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In the last article, we discussed about the advantages and disadvantages of having a double opt-in list. Now that you have a firm idea of how to create a good solid subscriber list, it’s time to discuss about maintaining your lists.
Today there is so much competition on the Web, you have to be aggressive and work hard to keep your customers. Fortunately there are many simple and easy tools you can use to maintain your subscriber list. This section will focus on many tools you can use to succeed. Let’s start by reviewing the use of auto responders as a means of keeping in touch with your clients.
How to Use Autoresponders?
One of the best ways to keep in touch with your customers and prospects is by sending out a series of regular and updated auto responders.
Online marketing wouldn’t succeed today without auto responders. These handy tools allow marketers to contact their prospects, customers and affiliates effortlessly. If you want to keep in touch with your customers and subscribers the best way to do so is by using a paid and professional responder service.
An autoresponder is often a primary ingredient of many successful business owners’ toolkits. Autoresponders are nothing more than computer generated emails you can send to your affiliates. You can write a dozen at a time, load them into your database or the professional database you are using to manage your leads, then designate a time frame when each should be sent out (weekly, monthly etc.).
You can use an auto responder to send out sales messages or to announce new developments in your product line. You can use them to send out special offers to your customers or simply to help provide a means of communication with your customers and establish greater trust and loyalty.
A mailing list and an auto responder often go hand in hand. Once you have your subscriber list, make sure you keep in touch with your subscribers regularly by emailing them. Most marketer email weekly at the very minimum.
You may also create separate
lists, one list for paying customers and one list for prospects. You might
decide to email your paying customers more frequently because they already
bought from you. Once somebody buys from you, it’s twice as likely they will
buy again. So save your best efforts for paying customers when using auto
responders.
Create E-Zines to Maintain Your List!
Yet another way to maintain
your list of subscribers is to create online newsletters or ezines you freely
distribute to your list.
This in turn will allow you to offer them
products that better serve their needs. The only thing you need to start an
ezine is an auto responder and broadcast feature. The broadcast feature allows
you to reach out to all subscribers on your list, or just to a select group of subscribers.
There are many sites that allow
you to easily create ezine or auto responder messages online and send them to
your customers. You can choose from various professional looking templates. One
of my favorite places is Aweber.com. Here you can create unlimited ezines for
all your subscribers.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Ezines!
The advantages of ezines
are obvious. You are able to reach out to your subscribers and encourage them
to take an active interest in your products and services. You can use your
ezine to build trust and loyalty.
However, one disadvantage many people associated with ezines is the work
involved in creating an online newsletter. You have to be able to create good
content, and that process can be extraordinarily difficult if you are not
already a writer, or a writer too busy with other projects. The good news is
you can hire someone to create your content for you inexpensively.
There are many contract sites
like Fiverr where freelancers
and other professionals post their profiles and bid on projects. You can put
your ezine project up for bidding, describing your needs and the content you
want, and sit back and watch as dozens of people offer to write your ezine. You
will find by going through sites you get very competitive bids, so you will not
have to pay too much to create your ezine.
Another way to tackle the content
problem is to create as much content as you can in advance. You can for
example, create one month’s worth of content and place it in your
autoresponder, so in a few days you have prepared all the ezines you need to
for an entire month – or even longer if you wish.
Another place to check out for
help when creating ezines is Aweber.
Here you will also find independent contractors capable of taking on your
writing projects.
How to Choose an Ezine Topic?
You should always focus on creating
content that is not time sensitive. You want topics that provide universal
appeal regardless of the season or time of year. Otherwise someone may receive
your autoresponder at the wrong time or place.
Things that work well for ezines include quick and simple tips your subscribers can adopt, mini stories your readers can enjoy and interviews with other professionals in the industry. Think of the kinds of subjects you would enjoy reading if you were to read an online newsletter and go from there.
A great way to come up with ideas for content is
by brainstorming. Just sit down, get out a piece of paper and create a list of
a dozen or more topics you might like to talk about.
When thinking of great topics, look for those that have a solid market and demand. You should look for topics where a demand always exists for the topic.
Relationships and dating for
example are topics that are always in demand, so you can usually create an
ezine or product on this subject and generate good income. You may look for a
niche within the primary topic category you select to narrow your focus and
your target audience.
You also want to look for topics that
will allow you to create a steady stream of affiliate income by promoting the
products and services of others. You can endorse products that you are an
affiliate for through your ezine and subscriber list and make a lot of extra
residual income.
Conclusion!
In a perfect world all lists
would maintain themselves. Unfortunately we all live in an imperfect world.
That means you do have to put a little effort into maintaining your lists and
ensuring your subscribers remain loyal to you.
Because the Web is filled with
competition and new entrants into the market, you must continually work to not
only create but also maintain your lists. There are many simple and effective
ways you can maintain your lists.
One of the easiest ways to maintain your list with little to no effort is by using an autoresponder.
Autoresponders are automatic email newsletters or emails you can send out to
your prospects or customers in an organized fashion. These tools allow you to
keep in touch with your clients on a regular basis.
Many companies, including Aweber, allow you to create enough autoresponder messages to last you a month or more. You can then sit back and watch what happens as your prospects receive their weekly, monthly or even daily messages. The use of email newsletters or ezines is also a good way to maintain your list and keep your prospects up to date on new trends in your industry.
Also Read: What are Autoresponders and why they are The #1 "Online Business" Tools?
