly, you may want to gently remind your subscribers about it via follow up emails. :P

I've done quite well focusing on these 3 gentle reminders that I was able to sell a $97.00 Resell Rights products up until now since the day I started online. 8)

Of course, the success factors include:
- how well your sales letter is written
- how well your special report and main ebook is linked and related together


With the system taken care of, your main methods of building your list (effectively) include:
- joining Give Aways (better if you're in the Internet Marketing circle)
- PPC (I personally dont do this, but have had friends do well with this)
- eZine advertising (I do this one, but repeat advertising and compelling ads count)
- ad swaps (my favorite!)

This is just a general outline but I hope this helps.

Edmund Loh

[Sam Heyer]

Hi Bill and Jack,

Edmund hit the nail on the head. I'm not sure why his strategy seems so secret to many (I think because marketers are still raking money in from this method) ...

But I can personally say that his simple method that he laid out works incredibly. It will build you lists with numbers far greater than any other method - my "squeeze pages" as they're called convert at over 50% - but as Mike said, it's not really the subscribers that will get you money, it's how you sell to them...

That all ties in with the relationship of your list, but the upsell and backend selling of your list is crucial. Many refer to this as the marketing funnel ... you start by selling them smaller priced items and then work them down the funnel until you are selling high ticket items. Now naturally you are going to sell more items at $19 then at $5000, but that doesn't mean you're going to make more profit there.

Another quick lesson about your list is something that I have a course coming out soon on ... your "list" isn't just your list. It is compiled with 5 different groups of people and once you know this, you will be multiplying profits many times over.

Your list starts with subscribers (the ones that signup for the freebies) then you have the affiliate (the person that might/might not buy, but promotes) then you have the customer (one time buyer of smaller product) then you have the long term customer (the person that buys over and over again - high levels of trust) then there are the JV partners.

All of these people come from your simple lists. When you are selling to your list, don't just sell the $29 ebook over and over again. Think about the model that I just showed you and work people down the marketing funnel while keeping the 5 different groups in mind. I have yet to see someone not make money with their list using this model.

I hope this helps ... if you have any questions about Edmunds system ASK! This will help you tremendously, so if anything is unclear just post a question.

Have a great day,
Sam

P.S. Thanks for that invaluable post Edmund

[KingUmar]

Hi edmund,

Thanks for your valuable information,

Regards,

Kingumar

[TimothyP]

Thank You Gentlemen For Your Comments ........

As a newcomer to this forum, I certainly fall into the category of trying to put it all together.

The key phrase for me from Edmund's comments was "Once your SYSTEM is in place .....". My biggest shortcoming has been impatience ... not hammering in all of the nails on a particular project and getting it out there half-arsed, and then moving on to the next half-arsed effort.

It is certainly worth noting that the first post on this thread was over 2 years ago, and the advice being given is still straight on today.

One of my goals for joining this forum was to immerse myself in a community that communicated more on a personal level as opposed to the general Internet "My Dog's Bigger Than Your Dog". I am as success driven as the next guy, but a little honest, straight forward banter from time to time is certainly refreshing. My first several days exploring this forum lead me to believe that I have made a good choice.

Well, off to review my own list building efforts in hopes that one day we may be working together.

Enjoy Your Journey,

Timothy Prahl

[charleskirkland]

This is one big question that you need to ask.

Do you have a list of BUYERS or FREE seekers. Both are good but you need to know the buyers have much better quality- they will spend more LOTS more.

One way to kill 2 birds with 1 stone is this. It really works.

1. Go buy a copy of Sid Hales Rapid Action Profts script, get a paypal account and get a Aweber account.

2. Setup your script to give 100% on the front end and the OTO and OTO downsell. (Yes there is a way to do a OTO downsell with this script. Oliver Bowen made it happen. Plus he is a member here.)

3. Now get you aweber acount setup with do a popup or a inline frame inside the sales letter. This is part of the list building. you are giving the JV's 100% so you have every right to get every name you can. Give out the free report on the popup or the inline frame.

4. Go get JV's with a list and tell them you will give them 100% instant paypal payments if they promote.

5. Make sure you have a killer set of JV tools ready for your JV's, emails, banners, text link, etc.

6. Make sure you have a good followup in place and make sure your remove the person from your freeopt list to your buyer list.

7. Setup the JV's with a higher % then just buyers. This ways when the buyers send traffic they get a lower cut.

8. Use a TAF to gain extra traffic. ViralInviter works really good.


What are the benifits of a good list?

This is from 1 email Monday and 1 email Tuesday to a small list of buyers.




This is the power of having buyers on your list.

Thanks
Charles Kirkland

[charleskirkland]

My answer must have NOT been very good since nobody has followed up.

Charles

[affiliaterockstarx]

Great answer...