subject: Relationship Marketing - Build A Relationship With Your List That Will Increase Your Bottom Line [print this page] Building a relationship with the people on your list will help you to grow your business quickly. I refer to this as list relationship marketing, and find the process of connecting with my prospects and clients in this way to be a rewarding one.
The idea is to let them get to know you and what you have to offer them so that the know, like, and trust factor will build as soon as possible.
Keep in mind why your prospects joined your list to begin with, what they need from you in order to achieve their goals, and what types of problems you will be able to solve for them as part of your online business.
There are many ways to nurture this type of relationship with your list. It all comes down to being there for them. People usually join my list to learn more about getting started with an online business.
Typically they have been online for at least a year and are already on at least a dozen other lists. They are experiencing frustration with the idea that no one is there to answer their questions.
I usually invite them to a free teleseminar within a couple of weeks of them signing up with me. This gives them the opportunity to ask me their questions directly and to receive the answers they need, even if the answers are not exactly what they were hoping for.
During the teleseminar I teach them about a specific topic and offer some resources, both free and paid, to help them further their education on Internet marketing.
This sets the stage for our relationship in the future; they know that I am approachable and available to help them to achieve their goals. In my follow up emails to them I encourage them to ask me questions when they are stuck.
Many of my prospects become customers within those first two to three weeks because I have had such a powerful impact on them by being willing to share my experience and expertise.
You must also email your list several times each week. Many people will unsubscribe because of this frequency, but those who stay on your list will come to expect your messages.
Most of my emails are promotional in nature, letting people know about my own products and courses and those of people I am an affiliate for, but I am also including information on my free calls, relevant content in the form of short reports, and inquiries as to what they want and need from me.
I am building a community, where I am the facilitator and they are students with a voice. This sets up a system of mutual respect that is invaluable.
I publicly thank my students when they have a suggestion that will be helpful to everyone. I write articles for them to give them a marketing boost.
I let them know when something new is going on that they should be aware of. I am the eyes and ears of our ever-changing industry, and my people know they can turn to me when something is confusing.
In return, they will ask me for my affiliate link when they want to purchase someone else's product and will attend my free calls because they know how important it is to participate in your own learning process.
Build this type of relationship with your list and they will be loyal and faithful to you for months and years to come. Do what other marketers are not willing to do, by answering their emails and providing important information on a regular basis.
Include them in your own learning process and share both your successes and failures. The result is a marketing community where everyone benefits in a variety of ways.
