Marketing a product or service online is a combination of many factors: marketing tactics, technology, and strategy. That’s why many people run into issues when it comes to building an email list. What technology do you need? How many lists do you need to build? How do you use your lists? Let’s look at each of these areas individually.
The Technology To Build An Email List
In order to build a list you need an autoresponder service. There are many quality services available so it’s just a matter of finding a service that is easy to use and affordable.
Once you have contracted with the service you will set up a list. This list has basic settings that will carry over to all of the messages in that list – the person who the email is from, the from email address, etc. You will also enter general information such as that required by various laws to ensure you are sending legitimate emails only to people who want to hear from you.
The autoresponder service is also where you get the code you need to create the optin form on your web page.
The Number of Lists To Create
Generally you will want two lists for each product, plus a general subscriber list. So the number of lists you have can multiply quickly.
If you’re selling a product and have an optin page, you’ll want to create a list of those people who opt in for your free offer. Then you’ll need a list of buyers for that product as well. You can even set it up so that when someone buys they are removed from the optin list, so they no longer receive your sales messages.
Your general list is one that you broadcast to. That is, you send the same email to everyone at the same time. You may set this up as a separate list – or you may merely check the boxes of your other lists to broadcast to all of them simultaneously.
How to Use Your Email Lists
Your autoresponder service is set up to do several things for you: manage new subscribers, remove those who unsubscribe, generate the code for your forms, and automatcially send emails on the schedule you designate. This last function is extremely valuable.
As an example, when someone opts in to your free offer, you can send them messages daily for the first ten days, then weekly thereafter – all with the intent of showing the value of your paid offer.
When someone buys your product, not only do you remove them from the optin sequence automatically, but you now send them an automated series of messages designed to help them use their new product. Plus, you will recommend related products over time that will enhance their use of your product.
When you create specific lists for each purpose, as outlined in this article, you’ll find you are able to target your audience more specifically and provide the information they need and want. It makes your list building efforts easier and more effective.
For recommendations on specific services and resources for building your list, visit JeanetteRecommends.com
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Hi Jeanette
I,m a Aweber user also (but not a “power” user though).
The double opt-in confirmation is a well discussed limitation of this service.
My questions in relation to collecting emails for list building relates to using other 3rd party services such as GoToWebinar, Instant teleseimar or marketing makeover.
1.Do these companies control the email aquisition if we use their subscription forms.
2 Can we import emails fromthese third parties?
3. If we can – do we still have the double opt-in issue to overcome?
David
David – great questions! First, let me clarify something – Aweber does NOT require double-optin. They strongly recommend it, but you can turn it off in your list settings. Now on to your other questions…
1. Yes, the other services capture the emails for you – but you have the right to export those emails.
2. However, in most cases you cannot import those emails into your autoresponder service. It’s a huge risk to them since they did not control the acquisition of those email addresses. And they are not only protecting your email list, but those of thousands of other users.
3. If you were able to import them, then any service will require double optin, in spite of the settings you use for the regular list.
For these reasons, many people have you opt into a list THEN take you to the GotoWebinar or Instant teleseminar signup page. It’s cleaner, although many attendees don’t understand why they need to do it.
An alternative (and the one I use) is to use a self-hosted email solution. But that means that you are now responsible for keeping your email address white-listed with all of the ISPs. With autoresponder services, they do this for you. When you self-host, you do the work – or pay someone else to do it for you. I pay several hundred dollars per month to have someone take care of that for me. So it’s not something for non “power” users.
Thanks for another great question!
Jeanette
In my online business I use three autoresponders, Aweber, Get Response, and GVO. Each one has some unique features which adds value to my business.
I was wondering if you had any ideas on how to track the deliver-ability of each autoresponder?
Thanks
James
James – great question! Each of those has the capability of tracking clicks and bounces, so use those tools. Then compare the click-through percentage of each. And adjust for time sent.
Remember, we don’t really care how many people GET the email. What we care about is how many CLICK on the links. I never care about how many OPEN the email – only about how many CLICK on the links.
Try this because some people are on all of the lists. Send to the lists in a different order to see which one gets the most clicks. Take the number of clicks on a list and divide by the number of people who received it. That will give you your click-through percentage. That’s the number you really care about.
Of course, we love to know delivery rate. But that’s hard to calculate, other than through bounces.
One resource I rely upon is Heather Seitz’s Email Delivered. She has a great service (for self-hosted autoresponders) and she is a wonderful source of solid information on email.