List Building Relationship Secrets
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.
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