Is email marketing dead?
The future of email marketing.
How many times have you heard “The money is in the list”?
What a crock of sh*t.
Let’s look at some numbers and just analyse that a little.
Person A
Has a list of 100,000 people they send nothing but untried offers and unworked PLR to and wonders why they have an open rate of 1 to 2%, amounting in 1 – 2000 opens.
The CTR for this is probably going to be around the 8 – 12% mark giving a total number of click throughs of approx 160 to 240.
A top promoting offer will normally convert at around 5 to 7%, so the resulting sales, even going at the top end of the conversions is approx 10 to 15 sales, but the likelihood is more likely not to be at the top end of conversions.
This will then result in a number of resends to try and get more people to click the link, but the reality is it will p*ss people off and they will unsubscribe, that being the ultimate sanction.
Result, a few of dollars at best and a depleted list.
Person B
Has a list of 7500 built by offering valuable information on their blog or website.
They send their list good quality, unique content, written either by themselves or written for themselves by quality writers who have researched the subject.
When an offer is sent to the list, it is researched and tested, allowing the list owner to give a truthful and unbiased review, and as it is being sent out, it will probably be worth investing in and the list will see this.
The open rate is closer to 30 to 40% on this email, so 2250 to 3000 will open and read the email.
Because this person has sent this email out, it will probably achieve a click through rate of nearer to 30%, so 600 to 900 people will click.
Again, the top conversion is around 5 to 7%, but bearing in mind the conversion rate also takes into account a large number of Person A’s, Person B will probably achieve a higher conversion, so it may be 12 to 14% conversion on click throughs.
Assuming a conversion of 10%, the result will be 60 to 90 sales and a lot more dollars.
It may warrant a resend to get to some people who have missed the email for whatever reason, but the recipients aren’t too stressed because they get value from the sender.
So, is email marketing dead?
Not in the slightest, but email marketing as most people know it has changed dramatically.
With more and more people having access to the internet, the needs and expectations of the people who are being marketed too have changed beyond recognition.
I was reading an article about Zombie marketing yesterday, and it is quite scary the amount of people who are just going down the same path, relentless in their need to send email after email promoting whatever pays the best commissions, just hoping to make a few dollars here and there.
I think there are probably very few people who can actually put their hand up and say “I am not guilty of doing any of that”, but there is now a growing band of marketers who are standing up against these zombie practices and adding value to all of the things they do.
Have a little look at how the big retailers and large organisations do their marketing.
If you buy anything in a store now, they are always trying to get you to disclose your email address to them so that they can mail you their latest offers, and in the hope that one of the offers may be relevant and unmissable, we give them our email and never unsubscribe, just in case, so would you say that email marketing is dead or just changing as the bigger players are getting more savvy, just giving the traditional email marketer more to live up to.
What makes internet marketing so different to make people think they can just send you rubbish after rubbish, then bang an offer out to you and expect you to buy it.
What’s the answer?
Is it now time to rise above the zombie tactics and start offering true value and TRUST.
Is the new style of purchasing that different to the old style, where we used to buy from people we liked and trusted.
In the world of internet marketing, when buying the vast majority of products, there is no price difference at all, and all affiliates are offering at the same price, but sometimes there are bonuses attached, but how many people buy because of the bonuses and not for the main product.
How many bonuses are sitting gathering virtual dust on your hard drive, never to see the light of day showing the purchase is for the main product not the bonus.
And on the subject of bonuses, how many sign up bonuses are actually worth the giving of an email address.
My gift is the full version of Napolean Hills Law of Success.
This publication is still for sale on Amazon at approx $10 to 15, but it is a work that all people should read if they want to be a success.
Anyway, that is enough of my rant and the floor is now open to you, so please comment if you feel the need.
Networking for Internet Marketing success.
I think I have found the key to Internet Marketing success.
Nothing stands in isolation, and that is more true in Internet Marketing than anywhere I have ever found myself.
You find yourself having conversations with people all over the world, from the Americas to Oceania, but what do we actually know about these people?
Well, firstly, they all have a desire to make their own way through the power of the internet and Internet Marketing in particular, but secondly, and most importantly, none of the success stories are purely individuals, they have all become successes by knowing people and how to utilise that friendship, be it for joint venture or affiliate purposes or to get something done by knowing the right people for the job.
You cannot be successful in Internet Marketing on your own.
The stand out word in Internet Market is leverage and no matter how many conversations you have, that word will appear at some stage of the conversation be it leveraging your list, leveraging your products etc. etc., but how do you go about leveraging as most people new to the industry don’t have a list or a product of their own?
The answer lies in one of the most overlooked applications of the century, until now, but you will quickly find out that the people who are a success have been using this for ages, and that is Skype.
Once you start moving in the circles of some of the top marketers, you will discover that there are literally thousands of Skype groups bringing together like minded people from all around the globe to share ideas, get help and do business just waiting to be entered, but the key to this is professionalism.
The last thing you want to do is get an invite into a great Skype group and go in there acting and speaking like a newbie, just taking anything on offer and giving nothing back.
It has to be value on a 2 way street, and I know you may think that you have nothing of value to offer, but just think of it like this.
When someone starts in Internet Marketing, they have a very specific mindset, that of wanting to succeed and looking to learn all they can from anyone around.
As you become more successful, the mindset changes and you start to forget what it was like to be a newbie and become focused on the next step, and this requires content and ideas.
The more successful you become, the less inclined you are to develop that content yourself, particularly if the content is aimed at new starters, so offer the big guy something of value and position yourself as someone who will provide him with value at no cost, but that is in reality where the leveraging starts, because now we are going to start leveraging his buyers and affiliates.
The value concept in Internet Marketing.
Let’s say, for example, one of the big names in internet marketing has a product planned to be launched and the content is all about one specific area which needs something else to be done to make it succesful.
The big name has not laid out in steps or easy to follow language the second part because of an assumed knowledge but you know that it would sell more if the steps were laid out.
You create a document to compliment the main offering which tells all for a newbie and offer this to the big name who can then offer this supplementary product as a bonus in exchange for the customer entering their email address into your autoresponder to get access.
The big name is happy because he has something for nothing.
You are happy because you have built some credibility with the big name and also taken the names of some of his customers for you to email with other offers in the future, so it is a win win situation.
There are many ways to leverage in internet marketing and it just needs you to be creative and think of novel ways to do it, but as I said, always offer value and don’t look like the newbie all the time.
I will speak again soon.
Negative Thinking: What is it?
Somebody said “Be enthusiastic. Remember the placebo effect – 30% of medicine is showbiz”.
It’s a strange quote but it speaks volumes about how our attitude can affect us physically.
Perhaps you can imagine it proof of the power of positive thinking.
The placebo effect is a persistent phenomenon in which patients that are put through a sham medical intervention experience genuine improvement in their condition.
How can you justify the positive outcome of a piece of candy, for example, on physical symptoms?
Definitely, it’s the kind of thinking that does the job, not the small amount of sugar.
Negative thinking takes into account everything negative in your mind and swiftly makes a conclusion from them.
Lack of confidence about a certain course of action meets with low self esteem and institutes a degree of hopelessness.
Negative thinking is not believing that it will rain because the clouds are heavy and the sky is dark at 1 P.M. and you’re not being pessimistic when you make this assumption, you’re just considering the facts and your knowledge tells you that dark clouds usually mean rain.
Defining negative thinking is quite challenging without any consideration of its its outcomes.
Most of the writing and discussions about this focus on what positive versus negative thoughts can do to us.
This is reasonable because without looking at the causes we would only refer to them as as mere thoughts, without any importance or meaning.
Negative thinking, however, is not just hundreds of pessimistic thoughts floating around without purpose.
Let’s pretend that while writing this post I will only think about the fact I cannot write it.
What if I imagine I lack the talent to pull it off? What would this attitude do to me?
If I don’t conquer these thoughts then I’m not going to complete this post.
When you begin to think negatively you are doing more than making a logical conclusion.
A pessimist would say “my afternoon is going to be ruined because it’s going to rain” and proceeds to fulfill that conclusion, thinking negatively and blaming the rain.
Negative views can be automatic yet they are unwelcome.
Negative thinking is the propensity of entertaining these thoughts and then failing to differentiate your pessimistic perception from reality and soon enough it becomes your general perspective towards life.
Negative thinking can be our worst enemy but it is a problem that lies within.
Unless we strive to overpower the enemy, sooner or later our life will turn into exactly the kind of life we have negatively imagined it to be.
The reason I bring this up is because in Internet Marketing, often times we are on our own and working from home, and there is no one around us to help shake these thoughts off, and this in turn, can become our own nemesis.
You have to believe that you can succeed and what you are doing is driving you in the right direction, or you might as well give in now.
95% of would be internet marketers fail because they have no clear plan or direction and very little in the way of support.
Our loved ones tend to look at us as if we have gone mad and only this weekend, I ended up arguing with my wife because of this lack of understanding.
Continue to do what you believe is right and be true to yourself.
If you are determined to succeed, you will and don’t let anyone blow you off the track you have chosen and to this end, the benefits of the mentor are many fold.
Join forums or skype groups that are vibrant and busy so you can discuss ideas and problems with like minded people but don’t let this become the focus of your day.
Limit yourself to a short period on these forums at the start of your day or at the end, with dips in and out if you think they can help you resolve something that you are struggling with as the forums can end up becoming your working day.
Remember, this is a business not a pastime if you are taking it seriously.
IBCX opens its doors to new members!
Going back a few months, I mentioned the importance of a mentoring programme to keep you focused and show you how to get your Internet Marketing business up and running, and you will probably also remember me mentioning IBCX (Internet Business Codex).
Well, the good news is they have opened their doors to allow people in to benefit from the teachings of Garry and Gary.
In addition to the training and support, you will also have the opportunity to become a part of possibly the most helpful and friendly forum I have ever been a part of, where there is never a question too stupid or big to be ignored.
Garry Parkes is the technical mind behind the whole operation who leads you by the hand to teach you the nuts and bolts aspects of internet marketing.
Gary Simpson is the mind man and with several books published on the subject, conveys a feeling of inner calm and tranquility through the initial stages of setting up your internet marketing business and giving you the mental attitudes required to make your business a success.
There is currently a trial on at the site where you can test drive the site for a week for a very low fee and if you find you don’t like it, the 2 G’s will part with you as friends.
I would suggest anyone reading this goes over there now for a quick look and even a test drive, you never know, it may be the starting of a wonderful career in internet marketing.
Some help from you internet marketers please!
As you have probably gathered over the last few posts, I have ended up in something of a strange place at the moment in my internet marketing career and I think I need the assistance of anyone out there who feels as though they have been in the same place in the past.
I suppose it’s the same when you are trying to build any type of business where you find yourself asking the question “Is it worth it”, but the problem with internet marketing is that you seem to be in your own world, not seeing or speaking to your peers other than the sales emails landing in your inbox and everyone in your family laughed when you said you were going to set up an internet business, so you feel like you are the only person going through this with no one to share it with.
I spoke in an earlier blog post about the benefit of a mentor, but that brings with it some problems of its own like how come they can do it and not me.
We’ve all heard the stories of the rise from being broke to owning multi million dollar businesses from Mike Filsaime, Rich Schefren et al, but you only ever see the sales copy from many other “gurus” when you receive the sales pitch for their latest product and what I want to do is find out how people really felt when they hit their low spots.
What was it that changed things for you, be it a flash of inspiration for a new product or a meeting with one of these gurus that made you feel invincible and ready to restart with renewed energy.
I have nothing to reward people with for their stories that is of any worth except for the fact that you will get a link from a page rank zero page, but the Alexa ranking is in the 2 millions, so it may have a page rank one day soon.
If you know anyone else who is in the internet marketing industry, you could pass this on so I can try and get some really good and uplifting stories that may, in the near future, actually help out other people who are trying to get into this.
We all know that it is possible to make a good living in the internet marketing game but sometimes, you just need that bit of a cyberspace arm around your shoulder to let you know that everything will be ok.
I think the most frustrating part about this is that I think I know exactly what I am doing wrong, and that is that my head is so full of information, it is overloaded and can’t actually concentrate on a single project and seem to be jumping from 1 to the next, and we all know that is not a good thing but worse, I don’t know how to get out of this situation.
So, just to reiterate, I am looking for internet marketers out there to share their stories in the comments below of how they beat their own inner demons from when they were just starting out, or you may find yourself in that same place at the moment and find some of the stories will help you.
