My last email talked about the importance of creating systems you can follow consistently.
Growing a large, responsive list was the key that helped me go full-time online more than two decades ago.
And it’s just as effective today.
That brings up the obvious question…
What’s your email list building system?
Hopefully you have several list building systems in place.
Do you know them? Are they written down?
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the options today.
Or to just go at it in a haphazard manner.
But that’s no way to run a business…especially for one of the most important keys that unlock the door of online profits (list building).
Let’s say you’re just getting started. You don’t have the budget for paid advertising. You don’t have any subscribers yet except your mother. And no one is connected to you on any social media channels, because you’ve been hiding under a rock or something.
And let’s make this even more difficult, because you can’t stand being on video and hate the sound of your own voice.
I’d need to know more about the market you’re in and the audience you’re trying to attract to point you to the ideal system for you, but I’d lean toward blogging based on the parameters I’ve listed so far.
Yes, blogs still work. Video is the fastest growing medium, but readers are amazing buyers.
Begin the process by doing your research.
Yes, I know. Research sounds boring, but doing it correctly can give you ideas for all the posts you’ll create this year.
Pay attention to the questions your audience is asking, the books they’re reading, and the keywords they’re searching. All this information is easy to find online on sites like Quora, Amazon, and in keyword tools.
Make sure to pay attention to ‘buyer intent’ keyword phrases.
They’re often ignored because there aren’t as many people searching for them, but they’re often less competitive and attract those ready to buy.
These are keywords where they’re searching for courses, reviews, specific product names, comparisons/versus, services ‘near them’, etc.
Once you come up with a list of longtail keyword phrases (keyword phrases that are little more specific and longer than more commonly used keywords), put them into a calendar or schedule you can follow.
You can use an off-the-shelf free WordPress template to start.
Begin writing posts about these topics.
Choose one social media channel to share your posts. We’ll leave this decision for another email.
After you’ve written several posts, you’re going to want to come up with a Lead Magnet gift to entice people to join your email list.
The reason I’d suggest a few posts first is to help you get into a rhythm. Ideas come while writing. You begin thinking about stories you can tell and experiences you can share.
In addition, you will start seeing which posts generate a little more interest. Your first Lead Magnet can be a cheat sheet, checklist, or template for one of your posts. It becomes a ‘content upgrade’ which you can offer on that post along with the rest of your site.
One step leads to the next.
Once you’ve written a half-dozen posts, you can reach out to those who accept guest posts in your market to write for them (and attract more visitors).
Now, the system I’ve laid out so far might not be right for you at all.
That’s why it’s so important to look at your audience, your skills, and your personality before committing to your list building system.
There are faster methods we could discuss.
But it’s about following a system you can be consistent with…and will be profitable for your market.
That’s why my upcoming List Building course has an entire module on how to choose the right list building method for you and your audience.
Then it dives deep into several proven list building methods…along with the lynchpin that makes the entire list building process faster, easier, and more reliable…no matter your age or previous experience.
Look for it coming soon.
