Building An Email List Of 1 Million Subscribers
Author: Willie Crawford
Category: Internet marketing/online business
Building An Email List Of 1 Million Subscribers
Back in December 2002, I attended my very first Internet
marketing seminar. That seminar was sponsored by Dr. Bob
Silber, and I attended because Dr. Silber invited me to be
a speaker. Rumors had spread of how well I was doing in
"Internet marketing" with a lead product of "a soul food
cookbook" - of all things.
My presentation was on niche marketing, and was very
well-received. That seminar also opened my eyes to how
willing other marketers are to share their experience and
knowledge with you... if you let them.
At that seminar Jonathan Mizel, Frank Garon, Fred Gleeck,
Armand Morin, Marty Foley, Ramon Williamson, Bob Silber,
and several others gave me so many ideas that I though my
head would explode. Many of the tips that they gave me are
still very applicable today, and add substantially to my
bottom-line. One tip pertaining to having the perfect
backend in place will make me a small fortune this year.
When I first released my cookbook, I struggled with the
perfect backend product for cookbook buyers. Now, I know
that the perfect backend product is… other cookbooks! So,
the backend system for that website that I shared back in
2003 is now an endless procession of incredible cookbooks.
The latest one that I've added to my line-up is a cookbook
by the private cook of the late Alex Haley. This guy is
such a great cook that Alex insisted he do the cooking when
he had such distinguished guest over as Oprah Winfrey,
Sidney Poitier, Governor Lamar Alexander, and countless
other politicians, celebrities, and friends.
That ONE tip, picked up at my first seminar, lead me to
eventually adding Dave Frank's "Foods Of The Southland"
cookbook to my line-up, and I hope to move hundreds of
thousands of copies of that cookbook eventually.
After that first seminar was over, I sat around in the
hotel lobby talking to fellow speaker Ramon Williamson, who
would eventually become a mentor. As Ramon and I talked,
one of the seminar attendees, whom I didn't know, walked up
to us. Ramon recognized this guest and invited both of
us up to his suite for a late-night brainstorming session.
That guest was John Reese, whose marketing genius I would
really grow to appreciate. John Reese, you may remember
really sprang on the scene when his "Traffic Secrets"
course sold over $1 million worth of product in 18 hours.
Ramon, John and I talked until 4am. They did most of the
talking as I sat in awe at their LEVEL of thinking. John
mentioned that one of his long-term goals was to build a
mailing list of over 1 million subscribers. I couldn't see
that as even being possible!
John explained that when you're having trouble paying your
rent, it's difficult to imagine earning $100,000 per year.
However, to the person making $100k, it's easy to "see"
making $200k. To the person making $500k, it's easy to
imagine $1 million. As I reflected upon the truth in what
John was saying I underwent a radical shift in my thinking
right there... that night... in that hotel room.
That was December 2002. By April 2003 I was in the midst of
hosting my very own Internet marketing seminar. That was
four months from attending my very first, to hosting a live
seminar!
I detail a lot of the transformation that occurred in my
thinking and in my habits in my biography, "Git Off The
Porch." I wrote that book in response to a challenge issued
by Ramon. The challenge was to go from idea to a print book
in three months or less.
Today, I sit writing this article... on the beach in
beautiful Navarre, Florida. I often go to the beach and sit
in a shaded pavilion and work. I can do that since all I
really need is my trusty laptop, and my Verizon Wireless
Card. With that card plugged into my laptop, I can actually
surf the internet or answer email from anywhere that I'm
within range of a cell phone tower. I've even done it while
driving down the interstate... my wife was actually
driving. To me, that proves that so many things that many
people consider only "dreams" are possible!
As I write and reflect upon the possibilities, I thought
I'd share with you one of my goals. That goal is the same
one that John Reese shared back in December 2002. I have a
plan for building an email database of over 1 million
subscribers. I'm doing it in phases, and will actually have
several niche lists or sub-lists. When broken down as I
have it mapped out, it's no longer such a major challenge!
My short-term goal is to add 100,000 new subscribers to my
list by December 31st, 2007. Actually that's 100,000 new
subscribers more than I would get from what I was doing
before I implemented my master plan.
Building this relatively large list will involve using a
number of techniques... some very simple, and others
somewhat innovative. One of the simplest ones I've
actually already shared with the world in a special report
that I wrote called, "How I Boosted My Ezine Sign-Up Rate
By 5200 MORE Subscribers Per Month - Virtually Overnight -
And You Can Too!"
The reason that I can, and will, build a list of over 1
million subscribers is largely because I give myself
permission to do so. The transformation in thinking
brought on by the conversation with John and Ramon back in
2002 now allows me to see that anything is possible.
Knowing that it is possible ends the procrastination in
getting started on a task. Knowing what is possible if you
just put in the proper effort also completely cures you of
"excusitis."
You may even wonder if a goal of 1 million subscribers is
worth pursuing. In the niches that I operate in, I earn an
average of between $1 and $3 per month for every subscriber
on my lists. So, for me, YES, it's a very worthwhile goal
:-)
NO - money isn't everything, but it does enable you to
accomplish many bigger goals. My ultimate goals actually
center around helping more people reach their dreams, but
that's a topic for another time. I'll close by issuing a
challenge. Identify one of your goals today, and use your
magnificently powerful brain to figure out HOW to reach it!
It doesn't have to be building a huge list. However, many
of the people that I deal with regularly use the excuse of,
"I have no list" as a reason for not being able to grow
their businesses faster. Many of them have been using that
same excuse for 3-5 years. I contend that it's time that
they stop!
What do you think?
About the Author:
Willie Crawford has taught thousands how to build
successful online businesses since late-1996. His
membership site contains over 40 interviews of leading
online marketers sharing their views on "How To Break Into
The Internet Marketing Inner Circle.
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