Email Keeps You in Touch
Brian Clark writing at CopyBlogger is a big proponent of growing your subscribers list. In fact, it seems that he believes that it is a vital ingredient in any online business success: keeping in touch with your fans/customers/prospects.
Since the old days of mail order sales, magazine subscriptions, and all the way up to permission email marketing, there’s a saying that remains true, even for bloggers … The money’s in the list.
As an information publisher, Brian’s view is spot on. If you don’t get the sale from a first time visitor, you at least want to get their email address.
This is a no-brainer. The prospect has shown some initial interest. Give them a little teaser by signing up to an email newsletter or something of the sort and your chances of bringing them around back to you increase big time. You are slowly building a relationship with them and over time the branding and credibility factor should kick in. Once it clicks with the prospect that you are the real deal - if you have kept in touch without annoying them - the prospect is more likely to buy from you.
For information publishers, focusing on building a list should be top of the agenda.
There are a variety of options that help you manage this. Some include AWeber, Zookoda and FeedBlitz. Even though I’ve written before about my concerns about Zookoda - here - they are still top of my list as they work well within the WordPress CMS platform I utilize here at ePubDaily.
But I’m always on the lookout for new and better services.
How do you keep your subscribers list organized? What service(s) do you use? and are they doing the job for you?
2 Responses to “Email Keeps You in Touch”
By Christine Kane on Jun 28, 2006 | Reply
Hi. I, too, read Copyblogger’s post on this. It’s encouraging. I have a 4000 name mailing list. (I’m a performing songwriter.) I use something called Mailman. It’s totally automated. And I have no idea how it works because someone set it up for me. (I send one email out to the host site and it then, in turn, sends an email to everyone.) I love it.
I still get really nervous, however, about “using” my mailing list because of how overwhelmed your average email box already is! (These people signed up for my list. So I shouldn’t be so concerned, huh?) Anyway, I only do a once a month mailer. Everytime I send one out, my visits triple, and my blog gets read by new visitors.
I’d love to see you write about HOW to approach this tool more effectively! (Most of the people on my list don’t know what blogging is at all. So I’m trying to educate them.) Anyway, thanks for your thoughts!
By Martin Neumann on Jul 12, 2006 | Reply
Hi Christine … sorry for the very late reply. Let’s just say I was a bit slack lately ;-)
Mailman, ha! I guess I better check it out.
Once a month is good. I know of some well-known info product marketers who overuse (abuse) sending out automated emails: 3-4 times a week.
I’ve played around with Zookoda a bit lately and I must say I’m starting to like it very much.
Although, the big test is when I do my monthly rounds of email send outs. They total something like 9,000 across 5 lists.
After that I should get a better picture if Zookoda is for me.
Well done on your blog. Looks like you have a growing fan base.