Ask any successful online business owner what their biggest business asset is and they will tell you—their list. The reason list-building is so important, is that you have a list of people who have come to you for your expertise and products. And they are a warm audience, meaning that they know who you are, are consuming your content, and are most likely or already have bought from you.
I strongly agree that the most important business activity you can engage in is list building. So I want to share with you some tips for doing that so you can build your business with a solid foundational asset.
- Take Action
First of all, you need to be proactive when list-building. There should be action steps in place that you take every day-although they can be fully automated. Aim to tackle at least one action step per day to start and as it becomes more of a habit, add two action steps to your day. You won’t move toward your goals if you’re standing still waiting for things to happen. The same goes whether you have an already established business, or you are building one from scratch. Starting a business can feel daunting if you don’t break down the tasks into lists, and tackle them one-by-one.
- Host a Webinar or Master Class
There’s no better way to showcase your expertise online than to host a webinar or produce a series of videos. If your prospects are worldwide with little chance of them attending a live meetup, video is the next best tool. They can still see and hear you as you present and they can gauge whether or not your style works for them.
Consider using an evergreen webinar host, such as EverWebinar, which keeps offering your recorded webinar as many times as you like. Host the live webinar once, then continue its replay at the frequency you choose. In order to gain access to the webinar, viewers will have to enter their email address.
- Create a Quiz
Quizzes are a fun way to capture your audience’s attention while granting them instant gratification with your analysis of their problem. Using a quiz creator such as Qzzr, you create the questions and sort out their answers ahead of time so everything is automated when visitors take your quiz.
The reader answers a few questions targeted at a pain point then they enter an email to receive their results.
- Get Inspired by Your Competitors
It’s time to do some reconnaissance on what your competitors are doing in their marketing efforts. Not that you’re going to copy them but getting inspired to try a new strategy is fair game.
Check out their website; look at their social profiles. What are they offering as an opt-in gift? How does that compare to your opt-in gift? How can you make yours better than theirs? Now look at their programs and products through the same eyes. How can you make improvements to YOURS that your audience will love?
- Answer Questions & Participate in Groups
Don’t be a fly on the wall in your Facebook and LinkedIn groups. The same goes for any membership forums you belong to. As we discussed earlier, people won’t know you’re a member of a group unless you make yourself known.
Answer questions, especially those regarding your specialty. Ask questions or ask for feedback. Follow the group’s rules regarding links and promotions so you don’t get kicked out. On promo days, promote your opt-in freebie. If you find your current groups are negative or aren’t serving your needs, search for others to join.
- Host an Email Challenge
Challenges are all the rage these days and they are super easy to host. Simply plan out your challenge – including the number of days – then write your emails in an autoresponder, set up a Facebook Group for live interaction, and start promoting.
Of course, the only way people can join the challenge is to opt-in to your email list; and, if you continue sending valuable information, they will remain loyal followers and potential customers.
- Network at Live Events
The online world is amazing but don’t forget to look right in your own backyard for networking opportunities. Print a QR code on your business cards and then visit your local Chamber of Commerce, BNI groups, or any number of other events meant to bring local business owners together.
Even if your business is 100% online, you can still be of service to local brick-and-mortar businesses. You just have to get out there and meet people to find out their needs. You never know where your next client will come from and it may be from your own local area.
