aWebBiz Internet Marketing Blog

Promoting your list is one of the most important pieces of the list-profit puzzle. If no one knows about your list, no one will be able to sign up. That’s why promoting your list on your web site is essential and it’s why I will keep repeating it until I’m sure that you’ve done it.

In fact, even if you get everything else on this list right but don’t have the traffic, you are never going to have the profitable list that you want.

The other steps are important, but once your list is created and ready you really need to focus on your promotional strategies to grow your list to bigger sizes!

Add Your Site to Directories

One of the best ways you can make sure you generate lots of traffic and recognition in your niche is to add your site to directories. There are some directories that are niche specific, and others that are more general. The point is that the more places that contain a link to your web site where your opt-in forms are, the better.

Another benefit to submitting to directories is that you’ll get more back links to your web site. This will help your search engine rankings for sure!

If you’d like to outsource this, here’s an excellent service:
RentaCoder

Use Article Marketing

Another excellent way to promote your web site and get more people to your web site (and therefore onto your mailing list) is to write articles and submit them to article directories.

In case the idea of article marketing is new to you, it works like this.

1. You write an article.
2. You publish it at an article directory and give others permission to use it.
3. Web site owners go to the article directory, grab your article & publish it on their web sites, blogs, or in their ezines.
4. Every time they publish your article, they must include your author resource bio (similar to your advertisement) along with it.

Your article should contain valuable information, but not so much that people feel like they’ve gotten everything they can out of the topic. If you leave out some key information in end, they will be more inclined to visit your website to get that information and sign-up for your list.

Here’s the place to submit your articles, if you’re busy and only have time to submit to one directory: EzineArticles.com

Encourage List Members to Send The Link to Their Friends

Usually your list members will have friends that have similar interests. So, why not encourage your readers to send the link to your opt-in form to their friends? You might give them some kind of incentive to do so, as this can dramatically increase the response.

This is another example of social proof at work. Because the recipient is getting a recommendation from their friend, you’ll be a lot more likely to get the sign up.

You can simply put some text in your messages that encourages them to pass your newsletter or opt-in address along. There are even web site scripts out there, such as the “tell a friend” script that will allow them to easily enter their friend’s e-mail address on the spot.

Search Engine Optimize Your Web site

One of the best ways to get traffic is to search engine optimize your web site. When people want to find something, they generally go to the search engines to find relevant web sites. If your web site is at the top of the search engines for certain keywords, you’ll be able to get a lot of targeted traffic and help your list grow in the process.

There are many different aspects to search engine optimization that you need to pay attention to. The first thing to do is research keywords that are related to your niche. It is ideal if these keywords are highly searched and have low competition in the search engine results.

Then, create content based around these keywords that will help you rank more highly in the search engines. You should also work on getting backlinks to your web site, to boost your credibility in the eyes of the search engines. Backlinks are nothing more than getting OTHER web sites to link to yours, preferably ones that are established, quality web sites.

Pay For PPC Traffic

While we all want to rank at the top of the search engines, it often takes a while.

But, there is a way that you can zoom your site to the top of the search engines in minutes. The trick is to invest money into Pay Per Click traffic. You simply bid on keywords, create a small ad, and send people to your squeeze page.

Your ad copy should be compelling, and give people a reason to visit. You might even spell out that you’re giving something away for free. Then, all people have to do is sign up for your list to get their free item. It is then up to your autoresponder messages to take over, build a relationship and help you make sales.

Of course, pay per click, like any advertising should be tested before spending too much money to ensure that you’re getting a good return.

Create a Blog

Creating a blog can be another effective way to get search engine traffic.

That is because blogs contain RSS feeds that the search engines absolutely love. If you update your blog consistently, you’ll have a lot more content that can help you rank in the search engines.

People also love to follow blogs, and will bookmark your blog as well as subscribe to your RSS feed (if they like what you have to offer!). This gives them repeated exposure to you and to your expertise. Sooner or later, they will hopefully be compelled to sign up to your list. Your blog is yet another place to put your opt-in form.

Consider Co-Registration

Co-registration is not for everyone, but in some niches it can work quite well. Basically, you find partners in your niche who will place your opt-in box on their think you page, and you will put their opt-in box on your thank you page.

This can work well since these are proven customers in the niche, but you do have to be careful. It has to be done in a way that is not tricky to anyone so that people know what they are really signing up for. You’ll gain a lot more trust if people realize that they are signing up for your list.

Get JV Partners

Getting JV partners to promote your list gives you access to their list of subscribers. This strategy also helps you to come across as an expert since someone else is recommending you.

You can find JV partners on forums, by contacting them through their website, as well as a variety of other methods. It is often best to contact someone who has a product or website that complements rather than competes with yours. They’ll be a lot more likely to promote the product of a person who is not directly competing with them.

Keep in mind that you will often be asked to promote something for them in return, either now or in the future. Make sure you’re comfortable with everything they are doing before you agree to promote them back.

It becomes infinitely easier to attract JV’s once you have an affiliate program. Obviously, you’ll need your own product in order to do this, but once you do it’s easy to get JV partners. Basically what you get from this is traffic to your offers and opt-in box without doing additional work yourself.

As your affiliates drive traffic to your web site, you can capture people’s addresses before and after the sale. You’ll not only make money by having the affiliates promote for you, you’ll gain long-term subscribers as well.

Exchange Newsletter “Plugs”

Another thing you can do with JV partners is agree to mention each other in your respective newsletters. This does not have to be a hard sell, rather a way to show that you recommend each other’s products.

If the people on the other person’s list know and trust that person and have a good relationship with them, they are likely to immediately trust you as well since you come so highly recommended.

Hot Tip!If you have an affiliate program, offer a lopsided offer, which can really get people interested in a mail swap.

• Offer to send their offer to your list.
• Let them send your offer to their list THROUGH their affiliate link.

This accomplishes two things …

1. It gets your foot in the door.

2. Once the sales come in, that JV partner will likely want to continue to promote your product.

Post a Link to Your Squeeze Page In Forums

Forum marketing is an excellent way to grow your list.

1. Search for forums in your niche.
2. Make sure the forum allows you to put a link in your signature.
3. Join those that do.

After you join some forums, begin answering people’s questions and presenting yourself as the expert you are. People will be a lot more receptive to the things you have to say in this case. Your hope is that you become a very respected member so that you get a lot of clicks to your website and then a lot of sign-ups!

Use Social Bookmarking

Social bookmarking is an excellent way to get traffic to your squeeze page and sign-ups to your list. There are many different social bookmarking websites out there, like Digg, Delicious, and Stumble Upon.

You’ll not only get a backlinks to your web site by bookmarking, but you also get the benefit of people in your niche clicking through when they find your info.

Keep in mind that the traffic from these web sites is not always super- targeted, but it is well worth it to sign up for accounts. Bookmarking doesn’t have to be a daily task. Simply bookmark your best content every once in a while. It can increase your opt-ins a variety of different ways.

Check them out:
www.StumbleUpon.com
www.Digg.com
www.Reddit.com

Comment on Blogs

Commenting on blogs is a strategy that is well worth your time. You’ll want to find a few of the top blogs in your niche and leave regular comments on them. You will get a backlink to your web site, but just as importantly, you’ll get visitors when people click on your web site link.

This is great because it can help you get the attention of an authority that is already in the niche (the blog owner), and you may gain some of their traffic, which is highly targeted.

Use Yahoo Answers

Yahoo Answers is yet another way that you can get traffic to your website. People ask questions on this site on a variety of different topics – and you can provide answers. Yahoo Answers also tends to rank highly in search engines like Google, and people who need answers can search all the old topics as well as start new ones!

This is great for you when you leave an expert answer with a link to your website. Keep in mind that Yahoo Answers strives to keep the spam away, so make sure that the page you have linked to is actually helpful and relevant.

Use Linkbait

Link bait works best if you have a blog and are in a niche that has a lot of other bloggers. Linkbait is simply a way of talking about something controversial or having a controversial opinion. When other bloggers and webmasters notice your post they may link to you because they want to share their opinion as well. You’ll likely get a lot of comments from readers agreeing and disagreeing with you.

Keep in mind that not everyone is going to like what you have to say, and you might get some flak. As long as you can back up what you’re saying, you’ll probably gain respect from both those who agree and those who disagree. At the same time, you may see an increase in your sign-ups!

Write a Press Release

Press releases are a time-honored strategy of announcing new information to generate interest.

There’s nothing new about press releases and the internet. Here’s how it works.

1. Do something eventful or plan something interesting.
2. Write a press release about it.
3. Submit your release to the press release sites like PRWeb.com, including a link to your web site.

There are some free and inexpensive press release distribution web sites. Just search Google.com and you’ll find them.

What you might want to do is announce the opening of your blog or web site, or your new product, or anything else that people would find interesting.

Have your press release link to your web site where your opt-in list is featured. Remember, you’ll get more opt-ins if you have some sort of incentive there — especially during the period where your press release is active. If you make your press release interesting enough it might get picked up by news channels.

Send Articles to E-zine Publishers

There are many electronic magazines out there that have a very large subscriber base. Better yet, they are often looking for authors. You can use this to your advantage and send an article (after inquiring, of course). After your article is accepted, you will be able to include a link back to your website or squeeze page. If people find your article interesting and compelling, they are likely visit to sign up for your list!

Remember, you don’t have to stick to just one e-zine. The more you submit to over a period of time, the more likely you are to be seen by as many people in your niche as possible. Getting your name out there and branding yourself is half the battle.

If you’re looking for ezines that accept articles, you might check out the www.directoryofezines.com

Submit Videos

Yet another great way to get traffic to your opt-in page and your web site is to submit videos to sites like YouTube. There are many people who browse for videos on a variety of different topics. The description area of your video can contain a link back to your web site. If your video is compelling enough, people will likely click over to visit.

One thing that many people forget to do is put a call to action at the end of the video. This is a great way to increase responses to get people to visit your web site. You can even make it clear that there is something available for free if they do visit.

Write Guest Posts

Writing guest posts on other people’s blogs or web sites that are already established will showcase your own credibility. Browse around on Google for the top authority web sites in your niche, and present an offer to the web site owner to write an article for them.

Many blog owners would love the chance to take a break, and many readers enjoy reading guest posts. Make sure you provide high quality content, and you’ll get a lot more visitors to your own web site with the link you’ll be allowed to put there. This will increase your exposure with people who are regular readers of the other website — your hope is that they want to bookmark your web site as well and join your list.

Your ultimate goal is to help people, but you also want to increase your bottom line. Learning how to make money with your list is essential — it’s also important that you don’t make mistakes that could cut into your profits.

Promote Affiliate Products

One way to make money with your list is to promote affiliate products. The chances are good that no matter which niche you’re in, you can find relevant products that people will respond to. These might be information products, physical products, or even services. The important thing is that you check the product yourself for quality to make sure it’s something that you will feel good about putting your stamp of approval on.

Many list owners make the mistake of simply choosing offers based upon their commission without checking to make sure it’s something that their readers can actually use. By hand-selecting what you promote, you’ll gain the trust of your list members and they will be more likely to buy from you in the future.

In doubt? Don’t promote.

Promote Your Own Products

What many list owners end up doing is creating their own products (if they don’t have them already).

This gives you ultimate control over what you’re offering to your list, as you are the one who decides what goes into the product. This is amazing, because after a while you will have gotten a feel for what the members of your list really need. This allows you to zero in on their wishes and hand-deliver them a product you know they’ll be happy to pay for.

It can also be more beneficial to promote your own products, since you don’t have to split the commission as an affiliate. This can be more lucrative in the end. Having your own product can also brand you as an expert. As soon as people see your name on a book or other product, they know that you are a serious person in your field.

Presell The Product

No matter whether you’re promoting an affiliate product or you’re providing your own, you need to make sure you presell the product.

Preselling means to warm up your reader BEFORE he/she is sent to the sales page.

That means using good copywriting skills right within your e-mail that will show people that the product that you’re recommending is one that they actually need. Empathize with the reader, and show that this is a product that can do exactly what they need it to do.

That doesn’t mean you’re going to hype the product at all or lie. You can certainly make a lot of sales without making false claims about anything. It will be easier than you think to presell to your customers if you are promoting a product that you truly believe in.

Create Special Offers

Creating special incentives and offers can help you to make sales. Your list members will be thrilled to get discounts just by being a member of your list. This strategy also makes being a member of your list special and exclusive – something they can’t get from the competition.

Here are some ideas…

Negotiate a special discount with a product owner if you’re an affiliate. Ask the owner for a percentage off, a free trial, or even an added bonus – just for your readers.

Create and offer an added bonus yourself. Provide it only to those readers who buy a product through your affiliate link. For instance, an extra report, audio, or maybe even your notes that you took when YOU went through the same course.

Drop your price just for your list members on a product that you own.

Offer Resale Rights or PLR rights to your own product – only to your list.

Bundle up other people’s Resale Rights products into a package and offer it at a steal.

Offer personal coaching only to your list members.

No matter what you decide to do, keep in mind that you need to treat your list members like gold, which means giving them offers that nobody else has access to.

If you make these offers truly special, you’ll get customers for life!

Don’t Be Afraid To Change Out Products Over Time

It can be very tempting to just leave everything as it is after you’re done setting up different products to promote in your autoresponder series. The truth is that some offers may not convert as well as you thought they would. You need to check your stats and periodically clean things out. Test different offers to make sure the needs of your list members are being met — and that you’re earning as much money as possible.

That may mean trying different affiliate offers or taking note of your list member’s feedback and creating products based around that. Even though your autoresponder series can be “set and forget,” that’s not always the best case scenario.

Building a relationship with the members of your list isn’t easy. The chances are good that you are competing with several other marketers who have a list in your niche, and you need to come out on top to win.

That means building a relationship, gaining their trust, and really standing out. Yes, you probably want to make as much money as possible with your list, but that often means having them trust you first.

This is your “give,” while the monetary gains they will eventually receive is your “take.”

Keep The Long-Term Results In Your Mind

If you’ve been a member of other lists you might have noticed that they seem to “use” their list members. This can really make you feel sick and used.

The same thing can happen with members who join your list. Before you send your message, always think about the long-term effects that message could have. If you’re just trying to make a quick buck, and you’re not promoting quality, it will come back to bite you in the end.

That means if you’re an affiliate you should review the products that you’re promoting to make sure they are high quality. Don’t promote something just because there is a high commission for you! The same thing applies if you sell physical products. Make sure that everything you do and the products that you promote are in the best interest of those who have subscribed.

Showcase Yourself As An Expert

The people who have signed up for your list have probably done so because they want to learn more about what you have to say. They would not sign up if they weren’t sure they could learn valuable information or gain some insights for doing so.

That’s why you should present yourself as an expert at all times. That doesn’t mean being “cocky” or giving out false information. It simply means relaying information you deem important, and knowing that the advice you’re giving is in the best interest for the members of your list.

People trust and look up to experts. Your relationship with your list will grow stronger than ever as you share your expert strategies, tips, and tricks to help your list members.

Show Your Members Real Results or Data

If you run a business that can offer case studies or data; you will get the best results by sharing these things with your list members.

For example, if you are an expert at selling items on eBay, you can show real-life case studies from your sales last week. Show people how you write your copy, price your items, and got the most out of each sale.

This works across many different types of businesses. The point is that people like to see real-time results, and they are often impressed by and respond to them.

This works very well if you are eventually going to promote a product that you have used. So, as an eBay seller, you might have read some books that helped you get to the point you’re at now.

You can recommend the same books to other people, and earn commission from them if you don’t have your own product.

Show Your Readers That You Care

One thing that should be at the top of your agenda at all times is showing your list members that you care about them. This is especially true in some niches where people are going through a difficult period in their lives. It doesn’t matter which niche you’re in, however, people are more likely to be responsive if they know that you care about their needs, wants, and desires.

By simply empathizing with them and showing that you know exactly what they are going through, you will appear as more trustworthy. It should be easy for you to do as you are an expert in the topic and you know a lot about the people in your niche. If you’re not quite sure about what they’re going through, you can always visit niche forums and read posts written by people in the niche.

For instance, if your niche is pregnancy fitness, then visit pregnancy message boards and search for “exercise” to see what questions, comments, and concerns your potential readers may have.

Ask For Their Feedback

Just because you have an auto-responder sequence set up does not mean it has to be a one-sided conversation. You can get a lot of valuable information simply by surveying your list members every so often and asking for input.

Give them some sort of incentive for filling out a survey for you (free report, audio, video, discount coupon, or free service), and you’ll gain access to what they really need and want from your list. This helps build your relationship with your readers because they feel like they are valued and that you really care about them and their needs.

How do you set up a survey?

You can simply have them reply to your e-mail messages, or you can set up a more formal poll or survey. There are many popular options out there, with one of the well known ones being SurveyMonkey.com.

Building a positive long-term relationship with your list will result in long-term profits for your business.