I do a great deal of reading and researching on the topic of online marketing. I have to, it’s how I make my living. I imagine you do the same.
Which is why you may have noticed that a lot of people tend to over complicate the whole online marketing thing.
Really, you need a product to sell, someone to sell it to and a way to persuade them to buy.
That’s it.
In fact, I said that exact same thing to an aspiring marketer the other day, and he responded with, “That’s OVER simplified, tell me how I’m supposed to do that.”
Okay, here goes:
When you get someone on your list, your job is to build rapport so they like you and your content. Once you do this, it’s a lot easier to convince them to buy your recommendations.
That’s why I start out by telling them something about me and my life. Not a full-blown biography – I’m not that fascinating. Just enough so they feel like they know something about who I am and how I think and live.
Then I send them content and offers, same as any other marketer.
Except, I don’t try to appeal to everyone.
In fact, I don’t want to appeal to everyone, because when you make that your goal, you wind up appealing to pretty much no one.
Imagine if you tried to create the perfect food that EVERYONE likes. Any flavor is going to turn off a certain segment of the population, so you’ll have to remove all flavor to make everyone happy.
Except, of course, when you remove all flavor, your dish will be as bland as paste and it will appeal to no one.
Time and again I see marketers trying not to have opinions or offend anyone. And these same marketers struggle, despite having 5 or even 6 figures of subscribers on their lists.
When you appeal to everyone, you appeal to no one.
So what I do is ‘let it all hang out,’ so to speak.
I state my opinions. I give my thoughts. When I disagree with something, I politely but firmly make my case.
In other words, I’m myself. I don’t try to be an ‘everyman,’ I just work at being me.
Which I have a lot of practice at, so it’s much easier than trying to be someone I’m not.
Some people don’t like me or my opinions, and they unsubscribe. Hence the name, “repulsion marketing.”
Other people resonate with me and what I believe, and these folks not only stay on my list, but they also open and READ my emails.
And click my links.
And buy my stuff.
They’re receptive, enthusiastic, and fun to have as customers. I’m continually building my tribe, and part of that process is weeding out the people who aren’t a good fit.
I never worry about how ‘qualified’ my traffic is or what ‘quality’ it is.
My only job is to get people onto my list and then just be myself.
It’s like real life – some people think you’re a jerk, and other people become your friends and lovers.
And it works really, really well.
