Are you looking for a consistent, non salesy way to talk to people about your business? Are you tired of talking to friends, family and other people who just aren't interested or enthusiastic about your products and services? The answer may be as simple as building an email list.
In this post, you'll learn how opt-in forms, landing pages and mailing lists work together to help you create an audience of people who can't wait to learn more about your company, your offers, products and services.
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The good news is that building a profitable email list is that it's not an expensive or complicated process. At the same time it's something that is usually underused and underestimated when it comes to the benefits it can provide for your business.
Many small business owners overlook opportunities to build a list because they don't understand how a list can help them reach their goals.
Setting up an email list takes a few simple steps and a little background information to get started. And the benefits are endless.
What is a Mailing List?
You might be wondering what the term mailing list means. According to Wikipedia, an email list (another term used for a mailing list) is a way to use email that allows for widespread distribution of information to many Internet users, also known as subscribers.
It's similar to a conventional mailing list that a company might sent to their customers via U.S. mail. It's a list of names and addresses, and in this case email addresses, vs. physical addresses.
The publications, newsletters and information sent via email are distributed via email to subscribers of the list.
Successful companies of all sizes collect email addresses and have thousands, even millions of subscribers on their lists.
Imagine having a huge, engaged audience of people that you can talk to about everything you're doing in your business. Not people who are tolerating your presentation, or even worse ignoring your marketing messages.
The inside secret is knowing how to create a list. There is more to it than slapping an opt-in form on the sidebar of your website with a title that says "Join My List".
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Opt-in forms, landing pages and "your list" work together to help you build an audience of new and existing customers as well as a source of referrals.
Let's face it, if you don't have an audience of people who are interested in what you have to offer, you don't have a business.
At the end of this article, there is a video that shows you opt-in forms and landing pages in action.
If you have a blog or website, you'll might also be interested in a marketing tool that you can use to build in the email marketing functionality you need to be successful. These tools are the ones I've used to create this blog.
If you're not generating leads (building an email list) you may never get the opportunity to connect with readers and earn their business.
How a Mailing List Can Help Your Business
Did you know that approximately 90% of website visitors will never return to your site after their initial visit? Consider how many opportunities are lost because of those statistics alone.
Unless you give visitors a compelling reason to take a look around, become engaged and return to your site, more than likely, you'll never see up to 80% of your website visitors again.
This is why your mailing list is essential when it comes to building an engaged, motivated audience that knows, likes and trusts you and wants to hear what you have to say.
A mailing list helps your business in the following ways:
The Benefits of Building a List
A mailing list can become an asset that you own and control.
It's important to create an environment that motivates readers to want to hear more from your business.
And you'll need a few key components like conversion focused landing pages and opt-in forms.
Opt-in forms are the lifeblood of any thriving online business because they enable visitors to start a relationship with your business.
What is an Opt-In Form?
Opt-in forms are the lifeblood of any thriving online business because they enable visitors to start a relationship with your business by signing up to learn more.
When you use a theme like Thrive Theme Builder, you can place your opt-in form in any location on your pages and posts. That gives you full control over how your content is structured.
Static, boring opt in forms will not get you far, when it comes to converting today's savvy consumers.
Your opt-in forms should stand out, like the form shown, with bold colors and eye catching graphics.
What is an Opt-In Page?
They should elaborate on a particular topic and provide something that motivates readers to take action.
An opt-in page takes the opt-in form a step further. It does so by placing the opt-in form on a conversion focused landing page.
Opt-in pages (like the one shown below) have one goal, and that is to encourage readers to become a lead. There is usually a button with an opt in form or a place to sign up in the "above the fold" area of the page.
Many times, opt-in pages offer what is commonly known as a lead magnet, a freebie or benefit of some kind, in exchange for a potential customer's email address.
Unfortunately, this is an area where a lot of marketers struggle.
The goal is to make each page or post on your site become your spokesperson, working to convert readers and visitors into leads in a few simple steps. Thus, the topic of today's post.
How a Mailing List Works
People who see your content and decided that they liked what they see will "opt-in" using the opt-in forms you have on your blog or website.
Opting in means you have converted a visitor into a lead when they provide you with their contact information.
When readers and visitors opt-in, they are giving you permission to follow up with them and send them additional information about your company and how you can help them.
These email addresses create your mailing list, which becomes an asset that you own. Each time a new person subscribes to your mailing list they are building an audience of people who want to learn more... people you can talk to about your business and build a lasting relationship with.
A mailing list is the result of all the opportunities provided for visitors to become a lead. If you don't have opt-in forms (also called lead generation forms) on all your content, you're missing opportunities to build your list. Each lead you collect becomes part of your audience.
Nurture the Relationship
If you communicate with your list (audience) in a way that builds the know, like and trust factor, they can become a major asset in your business. An asset you own and control and a source of website traffic, referrals, leads and sales.
Your mailing list can provide a group of people that you can talk to about your business. You can communicate with them about your social channels, events, deals and exclusive training that helps them reach their goals.
Once you have a "list" of people who are interested in your business, there is no need to make random phone calls or run down people who could care less about what you have to say.
One of the Most Profitable Skills
The power of mailing lists may not be obvious for marketers at first glance. However, if you take a look at seasoned marketers, you'll notice that they include a way to opt in or leave their contact information with each piece of content they create.
This results in thousands, even millions of interested people on that they can follow up with. That doesn't happen by accident.
The pros know how to use mailing lists in a way that sets them apart from everyone else. These lists lead to king-sized success in their business.
One of the most profitable skills you can learn is list building. When you learn to use your site and opt-in forms to create sizeable (even massive) lists, your business will grow.
When building a list, you want quality over quantity. For example, if you can get 100 enthusiastic, engaged leads, its better than 1000 deadbeat leads who never open your emails.
Having an enthusiastic following, no matter how small, can lead to success in your business.
There has always been a lot of buzz about mailing lists. It's crazy, because the most common quote we hear is some variation of "I wish I'd started building an email list sooner!"
This disappointment happens when marketers realize (usually later than sooner) the power of email to build huge audiences of raving fans and a continuous pipeline of people to talk to about their business, who want and need what they are promoting.
There are some who would tell you that email marketing is dead. However, when done correctly, and attention is paid to building the know, like and trust factor, it can be the most efficient, economical way to connect with potential clients.
How is Your Business Perceived?
So, we've established that having a thriving email list is the key to a thriving online business.
Building a massive audience is what drives the "work from home lifestyle" for most successful business owners.
The biggest problem for marketers who want to connect with more people has to do with perception. So let's talk about it.
Building a successful online business is about the perception your readers have when they visit your site. It's important because you only have a few moments to create a great first impression.
If readers and visitors perceive that you don't know what you're doing, or if your site looks amateurish, they wont hang around long. That means that the opportunity to generate a lead (build a relationship) is lost.
The general perception for marketers is that you need a lot of technical knowledge and money to really build a powerful mailing list.
Issues with perception have plagued online businesses for a long time. There has been time and money invested to build mailing list functionality on their sites, with a hit or miss success rate.
Needing a web developer or coding skills to build a powerful mailing list was a huge issue, until Thrive Themes came along.
A Mailing List Solution That's Easy to Use
Here's the thing... there are many tools and plugins you can use to add opt-in forms to your website.
Heck, you can just create a crappy looking form in your autoresponder and add that to your site. If you use something like MailChimp, it's 100% free with no need for any extra tools.
But... Have You Taken a Look at the Tools Included with Your Autoresponder?
Nothing against MailChimp... but as a marketer, using bland, boring outdated tools can give you results that are actually counterproductive.
A crappy looking website and opt-in form can actually run potential leads away.
They can create the perception with your readers that you don't care or you may not know what you're doing.
When they see a static, boring opt-in form that says "Join My List" located on your side bar, you can only imagine what your users might think,
Those kinds of opt-in forms are not going to motivate someone to give up their email address. You need forms that you can modify as you see fit, and place anywhere on your page.
Make it Convenient and Easy
It's really simple. Make it convenient for readers to sign up for more information and if they like what they see, they will.
If they have to look for a sign up form, they probably won't, even if they like what they see.
The results you get from using static, outdated tools are pretty much zilch. And yes, you may have an opt-in form, but if the presentation leaves a lot to be desired you'll still get zilch.
Massively grow your list with eye catching lead generation (opt-in) forms that show up in the right places, at the right times. #mailinglist #growyourlist
When you use crappy looking tools for such an important part of your blog, it's no wonder that no one opts in.
This small detail regarding presentation and perception is something that a lot of bloggers and online marketers overlook.
You may be scratching your head, looking at your pitiful opt-in form that collects no leads and wondering why the pros are always raving about list building.
Ask yourself whether your opt-in forms are grabbing attention, captivating, and motivating your readers to connect with your business, or whether they leave a lot to be desired.
How the Pros Generate Leads
First of all, the pros don't use crappy looking lead generation forms, as I'm sure you've guessed.
What the pros do looks more like this:
- They create an eye-catching, awesomely designed opt-in forms.
- They set the forms up to show in the right places at the right times (for example as a popup whenever someone's about to leave their website).
- They create multiple versions of their opt-in forms and run A/B tests to boost conversions.
- They repeat the steps above until they have a massively growing mailing list and that allows them to make moolah anytime, by sending out a simple email.
Thrive Themes has a number of conversion focused themes and plugins for WordPress. These themes and plugins are built for speed, readability and clarity.
And they're packed with features that make your website building life easy, without technical skills or a huge budget.
We'll show you how using the tools in Thrive Themes can make a huge difference when it comes to converting readers and visitors into paying customers.
Video: Create Eye Catching Opt-In Forms With No Design or Tech Skills on a Small Budget
Of course, creating great looking opt-in forms and lead generation pages didn't used to be easy.
But you're in luck, because Thrive Suite has a WordPress plugin that has all of the best list-building strategies built right into it. Watch the video to see how it works.
With this plugin, you can do what the pros do, but you don't need any design skills, any technical skills or piles of cash to pay people to do things for you.
With the new plugin, your list building process looks like this:
- Select one of the amazing opt-in templates shown in the video.
- Make the opt-in form appear anywhere on your site with a few clicks.
- Create multiple test versions in a few clicks and run a test that will automatically select a winning variation and increase your conversions.
- Repeat the above steps (which literally only takes minutes to do) until you're raking in the moolah.
Check it out here. This plugin is a game changer for anyone who will actually use it.
One year from now, some will have a nice, growing mailing list and be laughing all the way to the bank.
Others will still be chasing after new "opportunities" and "shortcuts" and thinking that building a mailing list is too difficult.
If you'd rather be in the first group, this one's for you!
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