Why List Building Has Become an Uphill Climb

The heart of any online business is a responsive subscriber list. Without this, you are on an uphill climb to success.
In the early days of online marketing, it took a lot less effort to build a subscriber list than it does today.
It didn’t take much to get someone to say yes to a free offer. With very little competition for someone’s contact information, conversion rates were a lot higher in the mid- to late-nineties than they are today.
In addition, open rates with follow up email messages were much higher than they are today. Fast forward to the latter half of 2014 and things are much different from what they used to be.
What worked like a charm early on is oftentimes considered an annoyance to many of your end users.
Unfortunately, many people are still trying to build their list and market position with strategies that simply don’t work.
Additionally, most people are not tracking their efforts. Without knowing what’s working, you might be putting a ton of effort into what you’re doing with very little return on your efforts.
To convert visitors to subscribers and subscribers to buyers you need to understand what gets someone to take action.
The primary reason someone opts in for whatever the offer is to solve a problem that person has. Your job is to make sure you are easily found when someone searches for a solution to a problem.
This takes commitment, time and effort on your part. Far too many people get frustrated because they don’t feel they are getting a fast enough response to whatever it is they are offering.
Here’s a fact, the expert who is the easiest to find is in the best position to succeed. It’s really quite simple and, yet, many people fail to keep this in mind as they strive for market position.
Regardless of what industry you are in, there are likely many people vying for the consumer’s attention and money.
In order to build a successful online presence and build a profitable business you have to view what you do in the long term. You also have to have a multi-prong approach to reaching your market.
The world of business, online and offline, is extremely crowded. In the consumer’s mind, there may be no distinction between you and the next person doing what you do.

One of the most important things you can do is to position yourself as the go-to expert. When you are viewed as the go-to expert, you stand apart from the crowd.

One of the greatest hurdles to overcome in positioning your expertise is believing in who you are. It’s also recognizing what it took for you to gain the knowledge, experience and skill you have.

Simply put, an expert is a person with a high degree of skill in, or knowledge of, a certain subject and/or field.

This knowledge is gained from years of paid work experience, volunteer activities, hobbies, passions and interests, in which you have invested a great deal of time and effort.

When you begin to really look at your own areas of experience, hobbies, passions, and what your successes are, you will find your expertise begins to reveal itself.

The more you recognize what it took to get where you are,, the easier it becomes to be willing to put your message out to market AND to be willing to charge what you are worth.

When you clearly define your expertise...

• You are sought out by clients, customers, the media, bloggers and joint-venture partners.

• It is easier to communicate “why you” to your market.

• Customers pay more for an expert’s knowledge.

• It bolsters your confidence and willingness to promote your skills and knowledge.

• There are ample opportunities awaiting you.
A simple process to defining your expertise is to answer the following questions:
1. What makes you unique?
2. What do you do that others don’t?
3. What experience do you have that people would be willing to pay you for?
4. What results have you achieved that others have not?
5. Have you authored products and/or books?
6. What specialized training or certification do you have that sets you apart from your competition?
7. What beliefs and values do you stand by that set you apart from others?
8. What solutions are you qualified to provide?
By taking time to dig deep into these questions, it’s likely you will have a much easier time positioning your message. The more you position your message, the easier it is for people to eagerly say yes not only to getting on your subscriber list, but also to look forward to continuing to receive your information.
The more they anticipate your information the more trust you build. The more trust you build the easier it is for them to feel good about exchanging their money for your expertise.
Make it a part of your daily process to do whatever you can to position your expertise and your message. By doing so, you are in a greater position to have the influence and results you desire.