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HOW to build a responsive list (and WHY you must to it now)

By Adam Urbanski in Featured

Some people think that building a following on social networking sites eliminates the need for building their own email list. I say they are fools!

With the massive amount of information we are bombarded with, getting and keeping the “email attention” of potential and current clients, is something every business owner should be very concerned about.

In fact, when you see or hear case studies of people who go from zero to tens, even hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits in only weeks, you can be sure those people have invested time and effort to build their own list first!

Having your own responsive email list has many benefits no social media or social networking site can replace.

Consider these 5:

1. YOU ARE IN CONTROL! With your own list you control who you communicate with, how often you contact them, and what format you send your content in.
2. GENERATE IMMEDIATE SALES! With your own RESPONSIVE list you can generate immediate demand when you develop new products and services.
3. ATTRACT MORE AND BETTER CLIENTS! Having your own list gives you an opportunity to create a low-risk point of entry for new potential customers. And your messages educate them about your services and allow you to invite them to work with you when YOU want to!
4. GET MORE REFERRALS AUTOMATICALLY! When you send out good information your subscribers will naturally forward it to some of their friends – creating more visibility for you in a very natural way (and without you ever having to ask for it!)
5. INCREASE YOUR PROFITS. Turn subscribers into buyers and one time customers into life-long clients – largely on autopilot when you understand how to properly communicate with your fans!

And building a list is actually quite easy. Making sure it is targeted, and that it remains responsive, that’s a little more difficult, but something everyone can easily learn.

Here is a simple five step process to get you started:

1. Plan Ahead! Consider how building and using your own database of fans will fit into your overall marketing activities.

At the very least give some thought to things like the subscriber and broadcast management tools you will be using, the type of content you will be sharing, the format and frequency of your messages.

2. Create Subscriber Attraction Tools. It’s not enough to just say “subscribe to my newsletter.” You must give people a compelling reason WHY they should give you their contact information and pay attention to you.

3. Build a Subscriber Catcher. Every business should have at least one website devoted entirely to generating new subscriber opt-ins. And every page of all your websites should have an invitation to become a subscriber.

4. Generate Visibility and Traffic for Your Offer. Even your best “bait” and most effective opt-in page will be useless if no one can see them. You must attract TARGETED traffic.

Start with people you already have as your customers and prospects. Use social networking connections, free press releases, article submissions, special interest discussion groups, and commenting on industry blogs as a starting base.

And remember that quality subscribers are potential customers so don’t be afraid to invest a little to acquire them. Paid advertising methods like ezine ads or PPC (Pay Per Click) are good ways to start.

5. Deliver Value and Build Relationship. Never forget you are constantly competing for your subscribers attention, so send out information they consider relative and valuable.

Remember that you don’t communicate with the “list” but with one person at a time. And – this is a secret key to long term email marketing success – realize that people have more than enough information. What they really want is connection and guidance!

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The author, Adam Urbanski, teaches service professionals and business owners how to develop better marketing plan and strategies to increase sales and profits. His website offers more marketing how-to articles and free tips to create a winning marketing action plan at http://www.themarketingmentors.com

You Are NOT George Clooney – So Get Your Social Networking Act In Gear!

By Adam Urbanski in Featured

When George Clooney was recently asked about his take on Facebook at the Toronto Film Festival, his response was short: “I’d rather have a prostate exam than a Facebook page.”

Now, that’s probably understandable when movie studios (his potential clients) have his number on a speed dial, and pesky paparazzi (freebie seekers and unqualified prospects) chase after his every move.

But unless you already have more prospects and high quality clients than you and your business can handle, your approach to Social Networking should be drastically different.

Frankly, a little over a year ago I considered online networking a total waste of time. Fortunately, I was able to recognize how wrong I was. And I wasn’t the only one that had a change of hearts on this.

After Dell revealed they generated a cool million dollars in extra sales in 2008, (ahm, make it a cool $3 million by June’09!), many other companies large and small started paying attention to this social networking “fad”!

Creating High-Leverage Marketing Assets

By Adam Urbanski in Featured

The single biggest, non-renewable asset you have is your time. There are only three things you can do with it: waste it, sell it, or invest it. As an entrepreneur or a service professional, what you do with your time acutely impacts how much money you can make.

If this year you want to make clients come to you, earn a six-figure or beyond income, become the expert in your chosen field, positively impact lives of many people, gain fame and earn respect of your peers — you have to invest your time into creating marketing assets!

Just like the wealthy invest in assets that continuously appreciate and generate more money — like real estate, the savvy entrepreneurs invest in creating marketing assets that grow your business with no additional expense. What are those assets? Here is just a short list:

• Content
• Info products
• Referral partners
• Ezine subscribers list
• Customers list
• Incoming links to your website
• Testimonials
• Education

So if you want to become the ‘top dog’ in your industry, you’ve got to start doing what the ‘big dogs’ do.

To begin investing your time into creating high leverage marketing assets, use this short checklist:

DON’T design expensive logos. While establishing your uniqueness is important, people will not do business with you because you spent money on a cute graphic!

DO survey your ideal clients. Learning and understanding their needs allow you to offer them solutions they want — and that makes you incredibly attractive to them.

DON’T place ads that feature little more but your logo, phone number and address. Stop kidding yourself thinking you are the next IBM or Coca-Cola and that merely mentioning your name will get people pounding on your door!

DO create content that addresses the most pressing needs your prospects and clients are desperately trying to solve! Write articles, create special reports, publish an e-zine or e-book (or regular book), and record audio/video products. If you advertise — advertise those products not your services.

DO take time to learn and leverage free publicity. Research media contacts, take time to understand what type of information appeals to them, and become good at presenting your information in the format they like best.

DON’T attend every networking meeting you can find. Your time is much too valuable to try to attract business in one-on-one fashion. Contrary to the popular belief — networking isn’t cheap!

If you sum up the cost of your time, the price you pay to eat all that rubber chicken, and the energy to follow-up with people who will likely never do business with you — it’s a very expensive (and ineffective) way to find only a handful of qualified prospects!

DO develop informative presentations. Find large gatherings of your ideal prospects and become good at getting yourself invited as a speaker.

DON’T fiddle around adjusting the shades of colors on your website!

DO look for online communities that already attract your ideal clients and find a way to make them link to you. Ask them to post your articles. Make your site content rich so they will want to list it as a resource. Or sell an info product and invite them to become an affiliate.

DON’T beg for referrals!

DO create ways your current clients can easily ‘give you away’ (like an article or an audio CD)

DO build relationships with referral partners. Create ways in which they can introduce you to hundreds or even thousands of prospects at once!

DON’T try to figure everything out on your own — that’s a very expensive way to learn marketing and build your business.

DO invest in knowledge products and access to experts. An hour or two with a knowledgeable advisor can save you thousands of dollars in time and money wasted on wrong strategies and improperly implemented tactics.

Providing people with easily accessible information about solutions will position you as a valuable resource and an expert. These tools will not only attract all the new business you want, but they will allow you to charge the money you deserve and create the lifestyle you desire.

So stop wasting time eating all that rubber chicken and chasing people who will likely never do business with you nor refer a single client. Instead, start creating high-leverage marketing tools that over time will generate an avalanche of new business!

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2009 Marketing Mentors. All Rights Reserved. The author, Adam Urbanski, teaches service professionals and business owners how to develop better marketing strategies to increase sales and profits. His website offers more how-to articles and free tips to create a winning marketing action plan at http://www.themarketingmentors.com

© Copyright 2012 All rights reserved. Jayde Online, Inc.

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