21 IDEAS BLUEPRINT
List-building can feel artificial and tricky at first. After all, you need to use conscious strategies to make your sharing feel natural and authentic.
Keep your focus on your ideal subscriber, and your list-building will feel natural and authentic—and remember that strategies are just particularly effective ways to share.
- Consider using a ‘Welcome Mat’
This is one of the newest types of pop-ups, available when you sign up for SumoMe.
It takes up the visitor’s entire screen so they are compelled to focus on your call to action.
As with all pop-up types, make sure you test your Welcome Mat, once it’s installed, to see how effective it is in getting results.
- Find the Right Pop-up Option
It’s not enough to create a pop-up for your landing page: Find the pop-up type that draws the most response from your ideal visitor.
Start by realizing there is more than one pop-up type! You can install:
- Entry pop-ups
- Exit pop-up
- Pop-ups that appear after a visitor has been on your web page for a specific length of time (set by you)
- Pop-ups that only appear when a visitor takes a specific action (such as clicking on your Pricing options)
- Light-boxes
- Ribbon pop-ups that appear at the top of the screen
- Floating or fluid popups that you can set to appear anywhere above the fold on your website
Check out this podcast from the Aweber to learn more about pop-up types; which sort have the highest conversion rates; and how to know which sort to use for your unique audience
- Make Sure You Create a Specific Landing Page
Don’t just send visitors to your Home Page. (If you do, make sure it is set up as a Landing Page!)
- Realize Your Sidebar is NOT a ‘Landing Page’
Don’t rely solely on a sidebar sign-up web form. Create a separate landing page, and send people there.
Your sidebar sign-up box should be regarded as an extra strategy; not as your primary sign-up vehicle
- Put Calls to Action in Your Graphics
Never, ever post an image quote, for example, without including either a call to action within the graphic—or accompanying it.
At the very least, do brand it with your website URL.
The same goes for infographics, cover photos (where allowed), pie charts, diagrams and even just images, if you can make this look natural and timely.
- Include a Call to Action in your Sign-up Gift
Even if you don’t have a ‘next product’ ready, recognize that your sign-up gift is prime real estate for list building.
At the very least, finish with a message such as: “You’ve downloaded my nifty [XX ways to XX something”]. If you’ve found it useful, please share it with your peeps.” (Then include your SHARING BUTTONS.)
- ALWAYS Use Sharing Buttons
Don’t just put sharing buttons on your website; put them on every post, gift, landing page and email!
(Check out AddThis for the latest in free, powerful, mobile-responsive buttons.)
- Create Exciting Affiliate Contests
“Exciting” should be a concept never far from your mind, when engaging with your followers and subscribers.
If you have affiliates, recognize the goldmine they can prove to be, and provide them with rewards, recognition—and really fun contests.
Use apps such as Wishpond to specifically create referral promotions.
- Arrange a Giveaway
A great way to grow your reach (Use apps such as Rafflecopter or Woobox that make arranging Giveaways easy!)
- Write Yourself a List
Entitle it “101 Ways to Help My Subscribers”—and use it as a fast reference whenever you want to:
- Write a post
- Create a product
- Share something on Facebook
- Find a resource they can use
- Decide what to do for them next
- Write a new email series
- Create a mini-course
- Are asked a question an item on your list answers
- Create a Mini-Course
Speaking of mini-courses, after you’ve started building your list and you are tracking your feedback, use it to create a seven-part email mini-course and landing page as your next follow-up series.
Email mini-courses are ridiculously easy to do, and take far less preparation and resources than putting together, say, a webinar; or writing a book.
The key lies in making sure there is a measurable result or achievement at the end of the course.
- Archive Your Tips and Image Quotes
Create separate sections on your website for these items, and each time you post or email a tip or image quote created by you, archive it in its respective section.
Periodically direct your followers and subscribers to these sections, once you’ve built up a decent collection of tips and image quotes.
- Create a FAQ page
Whenever a follower or a subscriber asks you a question, add both the question and your answer to your FAQ page.
This is a great way to become a “turn-to” resource for your ideal subscriber … and you can use your Tips and Image Quotes archives, as well as your FAQ page, to generate post, product and gift ideas for your subscribers.
- Create a Media Page
Make it easy for bloggers to write about you and make it easy for potential JV partners to make a decision about you by providing a professional media page on your website; including essential details and graphics you guess they would like to access the most.
- Maximize Your ‘Real Estate’
Include links, share buttons and calls-to-action at the end of digital products, Thank You pages, Download Pages and everywhere you make contact!
(Take a look through all your content and figure out what types you aren’t maximizing yet?)
- Focus on Your Ideal Subscriber
This is basic, but often forgotten as we get swept away with “branding” ourselves.
It really IS all about your subscriber: With how much she identifies with you, relates to you, turns to you for solutions she trusts.
Even when you are writing your About Page bio or sharing photos of triumphs, only share the bits that she will find particularly relevant—and emotionally stirring.
Constantly remind yourself:
- It’s not about showcasing your achievements: It’s about showing her what she can achieve.
- It’s not about proving you’re an expert: It’s simply about helping her get to her goal.
- Pre-Sell
Don’t just spring a product on your followers and subscribers: Start talking it up before it’s even finished.
You can do this on social posts, blog posts and in emails.
Ask for feedback; share the creation process; feature impromptu, short polls; and tell your story—WHY you wanted to create it and what you hope it will do (for those who invest in it or download it).
- Use Feedback Forms After Events or Workshops
A great way to collect enthusiastic signups: Use the momentum you’ve gathered at the end of a webinar, guest speaking gig or a live workshop to distribute feedback forms asking simple questions like “what was your best takeaway from today?” or “which of these three topics are you most interested in?”—and include a slot for their email addresses if they “want to hear more/about the next event”.
- Super-power Your Buzz Creation
Don’t just rely on posting, blogging and sending out the odd email about upcoming events, packages or products.
- Create a product related to your upcoming promotion: One that will enhance people’s enjoyment of it or provide a “taste”
- Create a Facebook Group around the specific topic the product, event or package will address
- Use services such as BuzzStream to magnify and accelerate your buzz!
- Conduct a Survey—with an Incentive
Don’t just send out surveys: Promise people something delectable in exchange for answering your survey.
Use apps such as SurveyMonkey or Typeform for extra eye-appeal … or even create a simple “respond to this email” type survey, for a low-tech quickie approach.
- Create a SlideShare Presentation
SlideShare is an under-rated way of sharing nowadays—but highly effective, if you prepare a strong presentation on an in-demand topic. (Check your Tip, FAQ or Image Quote Archives for ideas.)
The key to using it to grow your subscriber list: Include a call to action and link at with your Presentation. (And remember to add another specific incentive—e.g. “Ten More Tips on XX”—to make sure they click through.)
Twenty-one tips may seem like a lot, but these are just a smattering of suggestions for adding more subscribers, when you consider how many opportunities, tools and other strategies are out there.
Start with these—but do get into the habit of looking for opportunities to help your subscribers every single day.
After all, that’s what it is really all about!
