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1
List Profit Secrets
Quick Start Guide
By Craig Perrine
Introduction......................................................................................................................... 3
How To Use This Guide With The List Profit Secrets Course........................................... 5
Step 1: Can you reach this niche online? ............................................................................ 5
Step 2: Is this niche big enough? ........................................................................................ 6
Step 3: Who is already selling to this niche? ...................................................................... 7
Step 4: Do they buy on Amazon.com? ............................................................................... 8
Step 5: Do they buy on eBay.com?..................................................................................... 8
Step 6: Are there any 'online communities' in this niche? .................................................. 9
Step 7: What are they passionate about?........................................................................... 10
Step 8: What do they really want? .................................................................................... 10
Step 9: What problems keep them from getting what they want? .................................... 11
Step 10: What can you offer them to solve their problems?............................................. 12
Step 11: How will you reach out for subscribers? ............................................................ 12
Step 12: Why should they care?........................................................................................ 14
Step 13: Why should they subscribe NOW?..................................................................... 15
Step 14: What can you WOW them with?........................................................................ 16
Step 15: Pick a great domain name................................................................................... 16
Step 16: Get a web hosting account.................................................................................. 17
Step 17: Set up a Namestick account................................................................................ 17
Step 18: Set up a PayPal account...................................................................................... 18
Step 19: Set up a ClickBank account................................................................................ 18
Step 20: Sign up for affiliate programs............................................................................. 18
Step 21: Set up your autoresponder account..................................................................... 18
Step 22: Set up your opt in confirmation process ............................................................. 19
Step 23: Get HTML editor................................................................................................ 20
Step 24: Create landing page ............................................................................................ 20
Step 25: Upload your page................................................................................................ 21
Step 26: Set up your e-course ........................................................................................... 21
Step 27: Make sure you don't Spam.................................................................................. 23
Step 28: Create product review......................................................................................... 24
Step 29: Start driving traffic... .......................................................................................... 26
2
Introduction
Welcome to the List Profit Secrets 'Quick Start Guide'. This will allow you to get off to a
fast start and start building a list in as little as a weekend. Then you can go back later and
review the whole course in detail for more advanced training.
We're about to walk through each proven step of how to...
•
Pick a market that you are interested in and determine if there is a good chance of
building a list and making money with it.
•
Set up the tools and techniques to get your email sent, delivered, and opened
while complying with the Can Spam Act and Permission email marketing best
practices.
•
Turn your list of subscribers into a steady profit streams.
Before we get started, please take these next few words to heart.
The three main factors to consider when you are looking at a niche market and
considering building a list are:
•
Your level of passion
•
Your personal expertise
•
How 'hungry' your target market is
The ideal is to have all three factors working together...
If you are passionate about the niche, that will show through to your subscribers.
If you personally have expertise, then you have the advantage of being able to 'speak the
language' of your niche with your prospects as well as have your own credibility.
But the truth is...you can hire somebody who is passionate to create content for you and
you can partner with folks who have credibility.
Your most important job is to find hungry markets.
3
You can be passionate about a niche... you can be an expert on every aspect of it... but if
that niche doesn't have a reasonably hungry market with money to spend that you can
reach affordably... you have to walk away.
Don't let your passion or existing expertise cloud your judgment...a dud market is a dud
market (which is fine for a hobby, but lousy for a business).
Be open to pursuing whatever niche presents the greatest opportunity for you when you
are going through this Quick Start Guide.
Make sure you follow these steps for any new idea you have for a niche market before
you invest a lot of time and or money.
One more thing... most people will want to skip these early steps because they take a little
time and research... and get on with the 'good stuff' like getting subscribers and 'making
money.'
Well, a little bit of work up front is a lot easier than putting money and time into getting
subscribers only to find out later the niche is a dud.
So, if you want to put the odds in your favor and do what the successful infopreneurs do,
then follow these steps from the beginning.
Here's to your list profits,
Craig Perrine
4
How To Use This Guide With The List
Profit Secrets Course...
Any time you want more detailed info about something in this Quick Start Guide, you'll
be able to 'drill down' to get your answers right away in the course itself.
Let's get started...
Step 1: Can you reach this niche online?
Watch Video: step1and2.swf
Go to http://inventory.overture.com
Enter in a 'keyword' that describes your target market and see if people are searching
online for information about this niche.
Example: I know from personal experience (I'm a former cat owner) that people spend a
lot of money on their cats and are crazy about them.
But, before I'd try to make a business out of marketing to cat owners, I'd search for 'cats'
using this 'suggestion tool' to find out if my assumptions are correct...
Refine your search for keywords as much as possible. You'll want to be more specific or
you risk trying to reach too big of a niche.
Example: 'Cats' returns too many untargeted results. I added some keywords to more
closely match what 'buyers' in this market would search for.
I checked out... Cat Health, Cat Training, Cat Gifts, Cat Lovers...and settled on Cat
Training for this example.
Once you search on the refined keywords, you'll notice that you will get smaller number
of searches...and it's ok.
The more specific your keywords, the fewer number of searches you'll find that match
(but they'll most likely be higher quality prospects).
And remember, Overture results don't include Google, so you can safely double the
number to get a better estimate of the total searches.
5
Step 2: Is this niche big enough?
The next question to ask yourself is, "are there enough prospective customers in this
market?"
First, you'll want to verify that your general keyword search that you did earlier showed
20,000 searches ("cats", in our example) or more searches in the last month (remember:
it's okay if your refined key words ("cat training" has less than that).
These are not hard, fast rules. But if you are going to break them for a niche, make sure
that you have a good reason.
If you find that the Overture tool is not answering your questions, there are other
resources for determining the size and profitability of a niche.
For example, if you have an online subscription to the SRDS.com (Standard Rate And
Data Service), or the printed version (which is often available in the library), you can
discover what people in your niche are actually buying, and that is priceless information.
Alternately, you can call a mailing list broker and get similar answers from them about
what lists are available for rent.
Check out the List Profit Secrets resource page for specific list broker resources.
6
Step 3: Who is already selling to this
niche?
Watch Video: step3google.swf
Now it's time to find out if there is any 'competition' in this niche. Contrary to what you
might assume, if you don't find any competition that would be a strong reason to
eliminate this niche from consideration.
No competition means nobody is making any money...and you don't want to be a pioneer
and try to 'discover' a totally untapped, virgin market. In the right market, there's plenty to
go around (not to mention that 'competitors' in the info business can actually be great
Joint Venture partners!).
Instead, use Google.com to search with your best 'refined keyword' and see what websites
come up.
Look at the Pay Per Click ads on the right of the results page in Google. What is for sale
there?
Check out what sites are there that sell 'direct marketing' type products. Make sure you
write down any that really stand out.
You want to watch for sites with good sales copy and design.
This will tell you how sharp your competition is...and possibly identify good affiliate
products for you to promote.
7
Step 4: Do they buy on Amazon.com?
Watch Video: step4amazon.swf
Go to Amazon.com and see if there are books for sale for this niche (write down some
titles and look specifically for 'how to' titles such as Dummies Guides.)
The titles to any targeted books will give you a good idea of what the most pressing
problems are in this niche.
There is an awful lot you can do with Amazon to build a list and position yourself as an
expert. To learn more, listen to the interview in Volume I with Randy Gilbert. For now I
just want you to do a quick check to see if your prospective customers buy books on
Amazon. It's just another confirmation point that you have a thriving, healthy niche with
profit potential.
Example: 'Cat Training'
Step 5: Do they buy on eBay.com?
Watch Video: step5ebay.swf
Find your niche on eBay and you'll have a good sign indeed.
What's for sale in your niche? Are there people buying the kinds of things you are
selling? This will give you a real time market view of what is selling and for what price
(it doesn't have to be just books).
Once you know what's selling on eBay, you can sharpen your understanding of what your
target market is willing to spend money on.
To learn ways that you can use eBay to actually build you a list of buyers, listen to the
Interview I did with Bill Hibbler in Volume I of List Profit Secrets.
Example: 'Cat Training'
8
Step 6: Are there any 'online
communities' in this niche?
Go to Google.com and type in "your keyword + forum"
You'll also want to repeat that for 'group' and 'blog'.
Example:
"Cats + forum"
"Cats + blog"
"Cats + group"
Check out any available groups and notice what the topics of discussion are so you get a
feel for what the people in this niche are passionate about.
What are they concerned about...what do they complain about...what are they excited
about. Who are they praising...who are they bashing.
Write down any topics being discussed that seem 'hot' so that you can start to get an idea
of what the people in niche are most passionate about.
What you are looking for is recurring patterns of things that these folks are talking about.
You literally can 'eavesdrop' on the conversations they have and let them tell you
precisely what 'makes them tick.'
9
Step 7: What are they passionate about?
Based on what you've seen so far, are people in this niche passionate or not?
Are they 'obsessed' or 'irrational' in their desire...or just lukewarm?
Passionate people pay attention, they take action, and they buy...often without needing to
be convinced all that much.
So when possible, make sure a niche you are considering has passionate enthusiasts for
what you are thinking of selling.
Example: While researching 'cats', it was clear that cat owners are very passionate about
their pets. They buy special sweaters for their cat, leashes, special food, cat training
videos, and spend lots of money on the health and happiness of their cat(s) and some
even put them in their wills.
Step 8: What do they really want?
Once you know what your target market wants, the rest of the list building process
becomes a lot easier.
At this point, if you've researched what people are saying in blogs, on websites, and if
you've reviewed what your competitors are saying on their websites, you should see some
common themes.
I highly recommend that you check out the interview I did with Frank Deardurff on the
AskDatabase.com for a quick, first hand way to find out exactly what people in your
niche want.
As Alex Mandossian made clear in my special interview with him, that when you take the
time to Ask your prospects what they want you will be rewarded with the answer to what
your prospects want to buy.
You don't have to be nearly as 'smart' if your prospect is telling you all the answers,
right?
Now, if you don't do an Ask campaign, you should then make sure to do the research
rather than simply assuming you know what your prospect wants... the way most
marketers do.
10
I'm convinced the reason some marketers resist asking their prospects what they want is
not just laziness...but the desire to be right. They want to be the 'genius' who spotted the
opportunity or who just 'knows' everyone 'needs' their product.
That's all ego, my friend. Take your own feelings and ego out of the niche market
research and focus on what your prospect feels... and you'll be richly rewarded with easy
sales.
You choose... be right or be rich :)
For this step, make sure you have written down specific things you know your prospect
wants. A lot of the later steps in this process depend on accurately knowing the answer to
this crucial question.
Example: cat owners want cats who are litter box trained, don't jump on the furniture, and
don't claw up everything, etc. They want to enjoy their cats, but not have to suffer
misbehavior. I know this from researching their direct comments and posts and from
asking cat owners in person.
Step 9: What problems keep them from
getting what they want?
In Step 8 of The Quick Start Guide, you learned to identify what your niche market
wants.
As part of that process, while browsing through the blogs, forums, newsgroups, book
titles, and other sources, you undoubtedly came across concerns, complaints, and other
passionate 'red flags' that would alert you to what keeps your prospect from getting what
they want.
Which key problems or challenges were repeated the most often?
Write out as many things as you have found that keep the people in this niche from
getting what they want.
This is a very, very profitable exercise because you will discover what solutions they are
willing to pay for. Then, all you have to do is go out and find affiliate products or
services you can promote that solve these problems...and you're in a strong position to
profit.
Example: Cat owners complain that cats are difficult to train. They damage things like
furniture, spray urine to mark their territory, and are often territorial with other pets (cats,
dogs, etc.).
11
Step 10: What can you offer them to
solve their problems?
Watch Video: step10associate.swf
Watch Video: step10clickbank.swf
You now know what your subscribers want and what keeps them from getting what they
want. The next step then is to identify the solutions that you will be offering to your
subscribers.
Of course, if you already have products or services of your own that meet these needs,
that's great. For the purposes of the Quick Start Guide, I will assume that you are starting
from scratch and want to get results as soon as possible.
So we'll concentrate on finding affiliate products that you could offer your new list so
you can test the profitability without spending time developing products or services of
your own.
For this step, you need to find out if there are affiliate products available for you to profit
from, or at least to use as test offers while you build up your list?
To find out... start in two places.
1. Go to www.clickbank.com and search affiliate products you could offer for your niche.
2. Go to www.associateprograms.com and do the same.
Example: I found several products for cat training, including books but also devices that
automatically 'trained' the cat not to do a certain behavior. These would be good
candidates for me to Ask my list about.
Step 11: How will you reach out for
subscribers?
Now that you've completed the previous 10 steps, it's time to get an idea of what methods
you will use to get subscribers to opt in to your list.
12
At this time, you're not going to start any campaigns. This exercise is about laying the
ground work so you can budget your time and money for which method you want to start
when we get to that step.
There are many ways to get subscribers.
Below I list out the most effective and fastest methods for the purposes of the Quick Start
Guide. Listen to the CD's in Volume I of List Profit Secrets to expand on the different
ways to get subscribers beyond the ones mentioned here.
Free methods:
Free list building methods invariably involve providing content or value that attracts
people to opt in to your list.
It's easy to come up with topics for articles, ebooks and ezines that you know someone
will want to publish in your niche... simply write about solutions to problems that keep
your prospect from getting what they want.
Think of it this way... if you are a cat fanatic and you hate that your cat shreds your
curtains from clawing on them...and you see an article on how to stop cats from clawing
in 3 easy steps...you'll read it.
That's why I had you do the steps about what your prospects want and what their
problems are...now you have all the information you need to go out and create 'bait' that
attracts new subscribers like crazy.
If you don't like to write, you can dictate an article, or pay someone to write it (see
www.elance.com), or interview experts in your niche to get high quality content you can
use.
Articles: Identify targeted publications (ezines, newsletters, magazines, websites) where
you can submit articles for publication. If you have not found any in your previous steps
searching Google, consider getting the invaluable Directory of Ezines by Charlie Page to
.
quickly find the right ezines (see www.directoryofezines.com)
ebook: if you have an ebook, or are willing to put one together, or have bought resale
rights to one, I highly recommend using it to build your list by offering it for a free
download in as many places your target market hangs out as possible.
ecourse: if you have a 5-10 part ecourse that you can offer, this too is a great way to build
your list. In Step 26 of The Quick Start Guide I outline a specific formula for writing a
killer ecourse that converts readers to opt ins and customers.
13
Paid methods:
Pay Per Click (PPC) : Set up an account with Google Adwords to use this service to drive
targeted traffic to you. Google has excellent start up instructions on that site, but of
course, listen to my interview with Dearl Miller if you've never used PPC before to get a
solid overview.
You will be able to use the refined keywords that you already picked out as a starting
point for your PPC ad campaigns. If you want to speed up the process of finding just the
right keywords, check out a tool I use at http://www.paulstoolbox.com/adwords. It's real
inexpensive and very powerful.
A free tool that is not as powerful but still very good can be found at
www.goodkeywords.com.
When it comes to bidding and paying for keywords, you really do need an automation
tool that allows you to see all the data if you want to maximize your profits and minimize
your costs (and save a whole lot of time).
Classified ads: like PPC ads, classified ads tend to be short in length and targeted by
publication. You can run classified ads in a variety of online and offline publications like
magazines, newsletters, and newspapers. Classified ads tend to be relatively cheap and
they are great for engaging the reader with an irresistible headline that attracts people to
your website for a 'free report' or other compelling bait.
Coregistration lists: The powerful thing about coregistration lists is that you are paying
on a per opt in subscriber basis. This means that you get to follow up with your new
subscriber again and again (unless they unsubscribe) which can be much more powerful
than simply getting a click on your website because you can stay in touch. Coregistration
lists typically are business to consumer and not business to business.
You can look at my listings of different coregistration list suppliers at
www.coregistrationservices.com. Definitely listen to my interview with Paul Myers,
though, because we reveal the right way and wrong way to use coregistration lists...and
there's more to getting the most out of them than I can cover here.
Step 12: Why should they care?
Now it's time to take any wants or problems you've discovered in your niche and turn
them into tightly focused, benefit driven headlines.
Write out their problems in the form of headlines that match up with affiliate products
that you can offer.
14
From the example in Step 10, we know that I've identified that my Cat Training niche has
problems with misbehaving cats.
Below I show you how I could turn that into a benefit driven headline that matches up
with the affiliate products I found.
Example: "Discover the secrets of training well behaved cats in just 21 days"
Note: it is crucial that any headline you use that offers a benefit matches up with what
you or the affiliate product actually can deliver. Do not make up headlines that sound
enticing just to get response without being able to deliver the value to the prospect.
Step 13: Why should they subscribe
NOW?
Because you want to get a response to your marketing now instead of later, it is important
to discover or design a reason why your prospective subscriber should opt in now without
delay or second thought.
Ask yourself, what kind of genuine reason why can you attach to your opt in process that
would serve this purpose?
I recommend that you put a time limit or a limited amount of a valuable bonus to
encourage immediate response. It is crucial, though, that your bonus relate to the core
offer you are making.
Example: Get a FREE report on how to train your cat to do real stunts like Hollywood
'actor cats'.
Or, if you can arrange a special coupon through an another vendor... "Get a 10% discount
on supplies for your cat from ABCOnlinePetSupply if you sign up now."
Example of a bad bonus....: "Get a FREE dog bone and collar when you sign up for my
cat training newsletter"
15
Step 14: What can you WOW them with?
For this step, you need to put some thought into how you could really make a strong first
impression with your new subscriber.
Three ways to create that Wow sensation from your subscriber:
1) Over deliver on the FREEBIE that you were offering. If you promise 7 secrets to
raising a healthy, well behaved cat...then deliver 10. Three extra ones could come in
follow up emails after the original 7 you promised. This is especially powerful if what
you deliver free has high perceived value. Your subscriber then must assume that if you
give away such great content, then whatever you sell must be better.
2) Share personal experiences and stories with your new subscriber. Because most people
do not do this, you stand out automatically when YOU do. For example, you could share
a story about how wild your cat used to be and how this caused you a lot of
embarrassment or pain. Then the 'happy ending' to the story could be how you used the
secrets you're sharing with them (or the product you are recommending) to solve the
problem and train your cat the right way.
3) Ask your subscriber for their input. If you engage your new subscriber by asking them
their opinion (say using the Askdatabase -- see my interview with Frank Deardurff) you
instantly have the opportunity to wow them because they know you care what they think.
Step 15: Pick a great domain name
Now it's time to decide what your 'online address' will be.
The best domain names serve two purposes: 1) they are memorable because the name
itself states a clear benefit and 2) the domain is search engine friendly because it includes
your best keywords.
In the steps you've taken so far, you've identified good keywords that you are going to
use for Pay Per Click. You can now use that work to help you come up with a catchy,
memorable domain name.
Go search Google for 'domain registrars' and you will see a listing...or you can use my
preferred source, GoDaddy.com. Compare prices and terms, but be wary of any company
that wants to charge you more than $10 per year to register a domain name.
16
As of this writing, I see no reason to use anything but a .com address so I can't
recommend that you use any of the others (.biz, .net, .ws).
Example: Perfectcat.com, myperfectkitty.com, cattrainingsecrets.com (note: these are just
pretend examples and may not be available).
Warning: do not use domain names that are complicated or unrelated to the keywords or
benefits that you've identified following these steps.
Step 16: Get a web hosting account
You can often get this through the registrar you got your domain from. You'll need to be
able to host websites (with modest traffic at first).
You can search Google for 'web hosts' or use your registrar if you like the deal they offer.
It's best to stick with web hosts who can grow with you instead of trying to get a super
cheap deal with a 'fly by night' operation.
If you find the whole idea of setting up hosting completely overwhelming, there are
managed hosting plans where you could have someone who does all that stuff, check the
resource section within the List Profit Secrets member site for my latest recommendation
for webmasters who will not only build a site for you, but also host it, too.
Step 17: Set up a Namestick account
There are several problems with promoting links to your list where your affiliate ID is
coded in the link. It's a booming business.
Here's an example for one of mine.
http://members.instantvideogenerator.com/SpecialInfo.asp?x=172988
That's a pretty long, unwieldy link, right?
Plus, it's pretty clear that it's an affiliate link with the 172988 extension at the end.
What this means is that people can often clip off the extension and that would cut you out
of a commission should they decide to buy.
17
Aside from that, a shorter, easier to remember link is better marketing.
You can read all about the NameStick service and how it let's you have a special domain
that you can use for all your affiliate links.
For example, my NameStick domain for the same link I showed you above is:
www.instantvideo.craigrecommends.com
So before you start putting affiliate links in your ecourse you'll want to consider getting a
NameStick domain (see www.namestick.com)
Step 18: Set up a PayPal account
You'll want a PayPal account to receive payments from many affiliate programs who pay
via PayPal instead of other by check. Just go to www.paypal.com and follow the
instructions.
Step 19: Set up a ClickBank account
If you haven't done so already, I'd suggest that you open an account with Clickbank.
You'll be able to promote any of the products you find at Clickbank.com instantly.
Step 20: Sign up for affiliate programs
As you searched through competitors who are marketing in the niche you've been
exploring, I hope you had the opportunity to find some affiliate programs for some of
them at least.
If not, explore http://www.associateprograms.com and see what is available for your
niche. This site is a fantastic resource for finding the right affiliate program to promote.
Step 21: Set up your autoresponder
account
I can recommend both 1shoppingcart or aweber.com to get started quickly and easily.
Both services have excellent business customer support to help you get set up right.
18
You will be using this autoresponder service to both send email out (on an automated, or
broadcast basis) and to receive opt in's from special forms you'll have on your website.
Listen to the interview with Martin Wales to get an overview of how autoresponders
work and what some of the better strategies are for how to use them profitably.
Step 22: Set up your opt in confirmation
process
When they subscribe, your new reader is going to need to confirm their request in most
autoresponder systems today.
Right away, you need to let your new subscriber know there are some steps they need to
follow to get email from you.
This is because most autoresponder services require that all new subscribers (and any
imported subscribers) be confirmed, or double opt in.
You can just use the standard language that is often provided by the autoresponder
service to do this, but if you have the choice, make sure you write the copy for this
process.
The key is to position this process with your new subscriber with good marketing.
Consider using this confirmation message to build the perceived value of the
'subscription.'
Let them know the 'goodies' that 'insiders' get from getting on your 'special tips list' are
not available unless they 'confirm.'
It is also crucial that you set their expectations so they don't forget about needing to
confirm.
Tell them they'll get a confirmation email immediately.
Tell them who it will be from and what the subject line is.
Tell them where to go next to get what they want (start conditioning them to do what you
want before they get what they want.).
The more you lead them to what you want to do, the less likely they will stray and drop
out of opting in and confirming.
19
Step 23: Get HTML editor
I recommend Dreamweaver or Microsoft FrontPage. You can also get Front Page
Express online FREE and create basic pages. You can do a search on FrontPage Express
in Google..
To get you started, I have included a basic template for a web page that you can modify
that I created in FrontPage Express.
Step 24: Create landing page
You can use the basic template I’ve included on this CD to get you started (it’s called
‘landing page template’ or hire someone to help you from www.elance.com or
www.scriptlance.com.
This is a very simple web page that is essentially a salesletter for opting in to your
newsletter.
You will draw from what you've learned about what your target prospect wants, and what
is keeping him from getting what he wants...and you'll be able to write a landing page
that lets him know that he won't get this valuable information anywhere else).
If you want something fancier or if you have no intention of learning how to create your
own websites, you will want to find someone online or locally who can be your
'webmaster.'
Look on this CD to get the basic HTML document you can use for your first webpage.
See the resource section of The List Profit Report member site for up to date
recommendations on web page design tools and courses, as well as referrals to
professional webmasters you can hire who understand direct marketing.
Note: once you get your autoresponder set, you'll want to generate code for the opt in
form to go on your site.
Bottom line: creating a basic web page is way easier than most people realize, so don't let
it hold you back!
20
Step 25: Upload your page
Follow the instructions with Dreamweaver, Frontpage, or your FTP client to upload your
new site to the new host.
Again, this is a very simple thing to do once you know how to do it, so I'm including a
brief video to show you how.
Step 26: Set up your e-course
By now, you have a good idea of what your niche market wants and what their problems
are.
Simply take one of the problems, the biggest one, and turn that into the focus or the
theme for a series of emails.
If you do this right, your target prospect will find the description of your ecourse
irresistible...it answers a core problem and it's free.
Most e-courses are between 5 and 10 messages.
Here's an overview of what each message should cover.
Message 1.
In this message you need to capture the interest of your reader for the entire series. This
email needs to stir up the 'problem' that reading the ecourse will solve.
Ideally, you should end the email with a 'cliff hanger' by telling the reader about
something they want to know about...that you will fully reveal in the next message.
This way, you have set up a sense of curiosity, or anticipation, for the next email. This
will increase the open rate of the next message if done correctly.
To recap, the first email stirs up the problem that the ecourse promises to solve and once
you have done that, you end the email with a preview of what is to come next time.
Note: I would avoid trying to promote anything in this email because you want to
establish a bond with the reader prior to asking for anything from them.
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Message 2.
In the 'middle emails' between the first and the last messages in the ecourse, you want to
deliver the 'meat' of the content.
Depending on what kind of content you are covering, you could weave in affiliate links
or product reviews if it was appropriate, though I would strongly suggest that no direct
selling should be attempted.
If you do refer them to affiliate links, you should use a NameStick domain that obscures
the 'ugly' extension on the URL that calls attention to the fact that it is an affiliate link. If
you don't know what a NameStick domain is, I go over that in Step 24.
Just because you are delivering content doesn't mean your emails have to be dry or
boring. If you can write your content with stories, proof, anecdotes, testimonials,
interviews, or any other engaging technique, feel free to give it a try.
And, as with the first message, the final 'mission' for this second email is to get you to
anticipate and want to read the next one. To that extent, the ecourse is only as effective as
the weakest email. So make sure you tell the reader what amazing and cool thing that
they'll find out in the next message.
Message 3 -6
The objective for these emails is the same as for the second, except that since you've
gotten a couple solid content emails delivered, it is really time to start including affiliate
links or to mention a site you want them to visit.
In message 6, you want to make sure that you leave them with a serious cliffhanger. The
last email is the 'grand finale' and therefore is the last chance to drive home whatever
points you want to get across in the course.
Message 7.
The final message needs to complete the content, close out any 'cliff hangers' and
ultimately, act as a salesletter capable of driving the readers to take an action that will
make you money...
If you are sending your subscriber good content, by this message, they are probably more
receptive to an offer of some sort if you have 'over delivered' on the promise in the
course.
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Remember, write with a personal style... and weave in affiliate links within your ecourse
and test to see if it is effective at all.
You can check out my popular ecourse called "How To Build A Massive List In
Minimum Time" and see an example of an ecourse.
I’ve included a PDF file of my 5 part ecourse for you to look at on the CD with the Quick
Start Guide (and in the members area of the List Profit Report).
If 'Cat Training' were the niche and I knew that people were concerned with training their
cats to not do certain destructive or annoying habits...and that training cats was difficult
for most people, I might write an ecourse called...
"How to quickly and easily train your cat to... (whatever problem I want to solve)" and
have a winning ecourse title.
Remember, keep it simple. Everyone wants to do things more quickly and easily.
And make sure you remember to do this last step...sign up for your own ecourse and
make sure that the form works and that you get all the emails from the ecourse.
You will want to make sure that the formatting is correct and the ecourse looks right.
Step 27: Make sure you don't Spam
Before you mail to anyone you must make sure that you understand how to follow best
practices.
Any subscriber name and email address that you have must have been obtained as part of
a permission based process. Your subscriber must 'opt in' to your list or you don't have
permission to email them a bulk message.
By definition, SPAM is 'unsolicited bulk commercial email'.
The autoresponder services I've told you about in this Quick Start Guide will require you
to use an opt in process and confirm your subscriber's requests so that no one is likely to
get on your list accidentally or without their consent.
So for now I'll focus on what you need to do to comply with the Can Spam Act. You'll
want to stay up to date on any changes in the law. I'm not providing legal advice, merely
my understanding of the law as of this writing.
Here are the core requirements. They are simple, but important.
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1) Your 'reply to' email address must be real
2) You must provide a conspicuous unsubscribe process that works (make sure they can
see it).
3) You must indicate somewhere in the email body (not subject line) that this is a
commercial email if your main purpose for emailing is to sell something. Even if you are
providing newsletter content you should still provide this just to be safe.
4) You must provide a physical mailing address in your email for the business -- and this
can either be a street address or rented mail box.
5) If you plan to share your list with anyone else (third parties) you must make that clear
on your site when they opt in as part of your privacy policy. Your best option is to
simply not share your list with any third parties ever so you avoid this issue.
Step 28: Create product review...
Now that your new subscriber has received your ecourse, you've done your part by giving
value first, delivering content.
The next step is to start sending emails to your list where you are in a position to profit.
You may have put some affiliate links in your ecourse, and that's fine. But today I want to
give you a proven template to follow when you have an affiliate product you want to
promote.
While you could just send a powerful, persuasive salesletter to your new subscribers, I
think you'll find that right after they've received the ecourse it's best to keep with a low
key approach.
A tried and true next step email to send to your list is a product review.
Here's the formula to follow:
1) Open with a story about a problem that your subscriber would identify with. You want
your reader to really identify with the problem and, if at all possible, to relate to having it
themselves. To use the example of the cat niche market, let's say I wrote an email to my
new subscriber about how my cat Fluffy was again scratching up my couch.
2) Really rub in the pain from having this problem. You want to make sure that your
subscriber is 'feeling your pain' right along with you as they read your email. In this case,
let's say you describe how the cat just ruined your new couch, which you just got to
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replace the old one Fluffy had wrecked...and nothing you've tried has helped stop Fluffy
from scratching up your couch.
3) If appropriate, attach a cost to the problem so that your subscriber has a value to place
on what it would be worth to solve this problem. In this example, let's say that Fluffy just
wrecked a brand new $1,900 couch and you had to repair it at a cost of $200.
4) Introduce the product you are reviewing and why. Let's say you bought a special
$19.95 Cat sensor that uses a patented sonic technology that is supposed to automatically
monitor the couch and keep the cat from clawing or jumping on it. In this example, you
decided to try the product to stop your cat from wrecking yet another couch.
5) Describe what you initially thought about the product, and it helps is you are a bit
skeptical of the product at first because of how many failed solutions you've tried in the
past. Your subscriber will identify with this because they too have probably been
disappointed with products they've purchased.
6) Make sure you reveal a flaw in the product, even if you really don't mind it (it helps
build credibility). For the product review to be credible, you must come across as a
'consumer advocate' not a sales person. The problem should be minor and not affect the
core function of the product. For our example here today, let's say the special cat sensor
works brilliantly, but secretly you're not wild about the color of the unit.
7) Next, describe how the product was helpful or created a very positive change. If
possible, a dramatic change with a particular monetary benefit or savings as a result of
using the product. For our example, let's say the special cat sensor monitored the new
couch perfectly and saved the cat from scratching the couch as promised. Because your
couch is worth $1900 and the repair cost $200, you've set up your solution to be worth
ten times what the cost was.
8) Tell your subscriber about where you got the product you are reviewing and where
they can get it too. Here you will provide your affiliate link that you've masked with
NameStick. Because you are reviewing the product, not trying to pitch it, you don't want
to do a strong 'call to action' here. You want the 'pain' and the value of the offer compared
to the price of the solution to be the pressure indirectly, leaving you out of it. The product
is only $19.95 and the repair cost $200 and the new couch was $1,900, so it's a no-brainer
to check out this product if your subscriber has anything they want to protect as well.
9) Remind your subscriber of the pain you felt in the beginning so you bring them back to
that. Tell them how happy you are with the product you are reviewing for closure, which
will imply to them they'd be happy to if they just got the product, too.
10) Tell your subscriber a tease about what you will be telling them about next time...so
they should be staying tuned till next time.
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You want to place this product review email after the end of your ecourse so it is ready to
automatically go out a couple days after they get the last ecourse message.
The product review profit strategy goes perfectly here at the end of the ecourse and is but
one of many profit strategies in the List Profit Secrets course.
If you want to do more than one product review, do a review of a product you don't like
and that will establish with your subscriber that you are not just pitching solutions but
rather honestly reviewing the results you've gotten...both good and bad.
As you can imagine, if your new subscriber suffered from a problem like you did, this
product review will be very exciting and you should see some affiliate commissions.
Step 29: Start driving traffic...
Now that you have got your ecourse in your autoresponder ready to go, with a product
review email to follow a couple days later as well, it's time to start driving traffic to start
getting subscribers into the process and start building your list.
So it's time to pick a list building method... select from the methods that we talked about
in Step 11 and start keeping track of what results you get from (writing articles, etc.).
There you have it! You should now have quickly started building your list!
If have any specific questions or need more advanced training, please log into the
members are at http://www.ListProfitReport.com/login.php
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