12.17.07
Build Your First List For Free
I have not updated my blog in a long time. I was tied up with a few other things - a product launch, loads of experimentation and a family 
But the good news is that I’m back and I have loads to share with you. The New Year is right ahead of us and I’ll do my best to make 2008 an informative one for you. Well, at least in the area of Internet Marketing!
Today, I want to show you how to build your first list for FREE! Have you built a list in any niche yet? If not, get into it right away. A list is a very important element of success for an Internet Marketer. If you want steady, long term profits - you must build a list and maintain it well…. I can’t stress on this point enough!
I have discussed the importance of list building in a previous post here.
I know that list building is not an easy task. But right now, I am not talking about building a massive list of 5000 or 10,000. That will come later. To being with, you must target a number that is achievable. Something like 100 or 200 subscribers in the next 30 days.
If you can build a list of 200 subscribers and maintain a good relation with them, that is at least $200 per month in assured profits for you. Once you achieve that, you can reinvest your earnings and ramp up your list building exercise.
So, as I see it, the problem really lies in getting the first 100 or so subscribers. And the bigger problem is getting them for free.
And this is exactly what I want to talk about in this article - how to build a list of 100 or 200 subscribers without spending a single cent!
First, let’s look at what you need to be up and running with your list building exercise:
1) You need a squeeze page, where users will enter their name/email address
2) You need a autoresponder, to capture users’ information and to communicate with them in the future
3) You need a good info-product (ebook/software/script) that you can give away for free as an incentive for people to sign up
You may be thinking that all of these require an investment. The fact is that if you DO invest in these, great! But if you are on a tight/zero budget, there are ways to get these done for free.
Your squeeze page can be set up in a Blogger blog, your autoresponder can be one of the many free ones available (Personally, I use Aweber and haven’t tried any of the free ones - so cannot recommend any one in particular) and your info-product can be obtained from a good Giveaway (just look for products with Resell/Giveaway rights)
You must ensure that your squeeze page, the info product and your follow up emails are top notch. The squeeze page must be desinged to get the best conversion rates, the free info product must offer valuable information and your follow up emails must be useful to your subscribers. In my later posts, I will cover each of the three elements in detail.
Once you have all the three elements in place, you are all set to drive traffic to it and get subscribers. Since this article is focussed on building your first list for free, I am not going to suggest that you use PPC or Ezines or any of the other expensive methods to drive traffic to your squeeze page.
Rather, I am going to focus on the one traffic generation tactic that has always worked for me. FORUMS!
If you’re already shrugging off this idea because its an old one - DON’T! From experience, I can tell you that forum signatures are the best way to drive free traffic to your squeeze pages. This form of traffic enjoys one of the best conversion rates on optin pages - yes, even better than PPC..
All you have to do is join the popular forums in the niche of your choice, create a nice signature pointing to your squeeze page and start participating intelligently in those forums.
If you join the right forums, create a compelling signature and make posts that give your signature enough exposure, then your squeeze page will see a good amount of free, targeted traffic. And when these visitors sign up on your squeeze page to avail the free gift you’re offering, they are added to your ‘list’
Just keep a few pointers in mind:
*** Join only those forums that are highly targeted to your niche and that enjoy lots of traffic
*** Your signature must be appealing enough to forum readers. Highlight the key benefit that your free report has to offer. And always use the word ‘free’
*** Your posts must be well placed. Its no good if your posts appear on page 2 of a thread or even way down on the first page. Also, your signature will get the best exposure if you start a thread that becomes popular with the forum readers.
Do this right, and soon your squeeze page will get loads of targeted visitors and your list will start growing. And remember, your initial target is only 100-200 subscribers in 30 days. After that, you can monetize your list and reinvest the money to grow your list further. I will talk about this in detail in a future post.
Till then, set a realistic target for yourself and start building that list!
Also, do share your thoughts by posting a comment below…
Chris Stigson said,
December 17, 2007 at 9:43 am
Hey Alok.
Cool post =) I read your Project Quick Cash. It was a nice read. I’ve never seen your blog before so I though I’d stop by and say hello =). Also, mention that forum traffic should be converted fast into buyers, because in my experience, unless you target people who are extremely desperate you will have tire-kickers
We want responsive people so you need to have e-mails that enduce response. I’m working on that myself, but short and sweet e-mails and sending them to a blog is killer (you did that here), makes it more interactive and makes people know they’ve seen your info before, etc.
- Chris
Amin Motin | Get a free Ad Sense site said,
December 17, 2007 at 9:46 am
Excellent advice, as usual, Alok.
There is one thing I’m sure a lot of people will have trouble with:
“…You must ensure that your squeeze page, the info product and your follow up emails are top notch….”
I notice that you intend to cover those three elements. The first of them, an effective squeeze page, sounds like something a lot of people might have some trouble with. It’s probably worth looking carefully at any squeeze page you decide to complete when you’re doing your own surfing.
There will be consistent elements that make them more appealing - no reason why you can’t learn from the examples you see in everyday surfing!
Looking forward to the follow up to this post.
Amin
Alok Jain said,
December 17, 2007 at 9:51 am
Hi Chris,
Totally agree with you about having a customer list. A customer list is worth about 10 times more than a freebie list.
Having said that, its easier for newcomers to build a freebie list and then try to graduate their subscribers into customers..
Alok
Maurice said,
December 17, 2007 at 9:58 am
Hi Alok!
The more I’m getting into Internet Marketing the many facettes I discover about it! I will difinitely try forum advertising! What has always discouraged me about forums, is their faceless greyish steril tones they dispay, and the many threads that give you the impression to be lost somewhere in the middle of a jungle.
This is the overall impresion I always got from forums. Plus you never know who you are really talking to, and if you post a message how soon will you get an answer - if any!
So if you say forums are good places to start, then I will give it a try! But the question is which one to pick?
Regards,
Maurice
Ramkarthik said,
December 17, 2007 at 9:59 am
One more way of promoting a list is by writing about it in a blog which you already have. Or put an opt-in form in the blog and the new subscribers will start to join.
Glad you are back and this post is really good and will be helpful for many newbies.
DK Fynn said,
December 17, 2007 at 10:04 am
Alok,
I just joined 2 targeted forms earlier this morning. Not to drive traffic (I haven’t even completed my profile and signature yet), but for other reasons.
I’ll keep this in mind, especially the part about starting a popular thread–New Year’s is not to far away…
DK
Alok Jain said,
December 17, 2007 at 10:06 am
Amin.. good suggestion about observing and learning. Can’t agree more! Follow what the industry leaders are doing. Never be afraid to ’shamelessly copy the best’..
Maurice.. pick high traffic forums in your niche. Search Google for keywords related to your niche, and look at the forums that rank high. Those are generally good picks.
Alok
David Lee Venters said,
December 17, 2007 at 10:09 am
I agree forums are a good way to get visitors, but are full of people who have huge egoes, I myself have been barred from a forum which has since closed , not for causing probs but because I could see through someone as a huge egotist and the people who backed him hounded me out, funny enough they knew I had been banned before I did , so I and many thought things were suspicious.
Anatoli said,
December 17, 2007 at 10:36 am
Hi everybody.
I have problem with this.
Who read this post? People who already have Internet business.
Then you must know all this , or where you get your business from?
I paid $299- for mine and i have everything in it.
The whole Internet system.
[Snip: No self promotion, pls]
Jim said,
December 17, 2007 at 10:44 am
Alok, I’m a big fan of yours and appreciate your willingness to do this. I’ve been posting in forums, and getting traffic. The problem I’m having is turning the visitors into buyers. I don’t have a list, but I’ll be taking your suggestions to get one going. I’m sure that will help. Thanks again!
Anatoli said,
December 17, 2007 at 10:47 am
Get your own Blog from Google. It’s free.
You will get more visitors to your site and get paid from AdSense ads.
[Snip! No self promotion. And, Blogger (what I suggested) is the free blog from Google]
Juanita said,
December 17, 2007 at 11:11 am
Hi Alok,
Bought your Project Quick Cash, and loved it. One of the few eBooks out there that was straight to the point and an easy read.
I have also joined many a forum for marketing and had the same experience at most of them….forum marketing has to be done in a certain way, or else… you either get banned or your post gets deleted/edited.
But once you learn to market, forums are a great avenue for marketing.
Cyndi Rainwater said,
December 17, 2007 at 11:33 am
Excellent Info Alok!
With all of the information floating around out there, it is a challenge to narrow it all down to be useful. I believe that in order to be successful with any form of marketing, you must be willing to share quality information…it’s not just a matter of selling, because when you start to build trust, and people enjoy what you are posting about, they will WANT to see more…
I am still new to this whole thing, (just a few months into this) and I am so grateful to ALOK for all the great information that he sends my way. Looking forward to more!
Laurie Lacey said,
December 17, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Hi Alok,
Thanks for the interesting article.
I’m in the field of natural healing and wellness and have
managed to build my newsletter list to over 300 subscribers.
However, I find the list isn’t very responsive when it comes
to buying products.
I offer a good quality newsletter and have a low-keyed
approach to selling — in other words, I offer good content
and don’t push products. It can be discouraging but, then
again, I love doing the newsletter, and don’t just do it to
sell things.
I don’t really have a question — I’m just making a comment,
and I think it relates back to what Chris said about a customer
list being more valuable than a free list. In the end, I guess
I’m hoping that my list will grow to where customers slowly
trickle into the picture.
All the best,
Laurie
chuck said,
December 17, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Hi Alok,
Thanks for the info.
I like the idea of posting into forums and blogs. How do I create a link back to a page when in a blog or forum?
Thanks for your help
Alok Jain said,
December 17, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Chuck, forums allow you to create signatures that appear below each post that you make. You can link to your page from the signature
Alok
chuck said,
December 17, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Thanks for the answer.
I see that your name is linked in your post. How dd you do that?
Chuck
Sue said,
December 17, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Hi Alok,
Thanks for the great info, looking forward to the rest of it… can you explain about where you said a squeeze page can be made on blogger, I thought that was just for blogging or am I misunderstanding you there. I look forward to the in depth part on squeeze pages as that is the area I have most problems with.
Thanks to the other useful posts as well from other posters.
Thanks and happy holidays
Sue
Demond said,
December 17, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Alok thank you for the info. I have a fairly new site and my primary focus right now is building an opt in list. I do have to say that I have received traffic from forum posts but very few subscribers. I currently don’t have a squeeze page setup though, I send visitors to my homepage.
I guess I have some work to do.
Dave said,
December 17, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Thanks Alok for starting a good conversation. Speaking of lists….Everyone loves a list! I mean….using a list is another great technique to use to attract readers. You can also creatively use a list to gather some great linking. Once you have readers to your list of interesting resources be sure to capture your readers and create your own list to promote to. As for an unresponsive list…..theres one great solution for that….Just plain ask them! Ask what is challenging your list, what problem needs addressing, then create according to that feedback.
also, there is one post here that has slapped nothing but banners on his site and one of them is to sitesell….he obviously has not invested in the product or his site would never look like that.
ok plan for 2008! If 2007 was not what you had in mine..make adjustments!
Dave said,
December 17, 2007 at 4:13 pm
I wanted to share a great resource I got from Travis the Bum Marketer, this is no affiliate link but I read it and realized many newbies who are stuck can really find it quite useful…its a clickbank product called “WornPaper”.
This simple easy to follow step by step short manual will actually have you up , making money and building a long term business better than some of the books I have purchased for Hundreds of dollars.
Michael Weir said,
December 17, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Thanks Alok,
You’ve boiled it all down to a few essential steps. It’s easy to make things more complicated than they should be in Internet Marketing.
I recently set up my first serious squeeze page and email list. Haven’t done much forum marketing but I’m getting 1 subscriber a day from cheap/free traffic, and I’ve stumbled on a few ways to ramp that up without increasing my budget.
Also, I’ve begun to enjoy writing follow-up emails. At first it’s a chore, but once you get the hang of it, it’s good fun.
Laurie Lacey, don’t be afraid to gear your emails around a particular product. If you’re not comfortable with a “hard sell”, start with 1 email every few weeks that presents a common problem and offers a solution in the form of a product. You can even split into 2 or 3 emails over the course of a week.
You can’t receive what you don’t ask for. Most subscribers aren’t that charitable! They flit from one site or list to the next every day and need to be directed, just like Alok did getting us to this post.
Femi said,
December 17, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Hi Alok,
Great post again! And glad to have you posting again. Forum marketing is one of my favorite method of networking, learning new things, building a list and making money too! I remember several years ago before I started internet marketing I would spend so much time gossiping and posting my life away on forums related to my ethnic background.
To think that had I known then, I would have provided a signature link to a squeeze page leading to an affiliate product and made some cool commissions, because I sure was posting a heckuva lot then and the members were like 8000+!! I could have been rich by NOW!
Anyway you live and you learn right? I agree with you and I notice this is one area that you preach a lot to get one going building a list fast! You made it pretty clear and concise in your book, “On Demand Profits.”
Looking forward to more on this Alok, have a blessed one.
Regards,
Femi
PS: If I may, I know that Alok would be providing more sources, but for anyone who needs a forum to start posting to, with huge growing members, then consider: http://warriorforum.com
There’s a good chance of finding someone in your niche interested in clicking on your signature. Just read the rules before posting
heaseon lee said,
December 17, 2007 at 4:40 pm
hi my name is heaseon.
alberick said,
December 17, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Hi Alok, very informative, could you give some ideas on choosing the right forums to post my mesages. There is so much information on the Internet when it comes to starting a business from home that even I become overwhelmed. I love the concept of Internet Marketing but I don’t know which product is good for me, one that I can turn around and re-sell it to others. Do you have any ideas.
Sincerely, Alberick
James said,
December 17, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Thanks for the good info Alok. Actual straight to the point method of making a list. I remember once I bought a 100 page ebook from a well known marketer who specialized in building lists and in the end I was never shown how to get subscribers only how to work the list once I built it up. You managed to tell me more in a few paragraphs than a entire 100 page ebook!
p.s. You provide good products and content. Building credibility and trust and that is why I “buy” most of your products. “Trust”
Mary Ellen Rendon said,
December 17, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Hi Alok,
I just bought two of your publications yesterday and thought I was all set to make some money but have run into some “snags”. I feel that some of the directions are not fully explained for “newbies” (like myself) to understand. I really am a true NEWBIE and perhaps need a bit more gudance than the “average” internet marketer. Some things are a bit confusing to me. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!
Bridal Shower Games said,
December 17, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Thanks again for the great info, Alok!
I will try this to build a list for my new website.
Pa Tuck or just Dave Tucker said,
December 17, 2007 at 5:20 pm
I am so pleased to happen to have joined your user group back a few weeks ago. I have really begun to zero in on the what to do next, although the return is still bare from several weak starts.
Your explanations are clear, yet perhaps my age does occasionally require me to reread and sometimes re-reread for content to really sink in. But at age 70, I’m blessed to still be kicking.
Your reader comments have also contributed to understanding. Since my biggest problem seems to be information overflow, I find your challenge to start right simple and grow to 100 or 200 list and grow from there seems like the kick I need.
Is there a good glossary where the term squeeze page is explained perhaps with a example to view? Other terms also?
And is a blog page in any way useful as an alternative to your own site?
I appreciate your work, many thanks.
Dave
Nora said,
December 17, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Hi Alok:
Thank you for the topic. I have purchased two of your products and am following the steps outlined. I’m new to the business so I’m just soaking in everyone’s comments.
Thank you all
Davion | Secrets of Affiliate Marketing said,
December 17, 2007 at 7:25 pm
How true it is. Forums are one of the best places to start promoting and getting subscribers and referrals to your programs. When I first started promoting my ebook in Sept, I quickly got up to 300 subscribers within less than 3 weeks of promoting in forums. And I was barely spending 1 to 2 hours a day for the first 2 weeks.
Eddy said,
December 17, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Hi Alok,
I have read your ebook on PQC… it is a great read..
However, I have some problem posting in forums as most of them simple do not allow you putting the signature there and they just delete your signature away…
It is very discouraged for me….
Please advise on how I can rectify this problem.
Thanks…
Eddy
Carlton said,
December 17, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Awesome Post!
I can tell you from experience that this works. I see new subscribers everyday with this method.
Carlton
Eric said,
December 17, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Great Post Alok! And a great reminder that good quality FREE traffic is not only possible, but very doable for the average person as well. A great idea that everyone should be using.
satyakam said,
December 17, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Hi alok,i continuously getiing mails from u,and all ur posts are just fantastic,i’m from orissa,india.See Alok I want to make a blogging site ,can i have personal id so that i can ask some problems and doubts.Thanks
Ricardo A. said,
December 18, 2007 at 1:13 am
Thank you for your post, Alok!
It’s straight-to-the-point, and quite helpful. And I must confess, when you said never to underestimate forum signatures, I was saying “ouch.” Because I have!
But I can see now that I was not doing it right.
So thanks and more power to you!
Ricardo
Yoko said,
December 18, 2007 at 2:23 am
Hi Alok.
I’m still a newbies in Internet Marketing. I like this great info and thanks for sharing. I really appreciate it. Thanks Alok.
Bob McGuire said,
December 18, 2007 at 5:32 am
Alok
I will try that idea. I have been working on getting a list going. I have 5 people signed up to it so far in my first week. All I have done so far was a few blogs and Craig’s list once. I will try forums next. If anyone wants to see the “Squeeze Page” go over to [snip: pls do post links within the comment]
Also I did use the free bee auto responder from get response. I think it would be good enough till I get to 200.
bob
Rajasekhar Jinka said,
December 18, 2007 at 6:20 am
Useful information.
-Rajasekhar.
Bob Lampard said,
December 18, 2007 at 7:25 am
Hi Alok,
Always enjoy reading your emails and posts.
Your idea to post in Forums is excellent and I certainly got going this way.
It is important that your replies to a thread should be more than “I agree” and answer the in an honest and useful way. If you just try to spam your signature you will soon get found out.
Look forward to more posts.
Bob
Sarah said,
December 18, 2007 at 10:46 am
Good info. Not really come across you before till I had an email about your Project Quick Cash.
I too am very new at this. Finalized my site and products recently (been working on it since the summer). But now find I have no list to market to, and am desperate to start generating some $$. (As I gave up work in April to concentrate on this).
More posts on list building techniques would certainly be appreciated.
Keep it up.
Sarah
rakesh jain said,
December 18, 2007 at 1:17 pm
which niche to choose? i am newbie
June said,
December 18, 2007 at 11:25 pm
Thank you for the tips. I found them to be quit useful. Good point on the forum threads, although I find myself lacking the time to stay active on them.
June
Dane Roth- TV ON PC said,
December 18, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Great article, Alok. One thing that I have noticed (that might go without saying) is that the free report or content that is being given away should be unique, if possible. Too many times, I have opted-in for someone\’s free report and been given rehashed information that even newbies wouldn\’t need! The more you can give that is totally unique to what other\’s are giving, the more opt-ins you\’ll convert through word of mouth and pleased subscribers.
Nazrul Nizam said,
December 19, 2007 at 12:12 am
Hi.
Thanks for sharing. Keep up the good work.
Nazrul
Jay said,
December 19, 2007 at 7:08 pm
Thanks for the insight. I recently started with list building and have little over 200 optin (double opt ins that is) and I honestly wished I’d started earlier.
Especially when you see one of your signups purchase through your affiliate link and you know they would have undoubtedly passed on your offer at first
had you not collected their info.
Nicholas Mancini said,
December 23, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Hey Alok,
As always great content. Just made a post and it did not appear.
I was saying that Your association with Jonathan Leger
and the script you guys produced for Affiliates to get repeated commission for a on time customer referred it’s a most awaited and great thing. I hope it will soon become the norm.
Happy Holidays!
arvind said,
December 25, 2007 at 1:51 am
hi Alok!
how r u i m regular visitor of your mails
you are really genius. i also love to make money online
while searching net for a long time i found many things to earn money
but atlst i stick with this
[snip: pls refrain from self promotion]
what i think is the upcoming technology in internet marketting.
i would also like your views regarding this this
with regards
arvind
Skander said,
January 1, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Dear Alok
Will you give practical guide how to make squeeze page and get autoresponder?
Laurie Lacey said,
January 7, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Hi,
Just a quick note to say “Thanks” to Michael Weir for his
suggestion to me in his December 17th post.
Yes, I’ll take your advice, and see what happens.
My best regards,
Laurie
zk said,
February 11, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Hi Alok,
I ve been a great fan of yourevery since I stumbbled upon your blog , you always have great content making it intersting for struggling newbies like me
keep up the good work.
zk
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