Hi, folks...
After the last issue, I got an interesting question:
"[Name deleted] has written that she's tested squeeze
pages and found that she got more subscribers from
squeeze pages than if she only used a form in the menu to
the right on her blog. But made less money with those
subscribers.
"Have you made any tests in that direction?"
Simplified, the question boils down to this: Are people who
subscribe from content pages more likely to buy your products
than those who hit a subscription page first?
The answer is: It depends.
You saw that coming, right?
....
Okay. To be fair, the real answer for most cases is an
emphatic "Yes!" For the majority of traffic and the majority of
normal sites, people who subscribe from a content page are more
sold on the value you offer than folks who just land on a
traditional subscription page and decide to give you a try.
That means they're more likely to open your emails.
You need to consider total growth and revenue, though, and not
just sign-up rates.
Yes, you can scale up the content exposure, and that can be a
very effective way to get new subscribers. Many people do not
do as well with that as they might, and for them, focusing on
traffic may be the better option.
I'm going to suggest a test here that's a little less orthodox
than usual.
Create two versions of the same list. One that visitors to your
content pages can sign up for, and another that's just a
subscription page. Send equal amounts of traffic to each page
for a month. Make sure that, for the first 6 weeks after
starting the test, the subscribers to both lists get the same
emails.
Which group buys the most?
....
You will note that I didn't suggest you concentrate on keeping
the traffic all from the same source. That's what makes it
unorthodox. But it's also the variable you're testing for.
What I'm about to say isn't universally true, and it may not be
so for you. But it's worth considering.
The method that works best for you is very likely the one
you have the most aptitude for. It is also probably the one
you will most enjoy using, and which you'll master quickly.
It will also tend to be aligned with your personal goals.
Some people are empire builders. Some just want a bit of extra
cash. Some want to communicate with others, some want to teach,
and some want to build up reserves for the future. Some want
all of that, and some want things that aren't in that list.
What you want from your business is what matters, and the
things you do well will often be driven by those goals.
Find what fits and master that.
It's not scientific, but it works. And it makes for a lot more
fun in your life.
....
If you doubt this, consider the wide range of ways there are to
get people to your site(s).
Some people are brilliant at press releases, while others can't
figure out even the most basic parts of the process. Others do
extremely well with social media, but can't write an effective
ad no matter how long you give them. Some can work wonders with
CPA and PPC ads, but can't approach anyone on an individual
basis without offending them, or just melting down.
This doesn't always relate to what you're naturally good at,
either. Every aptitude test I ever took in school showed me as
being more naturally skilled at math than verbal systems. And
yet, I'm a writer. I have been since I was a very young child.
Like I said: It's not logical, but it works.
....
Here's where the "it depends" part comes in. If you focus on
doing what you want to do, and doing it really well, things
tend to "just work." The numbers other people get will not only
not matter any more, they will often bear no resemblance to the
results you produce.
Yes, you have to focus on the money, at least to the extent
that you are doing something people will pay you for. Or buy
from your advertisers. There has to be a market there, or it's
not a business.
Here's an example that might give you some ideas, odd as it may
seem.
I knew a guy years ago who was into fly tying. He didn't do the
sorts of things most people think of when they hear that
phrase, though. The smallest lure I ever saw him create was
nearly the size of my thumb. He tied lures that looked like
frogs and mice and fingerlings. And he caught a lot of trophy
fish with them.
He claimed he never went home with an empty cooler, but you
know how fishermen lie. ;)
Still, I'd bet that wasn't far from the truth. And he had a
knack for explaining his technique so that any experienced fly
fisherman could grasp it.
He was also afraid of technology, so he probably wouldn't do
well by himself online. But - and this is the point of this
story - he could have paired up with someone who could drive
traffic and sold a metric buttload of 'how to' tutorials on the
subject.
Seriously. If you don't think people would have paid for his
tricks, you're missing the point of niche marketing. There's
something about the idea of turning four dollars worth of fur
and feathers into a freezer full of fresh fish that fans some
folks into a frenzy.
And some of us get the same licentious lift from alliterative
allegory...
(Okay. I'll stop now.)
The point: Find what fits, and master it.
....
Those of you who've got more than one or two of my courses know
I take this seriously. I cover a lot of options, so you can
find the ones that work for you, rather than what I think is
"the right way." There is at least one different "right way" to
do a thing for every person who wants to do it.
Find your own right way, and be the best there is at it.
....
If you already grabbed a copy of the "Profit Plan," you've got
162 ways (give or take) to get visitors to your offers. Look
through those and find one that resonates for you. Then just do
it.
If you haven't yet, get it. It's pretty good stuff, if I do say
so myself.
http://talkbiz.com/profitplan/?e=1
And if you're new to our little e-rag and want to learn how to
get more results from your content, consider picking up a copy
of "Creating Killer Content."
http://talkbiz.com/killercontent/?e=1
Cool. I kept the "gratuitous self-promotion" section of this
issue to less than 400 characters. ;)
Go create. Promote. Have fun.
Paul
-----===(*)===-----
Find this useful?
http://buy-paul-a-beer.com
Tell your friends about us. Send them to...
http://www.talkbiz.com/
Copyright 2012 TalkBiz Digital, LLC
"100% of the shots you don't take don't go in."
- Wayne Gretzky
TalkBiz News, 651 E 24th St, Erie, PA 16503, USA
To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:
http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?7GyMDAystKzMrGzszMxMtEa0jGxMjIzsDAw=
No comments:
Post a Comment