Are you beginning to build an online business? Do you want an independent income but haven’t got started properly/? Do you dream of a future when friends are envious of what you have achieved as an internet marketer, but feel paralysed right now because you aren’t sure of the first steps?
You aren’t alone: “How do I get started? What do I need to do?” is a question I get asked a lot at the end of seminars or coaching calls. It seems that there is a wealth of information on the web for people who know what to look for, but the fact is: there are many, many people who want a straightforward, no-nonsense, basic information. Well, here it is: a low-level, fast fly-by ‘List building 101’.
You either have a product or service that you feel excited out, or you can find one. If you have your own product, perfect. If not, go to Clickbank, open a free account, and search for a product that matches your interest. (I won’t go into step-by-step instructions here, for reasons of space, and you can find how-to information elsewhere on the web.)
But I strongly recommend that you choose an offer of value and – I hope this doesn’t come as a shock – if at all possible, be prepared to give it away (this won’t apply to a Clickbank product, obviously.) Offering a value product for free is a sure fire way to selling many products in the future. Always keep your focus on the endgame, which a list of responsive customers.
Next, chose a domain name and web hosting. Now, take your time over this. Notice that I recommend chose a domain name after you have decided on the product you are going to offer. That way you can match it closely to the offer. I have chosen too many domain names too quickly and regretted it (and spent money) because I did not think things through carefully and rushed to purchase a name I thought was cool, but which didn’t relate to the product. Not certain who to buy from? Try Go Daddy, or 1and1.
Web hosting comes in two sizes – cheap (with all the pitfalls that go with that), and slightly more expensive (which means you get reliable service.) Ask around, post a query on forums, and you won’t go wrong. I recommend Hostgator.
Next, you need to get a web page sorted. And by web page, I mean squeeze page. A squeeze page is simply a web page whose only job is to collect emails. You know the kind I mean. If you don’t feel this is something you can do yourself, don’t worry. There are plenty of free templates on the web that you can download and tweak. And, if you need a free web page editor, try Komposer.
Keep the squeeze page simple. Introduce yourself briefly, and give four or five bullet points as to why the reader should sign up to receive your product.
Which means you need a system for responding to those emails, and handling your product download. In other words, you need an autoresponder service. This will ensure that your visitors are handled respectfully and receive your product without your having to do anything. But, far more importantly, it means that you will have a list of subscribers who you can email in the future with pay-for offers. And that is the point of it all. I recommend Aweber – you do have a to pay a monthly subscription, but it is a blue-chip operation. You can buy software outright that will provide a similar service, so you will need to balance the higher upfront cost against the monthly outgoing.
Finally, you need to nurture your list. How many times have you signed up for a product you liked from a vendor who came across well, but from whom you only heard from sporadically, and then not at all? Having expended all your energy on getting visitors who sign up to your list, don’t lose them by not following up with worthwhile offers.
I do understand that this can sound daunting. Is it worth it? Most definitely: “Yes”. But you need to take that first step. You can do it!
My best to you – James Gladwin