The #1 Marketing Mistake: NOT Using An Email Follow Up System
By Charlie Page from Real World Tactics
16 February 2009
Sometimes it seems that there is so much to do in order to succeed online.
* “Copy is king!” cry the copywriters.
* “Advertise or die!” shout the ad sites.
* “Joint ventures are it!” proclaim the JV brokers
So who is right and who is full of hot air?
Truthfully … no one knows.
What we DO know is this. There are basic tactics that you MUST use if you want your site to make sales.
Follow these tactics and you will succeed in time.
Avoid using these tactics and your success will be limited, and you will be trapped trying to get ever more visitors.
What are these basic tactics? They include, but are not limited to
…
* A product people want. (Many people miss this one)
* Copy that is persuasive.
* A price that is appealing.
* A way to create urgency.
* Getting targeted traffic.
And – the topic of today’s article – FOLLOWING UP with people who don’t buy.
If you were my brother or sister, and I could give you ONE piece of advice, it would be this.
Create the strongest follow up system you can if you want to succeed online!
IMPORTANT: Using follow up marketing is not only for those who own
a website. This method works for affiliates too.
So if you are into affiliate marketing or promoting an online business read on.
Yes my friend, it is true. NOT using an email follow up system is
THE #1 MARKETING MISTAKE!
The logic on this simply can not be denied. Think about it for a moment.
If your site is WILDLY successful, it will convert sales at a rate of about 10%.
That means that only 10 out of every 100 visitors buys something from the site.
This leads us to the most important question of all.
WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 90 VISITORS??
I can tell you right now what happens to them.
* They forget you.
* They get distracted.
* They spend their money on something else.
* They buy a product like yours from someone else.
* Bottom line – they do NOT buy from you.
The fact is this … on the Internet it is the LAST SITE A PERSON VISITS who gets the sale.
This is why we MUST remind them to come back and visit again.
WE MUST REMIND THEM, not *hope* they will return.
Now if all of this “lost sales” talk is getting you down let me tell you that you can be of good cheer.
There IS an answer.
The answer is to create an email follow up system.
Email is THE killer application of the Internet.
Always has been, and still is today.
People can talk until they are blue in the face about alternatives like RSS or desktop readers.
But while they are doing that, people everywhere are succeeding using what may be the most low-tech tool online … email.
If you are with me so far, and you think that creating a follow up system might be right for you, read on.
=====> How To Create An Email Follow Up System
Here is the five step formula you can use to create a simple follow up system.
Using this process will help you create a basic follow up system
that WILL increase your sales.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS METHOD FAIL!
There are many ways to create a more sophisticated system, but this
basic process works like wings, and is 100% better than no follow
up system!
Remember, you do NOT need to be a great writer to do this.
Something is much better than nothing.
Candidly, I have seen nothing more than “Thank you for visiting -I want your business” work very well.
===> Step 1
Make a list of 10 reasons someone should buy your product. If you
have trouble with this, say it out loud like you were telling your
best friend.
If you can’t come up with 10 reasons, come up with 5.
If you can’t come up with 5, find another product! 
===> Step 2
Make each of the 10 reasons into a short message.
Here’s how to do that.
Write one paragraph of introduction. It can be as simple as “Thank you for visiting my site. I hope this information helps you”
Write one paragraph about the reason to buy you are covering.
Write one paragraph that summarizes your message, and asks the
reader to take a specific action.
Please note that being *specific* is the key. Tell them what to do next. Don’t hope they will figure it out.
IMPORTANT: Write your messages in a text editor like NotePad, not a word processor like Word.
===> Step 3
Now that you have your messages, you need a way to deliver them and get people to sign up.
Create an account with an autoresponder company or use the autoresponder feature in your shopping cart for this.
Any reputable company will help you create a sign up form, and help you get it on your website or blog as well.
===> Step 4
Set your message to go out every five days. Some argue for other schedules, but this one works and is a good starting point when beginning. You can ‘fine tune’ later.
Another method that works well is to send a message every day for a week and then send messages about once a week.
The logic here is that someone is *most* interested when they first ask for more information, so it makes sense to send more up front.
===> Step 5
Add a sign up box to every page on your website, inviting visitors to ask for more information.
Why every page and not just the home page?
Because it takes time for people to get comfortable enough to want more information.
Because they might miss it on the first page.
Because repetition works on the Internet, and the more you ask, the more you get!
When you have time later, you can add power to this by offering a gift, or using a “name squeeze” technique, but for now getting started is what counts.
If you have followed the steps above, you now have a basic follow up system that WILL help you make more sales.
As time goes by, you can add more messages, make the messages stronger, analyze which messages work best (and more) to make your series work better.
But hear me when I say that NOTHING you can do is more important
than getting this basic system set up today.
When you have a follow up system in place, you have the chance to
make more sales automatically, and get a greater return on your
advertising dollars than ever before.
You have a chance to make the most of every visitor, which is
called in fancy language “maximizing visitor value”.
Best of all, you make time your ally instead of your enemy, and
have the best possible chance of making more sales with less effort.
And that is a beautiful thing indeed!
I use iContact for my Email Marketing. I am very happy with its services. Get free trial here http://www.icontact.com/a.pl/189803
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Jackie Khor helps people succeed online with products that educate people combined with personal support.
Subscribe for FREE information on how to build a home business in the Health and Wellness Industry on the internet.
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I am always eager for information about working from home. Thanks!
I don’t usually reply to posts but I will in this case.
the best idea is 100% content. Use content when you do your promotions. You’ve probably noticed on this blog whenever I do a blog post that pretty much just recommends a product or service, always a few people don’t like that.