When I heard Maritza Parra speak this summer on list-building at Podcast Movement, I knew I wanted to have her come on the show. You guys know how I feel about building email lists. (If you don’t, you should read this or this or this.) Maritza shared in the session how she sold her first product to a list of 800 people and made $30,000. Now you’re REALLY geared up for this interview aren’t you?
Maritza hosts the Easy Online Marketing Podcast and you can find great value on her site. I would highly recommend signing up for her email list, where you can get a freebie with SO MANY ideas for freebies that are working right now to give away as incentives for email subscribers. SO helpful!!
Listen to Create If Writing – Episode 017
Quotable
“The whole point of a list is building relationships.”
Big Ideas
- Give free content BEFORE asking people to op-in.
- You want to move people toward taking action.
- Maritza has subscriber appreciation days where she will have her readers sign up for a phone call or mini session with her so she can really connect.
- Super targeted lists of very passionate people can be VERY successful. This allows you to be super specific in what you offer and lets you zero in on those pain points for your audience.
- Consider doing real-life meet ups where you can connect with people in person. Have a Q&A and make notes of what things they want to know and learn.
- Don’t take unsubscribes personally!
- When is the best time to send something to your list? When you have something important to say, THAT’S the time.
- You teach people how to treat you, so if you hesitate or second guess who you are or your product, that lets other people know they don’t have to take you seriously.
- If you are giving great content, you should be able to offer paid products without feeling bad.
- Add a story to what you are selling. Frame it well and as an experience.
- Maritza said she has had more failures than successes, but those failures taught her more than the successes. When you fail, celebrate and try to see how you can push through.
- Keep separate lists. Know why people signed up so you can speak to specific pain points.
- Your freebie whole be a list-specific product, but doesn’t have to be huge. A 1-2 page PDF would be great.
Do you suffer from list-building stage fright? Don’t be afraid to email your list or sell to your list. If they signed up, there is something they want from YOU.
How to Involve Your Audience in Your Products
- Involve them in the process. Ask what they want in a survey or give them two choices and have them hit reply to tell you.
- Have a webinar or live training where you can say, “The results are in!” This lets them know that THEY were the driving factor.
- Launching before you create your product allows you to know that you have an audience and a need for that product.
I loved this interview because it made me feel like I can do this. I can get over myself and my stage friend and email my list. I love the ways that Maritza connects with her people via phone calls and face to face.
Download a free copy of her list-building ideas!
What is YOUR big takeaway from this? Let me know in the comments!
Greetings! Honestly, awesome article. List Building is one of the most cost effective and efficient ways to reach large numbers of potential leads. I also have reading some list building secrets from ebooklancer , they really helpful to me . After reading your blog I got some few ideas, Thanks for sharing your wonderful tips .