Some of you are asking ‘what’s a list’? I know – I’ve heard many of you ask the question. A list IS your business. It’s pure gold. No list – no business.
Next question – ‘so how do I get/create one’? That IS the question. I want to address it in a few simple steps (because that’s my style) and to help you get going and get growing. A list is essential in your business because the people on your list are the ones who keep communicating with you – who buy from you – who give you referrals – who work with you and help you to grow your business.
For most entrepreneurs starting out in business, their list typically consists of their mother, their neighbor, the dog and anyone else who has agreed to receive marketing information from you. And that’s ok – everyone starts somewhere. For those of you who have been in business for a while, you probably still have those original people on your list plus others as a result of your marketing activities. Good for you. Now, when is the last time you ‘cleaned’ your list?
Yes, it’s critical to have a list – it’s even better to have a viable list. You want to ensure that the people on your list are your ideal audience – and you want to keep them engaged, active and buying from you. So, where to begin (and or continue) to grow your list. Here are a few easy steps I recommend and if you’re doing these things already, then ramp it up for the year.
#1: WRITING YOUR REGULAR NEWSLETTER (E-zine)
One of the easiest, and most common, ways to grow your list is to write a weekly e-zine. Even if your mother is still the only person on your list, ask her to start sharing it with other people that she knows. Then her friends will tell a friend, who will tell a friend, and so on. Word of mouth is huge! Be sure to have a note at the very top, right-hand side, of your e-zine that says ‘subscribe to this e-zine’ – because, if it has been forwarded, that means that person receiving it is NOT on your list yet. Then, once you’ve written your article for the week, be sure to get your article published on line. There are many article directories that you can use to increase exposure – the key is to ensure you have great content in that article! You can post on ezinearticles.com, EvanCarmichael.com, scribd.com, selfgrowth.com. And the other key to success is consistency! Be sure to get that article written each week because people will come to expect to hear from you.
TIP #2: YOUR BUSINESS CARD
Most entrepreneurs have, what I call, ‘wasted space’ on the back side of their business card. At a minimum, you should always be directing people to your website ……..and why would they want to go there? Be sure to have one of your most popular, content-rich articles available at your site for immediate download by people who are ‘visiting’ – they access that great article by leaving their email address and thereby subscribing to your list. Google your competitors and see how they have their site set up – then model after that, adding your own style and information. But the key is to ensure your business card has a compelling invitation on the back side to cause people to want to go to your website.
TIP #3: YOUR VOICEMAIL MESSAGE
See – I told you these would be easy steps – and these are ones that are often over-looked and rarely talked about. Your business phone should have a voicemail message on it that, again, sends people to your website. For example, this is what mine says:
“Hi, you’ve reached the confidential voicemail of Pat Mussieux. I’m sorry I’ve missed your call – please do leave your name and number (speaking slowly so I can actually write down your number!) and I will return your call promptly. In the meantime, please visit my website at HirePat.com to learn more about the work I do as a business coach and speaker, and to receive a free gift – ‘The 10 Commandments of Entrepreneurship’.
You can time that – less than a minute for certain – short, sweet and to the point – AND sending them to my website. Once there, they enter their name and information to access the free gift …..and boom ……they are added to my list.
See how easy it is? Be creative. There are lots of additional, traditional ways to build your list – but these are just a few easy steps that have worked well for me. Try it – and let me know your results.
GROW YOUR LIST – GROW YOUR BUSINESS!
Which step will you implement this week?
Please share your thoughts!
