BAL 6: The Relationship of a List
Building a List (BAL) is also about a relationship with your readers. When you have a relationship with them, there’s more money to be made. People generally buy products and services from someone they communicate with, and trust.
Not an Option #1: Communication
This one can seem obvious. If you don’t send an email out, your list won’t get it and won’t buy. But there is more to it than this! You want them to have ways to respond to you. You then want to respond to them. A great way to do this is with blogs! That comment section makes it real easy, and even the people who don’t want to comment will be able to see you replying to others. Sometimes that’s a big tool too.
If you don’t have a blog, then make sure you have your email address in the emails you send out. You can also write in a more personal tone, rather than a scripted business tone. It really depends on your target audience, and your writing style.
Not an Option #2: Trust
Have you ever joined a program because someone recommended it, and then you find out it’s really not as great as they made it sound? That’s what you don’t want to do!
Hype works, but when the hype fades away it can hurt. Your readers will trust you when the things you refer to work as expected. So only hype something that really is good enough to get that hype! This is especially important these days as so many people are getting scammed left and right that people no longer trust.
So what happens when you refer to a product or service that goes down hill? Well you might want to contact the people running the service. Sometimes your perception can look like it’s going downhill, when it’s really a mistake. Or maybe they don’t realize what’s going on.
If you keep finding problems with it, then stop telling others about it. Pull the referral links! On a blog you might have to search your archives and remove the links, maybe put a note in the post that you no longer recommend it.
One common thing is for people to send out a mass email saying they no longer recommend something and give all the dirty details. I’d stay away from that as much as possible. You could mention it briefly in your next email, and those concerned will ask for the details. But in my opinion sending out rant like emails should be avoided.
