Stop Selling Directly to Customers – Build a List!

The one major mistake many affiliates make is not setting up a list. Affiliates will often send traffic that they generated to affiliate links, rather than a list. When they do this, they are unknowingly making a bet that visitor will buy on first contact. Unfortunately, this is generally not the case. Visitors often need to be warmed up to a product - through the course of multiple visits and additional information - before they are willing to purchase from a person or a business. This is where building a list comes into play.

By building a list, affiliates can fix this problem. Additionally, they can retain traffic, warm it up, and then direct it to different purchases in the future. This means that it isn't a one-shot deal: instead, they can attempt to sell the same person multiple products over the course of time.

Now, in order to do this successfully, the affiliate in question must purchase the necessary tools. We personally suggest using TrafficWave.net for the actual autoresponder service. TrafficWave.net is relatively inexpensive ($17.95/mo.) and comes with a credible range of services, including Unlimited Ad trackers and Schedule Broadcasts With a Mouse-Click. Best of all, it is whitelisted by many email clients and boasts a delivery rate of 99%. This service will not only manage your list, but it will also help you build it. It includes free tools that allow you to create web forms etc - all of which can be used to increase your opt-in rate.

Now, in addition to purchasing the autoresponder service, you will need to setup your own site if you do not already own one. If you already own a related site, you can simply add your opt in form to a page on your existing site. If not, I suggest purchasing a cheap domain and hosting service and using this to host your list forms. SuperGreenHosting.com currently offers some of the cheapest hosting available on the market.

Once you have your site and your autoresponder setup, there are only two steps left: the first is building a course of some sort that is related to the affiliate products you will sell; and the second is creating an opt-in form that converts.

The first part is relatively easy. Start by determining your topic and then outline it over the course of five to seven days. Remember that everything should be written as if you are talking to a person, rather than as if you were writing a formal article.

If you don't feel comfortable writing these articles yourself, you can always hire a ghostwriter at http://www.elance.com for $5-15 per issue, depending on the size.

Once you have created your autoresponder series, you will want to feed it into your autoresponder, setup advertisements in the text for the affiliate product you are planning to sell, and then create an opt-in form for your list.

The last part - setting up an opt-in form - is quite important. Strangely, this is something marketers often neglect. They spend the time to create a good course, weave in affiliate links so they don't look too obvious, set the send off dates on all of the emails. . . and then fail to create an opt-in page that will convert.

So here's a little information on how to make your opt-in page convert...

First of all, keep in mind that the sole purpose of an opt-in page is simply to collect opt-ins. Don't splatter that page with Google Adsense ads. Don't include a navigational menu that visitors can use to browse your site. All of these things are bad because they detract from your primary purpose - your "most wanted response" -- which is to get visitors to opt-in to your list.

We personally suggest that you create what is called a "squeeze page." The purpose of a squeeze page is to do exactly what I said was important in the above paragraph: to "squeeze" new visitors for their names and email addresses. Here's a few things an effective squeeze page should include:

1. A professional graphic header. That's right: don't cheap out on the graphics. Hire someone who doesn't make blurry headers using horrible templates. You might have to slap down a horrifying $10, but it will be worth it. I promise.

2. A strong headline. Before you tell someone to opt-in to your list, you have to reach out and GRAB their attention with a large font, red headline. Make your headline CLEAR and COMPELLING. Do not use complex sentence constructions. Do not fill it with fluff. But do make strong, quantifiable claims...

3. Compact, compelling text that is no longer than two paragraphs. You aren't selling them a car or a house. All you're doing is basically saying "Hey! Here's a really, really, really good reason to opt in to my list. Did I mention my list was free? Opt in now, please." So absolutely blow them away in those two paragraphs, but do no more. Additionally, consider giving them a free report for joining your list - which they can download as soon as they opt-in. This is a good incentive and it will push them to join.

4. A call to action. This is where you tell readers to stop kicking the tires and opt in. Explain how their future could depend on it.

5. Your signature. If any signature is included with the opt-in list, it will immediately gain credibility. People want to see a signature, so write yours down, scan it; and add it to your squeeze page. You can either scan in your signature or use the following tool: http://www.vletter.com/.

6. A no spam clause. Simply tell them - in a few words - that you will not spam them and you will not sell their information. This is very important. Telling them that will make them far more likely to opt-in.

Once you have setup your opt-in form, the only remaining step is to drive various traffic sources to your opt-in list, collect their email addresses - and then wait for the commissions to roll in.