Five Questions You Must Answer To Build
By: Dan B. Cauthron | Posted: 11th February 2005
If you seriously want to make a living from the Internet, no
matter what you intend to market, you simply must develop and
cultivate your own mailing list. That list should contain names
and addresses of people who have expressed at least a general
interest in what you have to offer.
In other words, they have 'exercised their option' to join your
list, in return for more information, training, free promotional
items, etc. They have chosen to 'opt-in' to your list,
effectively giving you permission to contact them regularly into
the future.
Whether you have already started building your list, or are just
beginning, here are a few questions that you should answer to
yourself. We believe the answers you develop will lend focus,
and aid you in compiling a much more effective and responsive
opt-in mailing list of your own.
1. Who do you want to target?
Your first answer may be 'everyone.' And that may seem
reasonable, especially if you intend to market widely used
consumer goods like nutritional products, DVDs, gamewares or the
like. In reality, your target must be much smaller in order to
achieve adequate results from your marketing efforts.
Take a look at your product or service. What can you determine
about the people who will be most likely to need, want, and use
it?
Let's say you offer a line of exclusive designer baby
accessories. Your target market will primarily surround young
mothers (and fathers) in the 20-30 year age bracket who enjoy
above average incomes. A secondary target would involve
financially stable grandparents. Mailing to a list that includes
childless married couples, single adults, or people who have no
disposable income will be a waste of your time and resources.
2. How will you attract attention?
You must do something or offer something that will cause your
target market to take notice. If you want superlative results,
then you must make a superlative offer.
Most Internet users come online seeking one thing . . .
information. And you may have already heard that a 'free
informational report' will draw new subscribers like bees to
honey. Not necessarily so!
The information itself must be of a timely nature, and not
yesterday's news. It should be thought provoking, useable, and
have value in and of itself. To young mothers, a short report
titled '10 Ways To Make Your Baby Smarter' would be of immense
interest.
3. What is your plan of action?
In other words, what will you DO to spread the word about the
benefits of joining your opt-in list? First you will need to
seek out the venues frequented by your target market. Next,
develop a regimented marketing plan of daily, weekly or monthly
action that you will take to make your market aware of what you
have to offer.
Then stick to it! Many would be entrepreneurs will give up when
the first efforts seem to produce scant results. This will only
leave a larger market share for you. Consistent marketing action
and persistent focus will get you what you want.
4. How will you retain subscribers?
What will keep your list members from unsubscribing? What will
you consistently offer to keep their attention?
It's important that you develop firm answers to these questions
in advance. Lack of a well defined concept in this vein can lead
to inconsistencies in your content, and possibly a mass exodus
of previously interested prospects.
We do wish to advise against offering a constant flow of
'freebies' in order to retain subscribers. This can critically
undermine the responsiveness of your list. Your subscribers
should know upfront that while you are interested in serving
their needs, you are also in business to earn a profit.
5. What will be your mode of delivery?
How do you plan to keep in touch with your list? It goes without
saying that we are discussing online communication by email. But
there is methodology within that form as well.
You may choose to send your list only updates, new product
announcements, and bits of useful information from time to time.
Yet even this seemingly informal contact mode should be done on
a scheduled basis, and not be left to random action.
You may also choose to formally publish your own newsletter. In
this case, make a realistic assessment of how much time you have
to devote to publishing, and gear your publishing schedule to
surround your own ability to follow through. Few things are more
detrimental to the effectiveness of your list than haphazard
publishing and delivery.
When approached with prior planning and systematic action, your
opt-in list can accumulate much quicker than you might expect.
With proper care and cultivation, it can literally grow into the
proverbial money-tree, and yield fruit for your lifetime.
About the Author
Dan B. Cauthron
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Tags: marketing efforts, target market, grandparents, consumer goods, promotional items, average incomes, adequate results, married couples, designer baby, age bracket, baby accessories, mothers and fathers, disposable income, names and addresses, adults