31 Ways to Monetize Your List

1. Here’s the one thing you should always include in your welcome email to generate sales: a call to action.

A lot of people send out lists of benefits. They send out links. But they don’t put calls to action next to those links, which can really dampen conversions. Use a strong call to action where you tell people what to do and why. E.G., “Click here to activate a 50% off coupon!”

2. The most effective way to use a postscript in your email is to insert a major selling point, overcome objections, or even offer proof.

For example:

List a new benefit not mentioned elsewhere.
Reiterate a strong benefit.
Offer social proof, like a testimonial.
Offer other proof, such as a link to a video.
Provide an incentive to click, such as a discount coupon or bonus offer.
Offer a price justification.

In all cases, be sure to also add a call to action and a link inside your P.S.

3. Here’s a good way to boost sales: add an offer button image at the bottom of your email to indirectly promote an offer.

Maybe you’re sending out a content email, such as a “how to” article. Your goal is to teach your subscribers something, build relationships with these subscribers, and train them to open your emails.

In other words, this isn’t a hard sell email. But that doesn’t mean you can’t slip a soft-sell in at the end. One way to do it is to mention a product or service within the email (plant a seed), and then put an offer button at the end of the email where people can snag a great deal on this product or service.

4. Need the perfect 3 emails per week sequence? Take a look:

Imagine you have one offer each week to promote. Here’s a three-email sequence you can send to promote that offer. For this example we’ll imagine you’re selling a dieting course.

Email 1: Plant a seed. Talk about the problem. Offer tips to solve that problem. Mention the offer at the end.

E.G., “Seven Tips for Shedding 10 Pounds…”

Email 2: Offer part of a solution. Now this time provide more information… but only part of a solution. For example, give them in-depth information on how to solve part of their problem.

E.G., “How to Raise Your Metabolism By Eating The Right Foods…”

Then pitch the offer at the end as the solution to the rest of their problem.

Email 3: Directly sell the rest of the solution. In the final email you can send out a direct promo with a bulleted benefit list, social proof and a strong call to action.

E.G., “Who else wants to lose 25 pounds?”

5. Question of the day: What’s the best way to cross post your mailings to social media?

The very easiest way to do this is to use an email service provider that integrates with your preferred social media platforms. For example, Aweber integrates with sites such as Twitter and Facebook, so you can cross post your content without doing it manually.

6. Tip: Start creating a swipe file of high-response subject lines.

The idea here is to join other peoples’ lists to discover the subject lines that work best. These newsletters don’t even need to be in your niche. Then use these eye-catching subject lines as inspiration for creating your own high-response subject lines.

For example, you swipe this: Who else wants to triple their conversion rates?

Then you re-create it like this for your niche: Who else wants to fit into size 4 jeans?

7. Question: When should you send a long email, and when should you send a short email?

Answer: Every email you create should be short enough to hold attention, yet long enough to meet your goal for that email (such as preselling a product).

So for example:

You want to build top of mind awareness? Drop a short email with a tip just to get your name in front of prospects.

Looking to build relationships? Send a very useful and in-depth explanation of how they can achieve a desired goal.

Do you want to presell a product? Send a medium-length email… one that holds attention while explaining the benefits.

8. TIP: You can increase response with a “but first, check this out” format.

The idea here is to create an email where you give away something very valuable, such as a free report or app. But right before you drop the link to this freemium, you share a related promo.

For example, “In just a moment you’ll find out how to get this weight-loss app for free. But first, you’ll want to get your hands on a proven diet that can produce real results for you…” Then go on to explain the main benefits of the product and provide a link and call to action.

9. Here’s an amazingly effective way to boost your response rate: use countdown timers.

You see, it’s one thing to tell people that the expiration date for an offer is rapidly approaching. It’s another thing entirely to show them a countdown timer that’s ticking down the hours, minutes and seconds.

This visual representation of scarcity trips a psychological trigger and creates a powerful sense of urgency. In turn, this gives your conversion rate an amazing boost!

10. Question of the day: what is the best ratio of content to promotion mailings?

The answer is it depends on what your subscribers expect.

If you told them they’re signing up for a list where they’ll get a new product review or discount coupon code every week, then you’ll sending promotional mailings every time you hit the “broadcast” button.

On the other hand, if your readers expect to get “how to” information, then at least 75% of the content you deliver should take that form. In other words, for every four emails you send, figure on three content emails and one straight-up promo.

However, this is the key…

Every email you send should include a promo, even if it’s a soft sell. So for example, if you’re teaching people how to set up a WordPress blog, then this “how to” article might include a soft-sell promo and a link to a useful WordPress Plugin.

E.G., “Here’s the WP plugin I install on all my sites—you’ll want to use it too…”

11. TIP: Create recap mailings to get your best content in front of your newsletter readers.

The fantasy is that all your subscribers read every email you send, every blog post you publish, and every bit of content you post to social media. But of course that almost never happens. And that’s why you can create a “recap mailing” that shares summaries and links to the content you’ve created over the past few weeks.

For example, you might call it the “In case you missed it” feature. For best results, follow these tips:

Curate only your best content. You don’t want to send busy people to links with average content.

Use benefit-driven, curiosity arousing summaries to get people to click on the links. E.G., “Click here to discover a simple trick to get 10,000 targeted visitors for free!”

Create a list of related content. This content should all focus on helping your prospects solve a singular problem.

12. Do you want to boost your open rates and response rates? Then send out emails when it’s likely your subscribers are online and have the time to read and respond to your newsletter.

Hint: Start by looking at when the bulk of your subscribers actually joined your list. If you have a surge of people joining on Tuesday mornings, then that’s a good time to try sending out an email.

As always, be sure to test to find out what days and times provide the maximum response for your particular list. You may even end up segmenting your lists geographically to better catch ALL your subscribers at a good time of the day in each of their time zones.

13. Here’s a way to quickly boost your response rate: segment your list for maximum response.

Many top autoresponders let you tag and segment subscribers by demographics or even by behaviors. For example:

Segment by demographics, such as age, gender or location.
Segment by purchases.
Segment by lead magnet.
Segment by whether they click a link or not.
Segment according to whether they open an email.

Then send ultra-targeted emails to these list segments to boost your conversion rates!

14. Do you know how to use your ESP’S (email service provider’s) built-in tools to increase response?

Check out these ideas:

Send a follow-up email to everyone who opened your last email but didn’t buy anything.
Send a follow-up email to everyone who did NOT open your last email.
Use automated tagging to tag (and segment) subscribers who take some specific action, such as clicking on a link.
Use automated rules to subscribe or unsubscribe people from your lists according to their behaviors.

Most major ESPs have these sorts of tools available to you along with plenty of documentation about how to use them, so log into your account today to see what tools are available to you!

15. TIP: Create regular newsletter features to give your readers something to look forward to.

For example:

Freebie Fridays
Tips Tuesdays
Infographic Wednesdays
Special Offer Mondays

These are just examples. Figure out what kind of content your subscribers really respond to well, and then create a regular feature for them to look forward to.

Bonus Tip: For an even better response, be sure to build anticipation for the upcoming feature a couple days before it happens. E.G., “Don’t forget to check your inbox Monday, because you’re going to get a special offer that’s never been available before!”

16. Here’s how to create value for your newsletter: solve a specific problem in every email.

You might do this by providing straight-up content. You might do it with content and an offer. Or you might accomplish this simply by telling your subscribers about the very best way to solve their problem. This could come in the form of a direct promo, a product review or even a product comparison.

But in all cases, you need to focus on ONE problem. And then you need to offer just ONE solution to that problem. If you consistently offer the best solutions, your list will begin to trust you – and you’ll see your conversion rates grow over time.

17. Here’s something very valuable you can cultivate in your subscribers: create top of mind awareness.

This means that when they think of a particular problem or topic , they think of you FIRST. That’s a powerful way to increase sales, because people think of your business even if your ads or emails aren’t right in front of them.

Here’s how to cultivate that top of mind awareness:

Send emails regularly – at least weekly if not more. Don’t let yourself be out of sight, out of mind!

Create a memorable tagline or slogan to include in every email. This works particularly well if it’s centered on a solution or unique selling position.

For example, “The Copywriter’s Copywriter… For When You Need to Make a GREAT Impression.”

Build brand awareness. Be sure to create an HTML template with your logo and colors built right in, so your subscribers see it every time you send an email.

18. Here’s how to get more exposure, more traffic, and establish yourself as an expert: swap content with other newsletter publishers.

Everyone gets free content, and everyone gets free exposure too. Here’s what to look for in a potential content-swapping partner:

Look for someone whose list is right around the same size as yours. They’ll be more likely to agree to the swap if the exposure you can offer to them is about equal to what they can offer you.

Choose reputable partners. If you’re not familiar with someone, research their name in Google to be sure they have a good rep in the niche.

Look for partners with multiple platforms. Those who post their newsletters on social media or blogs will help you get extra exposure.

19. Your subscribers are a good source of traffic. But the question is, how do you get them to forward or share your emails?

Here’s how:

Make your email shareworthy. This means including something unique, something inspirational, something extraordinarily useful.

Tell people to share it. In other words, offer a strong call to action to boost response. E.G., “Share this set of tips with your friends – they’ll thank you for it!”

Give people an easy way to share it. For example, you might include social media buttons within your email for easy sharing.

20. Tip: Consider sending important emails with multiple formats to boost response.

You see, people prefer to get information in different ways. So if you offer different formats, you give people the opportunity to choose their preferred way to receive information. And that means they’re more likely to consume the content.

For example: you can give people the option to read a text email, or they can watch a short video.

21. Be original.

If your newsletter is just the same as everyone else’s newsletter in your niche, then your subscribers have no particular reason to stay on your list. And if you’re not varying the content you send, they’ll get bored. That’s another quick trip to the unsubscribe button.

Here’s how to keep readers engaged:

Don’t use cookie-cutter emails, or the same format every time. This makes you seem more like a robot rather than a person, which decreases trust.

Do offer new twists on old strategies. This shows your readers you can give them something fresh, which will keep them coming back for more.

Do use a light, conversation tone. This keeps readers engaged and reading right to the end, where they’ll see your call to action.

22. Remember this: you don’t have to think up everything yourself. Instead, you can seek out inspiration from other sources. This makes content creation quicker and easier.

For example:

Check which videos are popular on YouTube in you niche, and then provide similar content.

See what people are talking about on social media.

Browse popular blogs in your niche to uncover hot topics.

Find out what’s selling on sites like Clickbank.com or Amazon.com – these are hot topics.

Use a keyword tool like MarketSamurai.com to discover what your users are searching for in the search engine. Then write content around these topics.

23. TIP: Create a singular goal for each email, and then write your email around that goal.

Here are examples of goals. You might want your readers to:

Watch a video.
Click on a link to purchase a product.
Fill out a form to get more information.
Register for a webinar.
Tell their friends about your business.
Enter a contest.
Read a post on your blog.
Join your social media network.
Take advantage of a freemium offer.

And so on.

First pick a goal, then make sure every word of your email is built around getting your subscribers to take that specific action.

24. Want to keep your readers excited about your newsletter? Then offer them some variety. Create an element of surprise, and they’ll open your emails just to see what you’re going to offer them next.

Here’s a list of the type of content you might send to your readers over the course of several emails:

One short yet very useful tip, just 100 words or so.
A long article with an in-depth explanation of how to get some result.
A link to a video.
A list of curated content (e.g., “Top 10 Blog Posts You Missed This Week…”)
A product review.
A link to a freemium offer.
An infographic.
An unexpected flash sale with a steep discount.

Those are just a few examples. Key point is to remember that variety is the spice of life (and it’s a key to a profitable mailing list).

25. Tip: Use the power of curiosity to boost response within your emails.

Curiosity is a powerful psychological motivator. If you can make people curious about what is inside your email, they’ll open. If you can make them curious about what’s behind a link, they’ll click on it. And if you can make them curious about a product, they’ll buy it.

For example, check out these phrases you might use in an email to arouse curiosity and boost response:

Click here to discover the secret to whitening your teeth using ingredients you already have on hand at home!

Find out the weird trick Hollywood celebrities use when they need to drop 10 pounds fast…

Are you making these costly mistakes? Click here to find out…

26. You’ve got a cold list. You had good intentions, but you just didn’t nurture it enough. Now you want to put the electric paddles on the heart of your list and give it a jump start – how do you do that?

Like this: Be honest and let them know you screwed up by not emailing them lately, but you want to make it right. Then give them an absolutely irresistible freemium offer. This freemium should be highly valued and highly in-demand in your niche.

TIP: If you haven’t emailed in quite some time, be sure not to send promos out in your first several emails. If people don’t recognize your name, they might mark your message as spam.

27. Your list is full of busy people. They’re checking your emails in a checkout line at the grocery store. They don’t always have time to read 1000 words. But they might still be interested in your content or offer.

The solution? Post an “Are you in a hurry?” message at the top of your email to boost response.

For example: “Are you in a hurry? Click here to get the highlights in less than 200 words.” Then behind that link you can offer the top five points in a bulleted list. This might be five reasons to buy a product, or five tips for achieving some goal.

Those who want to read your full email and get all details can do so, while those who only want the highlights can get ‘em. It’s a great way to better serve your readers and boost your conversions at the same time.

28. Try the “get your foot in the door” technique to boost responses.

Researchers have found that if you ask for a small favor first and then later ask for a larger favor, people are more likely to comply with your request. That’s because they want to appear consistent.

For example: ask readers to download a freemium, and then later ask them to purchase the premium version.

29. TIP: Format your content for those who skim your emails.

As much as we’d like to think that every single subscriber is going to read every word of our emails, it just doesn’t happen. A lot of people skim the content. That’s why you need to format in a way that gives the skimmer the highlights and benefits of your message. This includes:

Using subheadlines to highlight important content.
Offer benefits or other content in a bulleted list.
Inserting graphics with enticing captions to draw the skimmer’s eyes back into the content.
Using a “P.S.” that showcases a major benefit or other point.

30. Increase engagement and response by developing your own voice.

In other words, don’t write dry, robotic content. Use these tips and instead:

Tell personal stories to increase engagement and to give readers a glimpse inside your life

Inject some humor into your content. Since humor is subjective, use this tactic sparingly.

Write like you’re writing to a friend. This creates a conversational tone and that unique “voice” that attracts and engages readers.

TIP: If you outsource, outsource your emails to one person so you can maintain the same voice.

31. Here’s how to improve your conversion rates for every email you send: learn the art of good copywriting.

No matter what kind of content you send to your readers, you can boost your open rates, read rates and response rates if you employ good sales copy techniques. This includes: