I'm making the jump from hobby SEO to hobby email marketer. I still plan on doing SEO, but I want to increase my marketing mix. I have experience creating email campaigns, as well as deliverability of email campaigns. What I don't have experience in is list building. I know what to do once I have the names, I just don't know how to get them. Following a successful formula of a peer, I'm creating a website to be used solely for newsletter and list marketing: http://www.dailysuccess.biz. (It's functional but still being worked on). I'm giving away 3 free ebooks and every subscriber is automatically entered for a Zune drawing (possibly monthly). My goal is to create a list of 500 to 1000 subscribers in a short amount of time. Some questions I have are: What would you recommend that my next steps be to build that list? Are the free ebooks effective in capturing the attention of my target audience? Should I change them? What would you do with a budget of zero dollars? What would you do with a budget of $100? What would you do with a budget of $1000? Like I said, I'm just getting started. ANY advice would be greatly appreciated. I'd also like to network with some established list builders for possible future JV's once I build a presence myself. Anyone interested in a partnership, perhaps a mentorship? THANKS! (I mean it!)
Regardless of your budget, I think that it would be a great idea to create an ebook of your own (or some useful resource to give away) and give it away in return for someone to subscribe to your mailing list. Just be sure not to spam them each and every day, and you should be fine. In the e-mails, explain a bit more about your guide, give them a few tips, present some problems, and slowly tell them why your product or service will be of help to them. I think that establishing yourself on a few forums would be a good start, and advertise your free guide. You can even sell the free guide with full resell rights (perhaps on ebay) to try to get people to distribute it for you in hopes of gaining traffic. If you really wanted to spend extra money, you could always try Adwords, but I find that other techniques work just as well if not better and cost you nothing. Brian
The fastest way to build a list is to do JVs - in sequence below - 1. Develop a product. 2. Approach those who already have a sizable list in your niche to be your JV partners. 3. Offer 100% commission (yes, you read me right) to your potential JV partners. 4. Get your JV partners to promote the product. 5. Voila! Now those on their lists are on yours.
If I have zero budget, I will only submit to free directories and search engines, and post topics in forums to attract traffic. If I have $100, I will buy some links with pr4 and above. If I have $1000, I will try google/yahoo advertisement.
I find that we have similar goal. My site is also relatively new. I do hope if there are like mind people like us can do a JV. Anyone want to participate in the quest for more traffic and list generation?