Have you heard the money is in the list? Do you think you can’t make sales because you have no list to promote to? Unfortunately, entrepreneurs get trapped in thinking and/or believing, that if they don’t have an audience they can’t sell.
But the truth is, sales can come from many, many other places besides your email list. While a list of active subscribers does allow you to promote to a ready audience who already knows, likes and trusts you, it’s not the only method that works. Here are some other ways you can get sales online while you’re building your list.
Affiliate Partners. The next best thing to your own know/like/trust factor is the ability to leverage that of partner. When you create an affiliate program and ask your friends and colleagues to promote your products in exchange for a commission, you’re essentially receiving their endorsement. They reach out to their list of subscribers with news about your great programs. And because they already have a relationship with their subscribers, they pass a little of that trust factor on to you.
Social Media. Just because you don’t have a subscriber list of thousands doesn’t mean you don’t have a reach of thousands. How many followers do you have on Twitter? Facebook friends? LinkedIn connections?
All of these (and the many, many other social networks) are potential customers, and promoting your product on social media can be as easy as making a quick post with a link to your sales or opt-in page.
Webinars. For higher ticket products and programs, webinars are the ideal sales vehicle. By speaking to your audience in real time (and perhaps even on video) you give them a chance to get to know you better than email alone, will ever allow. Combine webinars with affiliate promotions or paid traffic, and you have a scalable sales machine that can easily bring in hundreds of new potential clients with every event.
Paid Traffic. Advertising is easier and less expensive now than ever. You can target your audience by demographic, interests and more, ensuring your ads are only shown to your ideal client. You can run ads on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google’s Adwords network, and dozens of others.
Guest Blogging. No list of your own? Guest posting on someone else’s blog lets you easily borrow their audience—and start growing your own. Choose blogs whose readership is a complement to yours, not a competitor, for best results.
Borrow a List. Friends and colleagues with mailing lists are a good option as well, though it might cost you. One way to manage payment is to borrow a colleague’s list while using his/her affiliate link for your product. If that’s not an option, then a one-time fee can be negotiated as well, and will generally be based on the size and responsiveness of the list.
Get Interviewed. Podcasts are hot right now. In fact, it seems like nearly everyone has a new weekly (or even daily) interview show. If you have a great product or service, you’re the perfect fit for an interview spot, so start reaching out to those podcasters. They’ve got hungry audiences just waiting to hear from you!
While it might be true that “the money is in the list,” that doesn’t mean it has to be your list. There are many more ways you can borrow someone else’s audience as you grow your own, so don’t let the lack of a mailing list hold you back from promoting your sevices or products!
- Why You Need Relationship Marketing in Your Marketing Plan - January 29, 2018
- 3 Productivity Hacks To Grow Your Biz In 2018 - December 18, 2017
- 3 Reasons Why You Need to Hire a Support Team - September 25, 2017
- What You Must Know About Your Potential Clients - August 23, 2017
- 7 Ways To Make Sales… Even If You Don’t Have A List - March 16, 2017
- How To Optimize Your Social Media Efforts With Timing - February 17, 2017
- Do You Really Know Your Clients? Find Out What You Must Know! - January 22, 2017
- More Important Than Money & Marketing: Understanding Why You Really Do What You Do - December 14, 2016
- Are You Sharing Too Much On Social Media? - November 22, 2016
- Improve Your Live Video With These Simple Tips - October 14, 2016