The #1 Reason Your Email List ISN’T Growing (& How to fix it!)

Let’s face it.  There are countless programs and gurus and systems that

1) brag about the size of their email list, and work hard to convince you that you need a HUGE list in order to make any “real money” in your business; and

2) promise to teach you all of the “little known strategies” necessary to building your own list.

Save your money and time.  Ignore them all. Here — in this blog post that will take you all of about five minutes to read — is the down and dirty of what you really need to know.

Let’s get real for just a minute. If my own email list size were that impressive, I’d be bragging about it too.  =) P.S. It’s not.

This does not mean you WANT a small list.  There IS money in the list.  Yours.

I broke six figures in income before my list ever reached 1000 “members.” So, there’s beauty and profit even in a small list.   Where the Guru-Du-Jours are correct, though,  is that there’s MORE profit — when you know how to sell —  in a larger list.  So, while you don’t want to fall into the trap of spending all of your time and money building your list or “getting your name out there,” you do want to be deliberate about it.

Ah yes… the down and dirty of list building.  Let’s get to it. Here’re the HUGE HUGE HUGE  difference makers that I’ve never ever (ever) heard a social media guru or list building expert tell their audience or clients.

First, the number ONE reason your Email list ISN’T growing — regardless of what you do:

You don’t like them. You think they are tire kickers, whiners, complainers, cheapskates, or — you know — just not the right people.  So, you’ve got 185 of these cheap-os on your list and you’re talking BAD about them, resenting them and wanting to grow your list.  Not gonna happen.  Embrace your list.

Selling is rarely effortless.  Selling is rarely an accident.  (Regardless of the size of your list.) So, take your list of 185 cheap-os and love on them. Find out what they want.  And give it to them.  LEARN to sell to the list you have.  Get to know them.  GROW them.  GROW your list —  into buyers…. not just in number but in $$ per head.   ONLY THEN will your list # start to grow consistently.  UNTIL THEN, you’re stunting your own business growth and income.  (Man, this sounds sort of harsh… Maybe it’s why this business TRUTH isn’t taught elsewhere.  Oh well… it doesn’t diminish it’s power.)

Now, for the top THREE ways to grow your list:

1) All roads should lead to your OPT IN offer.  So, whether you’re on facebook or twitter or speaking to an audience of 10 or 1000, or on tv or the radio, or have your face plastered on a billboard or the side of your car, use that time to INVITE people to your list.  Let them know what they’ll GET when they “opt in” and INVITE them to do so. Always “sell” what you give for free FIRST — your OPT IN offer.

2) Make your OPT IN offer something your market really really wants.  Listen, I’m a realist.  While my Mom and Mister love me, and I’d like to think that many, many, many of you really LIKE me, I know that you’re here to read about how to grow your business income — not find out how I’m doing or get my “updates.” Yuck. You don’t want my updates. Nope.

Get your OWN copy of the ONLY Legitimate Business Report based on the marketing and sales tactics of drug dealers and prostitutes here:

But, a good heaping handful of you DID want that Illegal Business Report I offer at the top right side of this page… and were willing to OPT IN to my email list to get it.

So, find out what your ideal target market wants, and give it to them as part of your OPT IN offer.  Because nobody is waking up this morning wondering what you’re up to.  They have a problem you solve.  Make the solution your OPT IN offer.

3. Be yourself.  Be real. There are as many carbon copy businesses as there are carbon copy websites and blogs.  Don’t be one of them. Put out excellent content that is ORIGINAL and AUTHENTIC.  NOTHING is as magnetic today as being authentic with your audience.

So, what will you DO to grow your list today?  Have an opt in offer?  Post it in a comment below… tell us about it… and invite YOUR IDEAL market to hop off my blog and visit yours.