Simple Strategies for Turning Your Mailing List into a Long-Term Profitable Asset
FOCUS: 7 Strategies Nurturing Your List

#1: Write Simple Emails:

Your email writing efforts needn’t be complicated. In fact, in my experience they should be kept really quite SIMPLE because it’s easier and because your more likely to get more results. If you’re busting your butt trying to publish a full-blown weekly newsletter, really consider giving yourself a break.

Think of it this way. People are busy and with few exceptions, experience email overload. Why load them up even more?

Keep your messages short, simple and focused on one thing or a couple things at a time. This allows your readers to quickly absorb your message and decide whether or not to take action on your call to action.

Many people think that if they offer more content, more sections, etc…they are more likely to provide something that appeals to more subscribers. But from our experience (and from the reports of many others), MOST of your readers aren’t reading past the first section of your ezine anyway. The lower down the content appeared in my, the less people took action on what you want them to do. Whether it was to a click a link for information or to buy a product, if the information isn’t in the first section, the response tends to diminish.

Why work so hard if very few people are paying attention?

Overall, you want your readers to be trained to respond to your calls to action. And if you’re just adding extra stuff hoping to capture a few extra people, I suggest cutting out the fat and putting more effort into that first section.

#2: Keep Your Writing “Personal” 

Email is personal communication. It’s generally one person to another. Follow that model in your marketing.

Imagine yourself writing to one person and use language that you’d use if writing to just one person at a time. Don’t address your readers as a group. For example, “I know many of you…”  Address your subscriber as that one important individual they are. The language is far more powerful.

For example, if you write: “I know many of you are looking for a…”

As opposed to…

“I know you are looking for a…”

Which do you think is more powerful? In the first case, your reader can immediately exclude themselves from the offer because you said “many”. That might not include that particular reader. In the second instance, you are stating it directly to your intended audience.

You may be sending out your email to thousands of people, but each of your subscribers is reading it one by one. Address them that way.

#3: From Line is Important:

Who is your email from? If you want to establish that personal connection and gain trust, the from line should have your personal and full name. You can use your company name if you want to build that reputation, but try to include a personal name with it, if possible.

#4: Keep Your Email Address Consistent:

Emails end up in junk folders or get filtered altogether. It sucks, but it happens.

One way you can curb this is by using a consistent email address for all your mailing list communications and getting your subscribers to whitelist you or add you to their address book.

#5: Email More Often:

Here’s another easy way to get over the obstacle of being afraid to do pure promotional emails. Just email your list with content more often, so when you slip in regular promos…the amount of content they receive in comparison still prevails.

Remember, you don’t have to write big fancy ezines with all kinds of sections and departments, just short simple emails that provide good value to your readers. Basically, instead of bombarding them with a ton of information all at once, you’re now giving it to them in bite-sized chunks.

Of course, you need to test out the volume of email your list can bear, but if you’re providing stellar stuff…I bet they’ll want to hear from you more often.

#6: Research Everything:

Your readers will appreciate your promotions, especially when you take the time to research and review everything thoroughly. In fact, your readers will come to expect you to do a lot of the hard work for them…but don’t worry this work is profitable for you!

If you are known for your research, your readers will wait to see your opinion on something and will want to know what you recommend. It’s a big, but profitable responsibility.

#7: Honesty is the Best Policy

When you do your research, report it in an honest way and that will solidify your reputation with your readers even further.

When you investigate a product, avoid coming back and telling your reader’s it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread…because not everybody eats the same kind of bread.

Sure, you might think the product is really terrific, but break it down for your readers and identify:

• Who the product is for (ex. beginner rose gardeners only).
• What problems you personally see the product solving.
• Any potential drawbacks of the product.

Don’t be afraid to share any constructive negatives because that makes your promotion REAL. For example, you can tell them that the baby stroller you’re recommending doesn’t come with a drink holder, but the other features totally make up for it. Besides, an attachable drink holder can be purchased at very little extra cost.