Internet Marketing: List Building Best Practices

Why is it that some people are incredibly successful at utilizing the power of the Internet in their marketing while others can’t seem to figure out the winning formula? This article is about one of the essential ingredients of the formula, namely list building.

Ask anyone who has effectively integrated the use of the Internet into his/her overall marketing strategy and that person will tell you success in building your business, is about systems. It is the system of developing and maintaining a solid database that you’ll find most value.

Benefits of a System for List Building

Fact is, with a well-groomed database, you can increase your revenues and decrease your marketing costs. You can build customer relations and keep your name fresh in the minds of your market by keeping in touch. This establishes excellent position within your market.

Most people would be amazed at how simple it is to build an incredibly profitable database by applying a few simple strategies. Remember, simple is not always easy. It will take time, commitment and focus.

One of the most important things you have to consistently do is build your list of people who are interested in you and your information.

List Building Best Practices

Building a bigger list is not necessarily better when it comes to your database. Depending on your industry and what you sell, you may be well served to focus on the few dozen or few hundred who want to buy from you, rather than thousands who could care less about what you offer.

First you need to have the list building foundation in place:

• Develop a fully operational web site
• Have a way to capture contact information such as a sign-up form
• Give people a reason for leaving their contact information by way of an ethical bribe. This would include a free report or e-book, an article of interest to your target market or anything that is of benefit to the reader
• Develop a series of content-driven messages that address your customers’ needs
• Keep your name in front of your market consistently without being annoying
• Commit to the long-term

Next you can use 7 ways to build your list.

1. A traditional opt-in subscriber list through Aweber, Infusionsoft, Constant Contact, GetResponse or any number of providers. Keep the long-term in mind, as you begin to build your list. Some people look for all the free service providers. Free may not be in your best interest based on your growth projections.

2. Feedblitz or FeedBurner via your blog. Both allow you to build a list of readers who are requesting to receive your posts as you blog. Every time you post on your blog, those who have subscribed by way of the RSS feed will get your post delivered into their email inbox.

3. Friends on Facebook. Building a friend’s list is a great idea, but to get the most value you need to be a “real” personality on Facebook. However, be aware that not everyone is who he or she says they are. Use discretion with how much information you share.

4. Followers on Twitter. If you are only posting promotional information you are not creating value for others. Plan out your tweets to create the most value. You can use something like HootSuite to schedule out your tweets. This way you spend a few minutes posting tweets that will show up throughout the day rather than all at once.

5. Connections on LinkedIn. I really like LinkedIn due to the quality of professional relationships I can build. The key to success is to post high value information. Contribute to conversations; post information you find from other experts that would be of interest to group members, post questions, and always think in terms of how to build relationships.

6. Subscribers on YouTube. The more quality videos you post, the more subscribers you will get. Make sure to include keywords in the title of your video and throughout the description. This makes it easier for people who are interested in your content to find you.

7. Article marketing. This is one of the most effective ways to build your expert status as well as your opt-in subscriber list. At the end of your article, include a resource box that has some type of high value giveaway. When giving information away, think in terms of going above and beyond expectations.

Driving traffic to your site is an on-going process, as is building and maintaining a solid database. If you are serious about using the Internet in your marketing, you need to lay the groundwork to optimize your opportunities. By providing incredible value to your market you can and will achieve success in your business!

Discover how to build a profitable list by attending the Six Figure List Building Web Summit from the comfort of your office or home.