Without customers, your business will fail. Plain and simple. However, with customers, your business will succeed! Again, that's plain and simple when you understand the dynamics of gaining and keeping customers. One way to gain and keep customers is to stay in constant contact with them. By doing so, you are setting yourself up as a trusted advisor in your area of expertise.
Let's use the stages of a flower as we learn the 5 elements of growing our list, shall we?
Pick the seed: If you've been in the garden center at your local Walmart recently, you've seen the rows and rows of seeds available to you. Just like with the seeds, you have many options available to you for growing your list. Think about how you want to stay in contact with the people on your list. Perhaps you want to write a daily blog post and send it to your list via RSS feeds; or write a bi-weekly or monthly newsletter; or send them weekly emails via an autoresponder. "Pick" your mode of contact.
Plant the seed: Once you've "picked your seed" or have determined how you want to stay in contact with your list, now it's time to set it all up. Should you desire to stay in contact with your list via an autoresponder, create an account and get started. Perhaps staying in contact with them via RSS feed fits your business model better. Research the various ways to stay in constant contact as each modality has its own benefit and disadvantages. For example, while setting up an RSS feed is free, it is limited in the way you can stay in contact with your subscribers. By utilizing an autoresponder you will incur a monthly charge, but you will have more features available to you so that you can create various forms of communication such as newsletters, email blasts, etc.
Water the seed: Your flower will not grow if you don't water it. You've picked your seed, you've planted your seed, now you need to take action by watering the seed. Create a plan of how you will stay in contact with your list. If you want to write a daily blog post, schedule a certain time of day that you will write and deliver your post. Maybe you want to take a few hours and create blog posts for the entire week or month in one sitting and then schedule the delivery of your posts.
Fertilize the seed: Now that you've picked, planted, and watered your seed, you've got to fertilize it by providing quality content. You are an expert in your industry and your subscribers are looking to you for valuable information, so give it to them. Share with them, educate them, provide them with product and services information that will help them. The key here is to provide your subscribers with valuable information.
Nurture the seed: Stay consistent and in touch with your list. Get to know the people on your list. What are their likes and dislikes? What will help them to grow in their lives and businesses? What can you offer to them that will make their lives easier to live? Is there a product or service that you can suggest to them? Is there an affirmation or scripture that will encourage them? Nurture them. Love them. Care about them. Let them know that they are special. Be honored that they are on your list. With thousands and thousands of lists to choose from, they chose your list...take care of them!
So there you have it, a gorgeous list that will continue to grow for as long as you take care of it. Before long you'll have a full crop of subscribers that are eager to hear from you.
To assist you in creating an actionable plan of contact, I've created several FREE checklists that you can use. Simply visit the Library section of Business and Learning ( http://www.BusinessAndLearning.com ) for valuable resources that are available to you.
From Kelli Claypool - The Unconventional Business Coach and The Business and Learning Team.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelli_Claypool
