When you set out to start list building, step one is finding your niche. You need to have something that interests you to build your list around. If you only watch television, you have something in common with millions of people around the world. I hope you do more than that, but you see what I mean? Everybody has something that they do when they aren’t working, sleeping, or eating. Right? Not too many people just sit in a chair and stare silently into space.
So, the second step, after you find your niche, is to build a squeeze page. First, you have to have some kind of budget. You’re starting a business! Even if it’s only $50 a month, like it was for me, that’s a budget. So, decide what your budget is.
If you have more money than time, there are two things you can do. You can pay someone to make a squeeze page for you. It’s pretty inexpensive, probably not more than $20. You really shouldn’t pay more than that when you’re just starting out. Or, you can join a program like Marketing Makeover Generator, and it will walk you through the whole process. All you have to do is come up with a bit of sales copy and you’re set. That’s an option, but it is a subscription service, so you’ll need to have money for that.
But if you have more time than money, you’ll need to learn to do this, and it’s not that difficult. You can get the trial version of Dreamweaver. which is a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) HTML editor. It’s powerful. You can also download a free WYSIWYG HTML editor called N-Vu at http://www.nvu.com. Play with either of those software programs and learn a little about it. Once you get playing around, it’s kind of fun. Dreamweaver has a whole tutorial for you to read. I suggest you do that. You’ll learn how to use the program, and you’ll learn some HTML. Front Page is another editor, and you might have that on your computer already. It doesn’t matter what you use. Just start!
Once you’re familiar with the program you’re using, then start to think about what’s going on the page. A simple graphic, like a picture of yourself, a great headline, some bullet points, and an opt-in box for list building is all you need.
It’s probably best to keep a white background. When you go with blacks and purples, it’s not very professional looking. Stick to basic neutral colors or light colors that make the text easy to read.
Your bullet points should show the viewer how he or she will benefit from signing up for your list. Here are some of mine for My First List.com:
- How To Build Your First List In Less Than 90 Minutes
- 3 Ways To Instantly Make Money From A List
- How to Start Your First Website
Those are all reasons that people might want to sign up to get more information. That’s what you need to do: Let them know why they should sign up. If you’re selling wedding gowns, you might have bullet points like:
- Unique Wedding Gowns, Only a Few Available of Each Style
- Budget-Minded Wedding Gowns
- Picture-Perfect Wedding Gowns
You get the idea. Brides want pretty, to have a dress no one else has worn, and for them to be reasonably priced. Right? If you could tell people how to find those, they would sign up for your list.
List building is an art and a science. You have to be reasonably creative, but it’s not hard to do. Put something together that pleases you, and then, put it up and see if it works! If it doesn’t work, try a different headline. Then, try different bullet points or different colors. Make your tests one at a time to see which change works, and then, keep doing it.
Just don’t be shy about getting this started. Your squeeze page is your tool for getting opt-in subscribers. Just get one out there and let it start working for you!
