Ah! you’ve never heard of the small mailing list syndrome? Oh! do stop laughing, it’s real. It’s contagious, spreads rapidly and has left its mark on almost all Bloggers.
This syndrome does not attack only beginners.
There are great Bloggers worldwide steadily delivering awesome content. Yet, None of this awesome content seems to add value to them. Irrespective of their very best efforts their returns are zip, nada, zero.
Not because they are in the wrong niche.
Not because there content sucks.
Not because their Blog sites are look and behave lousy.
No. It’s essentially because they have a – Tiny mailing list – or worse, no email list at all.
Their (almost) insignificant, mailing list is the disease that’s quietly negating all their traffic, revenue, and site visitor engagement, until there is – Nothing left.
When I came across Jonathan’s Blog post titled “Double Your Email Marketing List Subscription Rate For Free”, I asked myself who doesn’t want to double their Email Marketing List Subscription list, for Free.
This is definitely worth the read to find out how to increase your Email Marketing List.
Now The Scary Part
There is an excellent chance that you’ve caught the same disease as well. In the stress of delivering awesome content consistently, have you had the time to focus on building your mailing list?
No time at all?
Ah! ha! you’ve been leaving your subscriptions to prayer, i.e. your secret weapon?
Made some teeny tiny efforts – really, I mean really?
All this is bad news indeed.
Read my articles on Did You Know It’s Your Email Subject Line That Get Your Emails Opened? will help you know which subject lines gets your Email open.
The Good News Is – Small Mailing List Syndrome – Is Curable
To kick off, figure out if you really infected. Here are the easy to recognize symptoms:
#1 – Depressingly Few Shares
Okay, okay some of your posts do get shared a little bit, BUT most posts seem to go nowhere at all.
Publishing a post starts feeling like buying a lottery ticket. At the time of purchase – great hopes – but almost always disappointment in the end.
Worse – You begun to feel you have no control on site subscriptions.
Have you noticed:
You’ve worked your butt off crafting a Blog post that is exquisite, no shares
You’ve delivered a really crappy post. It gets a few shares
This inconsistency can make any Blogger blow their fuse quite early in their Blogging career, and throw in the towel permanently.
I assure you that it does not have to be that way.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that posts on some Blogs gets fifty / hundred shares fairly consistently?
This is because they have thousands of email subscribers who come flocking to the Blog every time a new post is published. Hey, they have all been notified via the mailing list that a new Blog post has just been published and their curiosity has been piqued.
Since, they are regular visitors they are a lot more likely to share the post on their social streams as well. Hence, getting shares is dependent on the size of your mailing list. The bigger the better.
#2 – Totally Crappy Comments
Are comments influenced by the size of your mailing list as well? Oh Yes!
The size of your mailing list directly affects the number of comments you get as well as the quality of the comments.
You’ll notice such behaviour in your local pub or bar. The newcomers are silent. Sipping quietly as they watch what’s going on around. It’s the regulars that do all the talking.
It’s exactly the same thing on your Blog.
Most first time visitors / readers will say little or nothing. Not because they don’t like your content, but largely because they don’t you well enough yet. If they notice that your post has not comments, they may be reluctant to write anything at all. Kind of like a newcomer wandering into an empty bar.
The fix? You need to gather up some regulars.
Via you mailing list you must stay in constant contact with your site registrants / readers. Let them know about the new posts you’ve published. In time, they will get to know you and your content. Then they’ll get comfortable leaving their comments.
#3 – Ignored By Influencers
The authority Bloggers in your space not paying you any attention?
Perhaps you think it’s because your Blogsite is new. Honestly, this has little to do with it. The truth is that influencers are motivated by the same – five words – as everyone else:
What’s in it for me?
If they figure out that you can send then a few thousand new readers when you share their content, then – miracle of miracles – you are their new best friend.
If you’ve never been able to send them anyone – or just a handful of new site visitors – then regretfully you will be as noticeable as an ant is to an elephant.
Having a large mailing list, AND working that list cleverly, attracts the attention of influential people. Try it out, accumulate a few thousand site subscribers and you may be really surprised at how many doors open up for you … without you knocking – almost.
The opposite is also true. Have a meagre mailing list, and influencers in your vertical will most likely ignore you in return.
#4 – Little Or No Revenue
The size of your mailing list is a key factor that determines the volume of your website’s inbound revenue. This should be a great motivator for you to nurture your mailing list. The larger the size of your mailing list, the more money your website can make you.
Here is a simple thumb rule. Your site should earn you – One USD, per subscriber, per month.
Want to earn USD 1000/- accumulate 1000 subscribers.
Want to earn USD 5000/- accumulate 5000 subscribers.
Okay, okay it’s really not quite as black and white as the math above, but its close enough to ring true.
Now, as you get better at marketing, start delivering better and better products, you can (and must) earn more than USD 1/- per subscriber, per month.
Some simple projections, assume USD 5/- per subscriber, per month mapped to 10,000 subscribers that is definitely not chump change, if you get my drift.
Talented, authority Bloggers are earning between USD 5/- to USD 10/- per subscriber, per month BUT they have in excess of 100,000 subscribers.
Now, that is really the generation of willable income. At least to me it is.
#5 – Uncertainty About Content
Do you ever find yourself wondering what you should publish next?
Well, you shouldn’t.
Your email list should be telling you what you should be publishing next.
The biggest benefit of having a large mailing list is that you receive instant feedback on anything you do, whether you ask for it or not.
Every time a new post is published, and you notify the list, you’ll receive a wave of both compliments and criticism, and there’s pretty much nothing you can do to change this. Do not even try to, this is gold.
If you publish a post, and get back hundreds of glowing comments and shares, you just have to plan on delivering similar content again soon.
If people are confused – or worst of all, silent – then you know that what you’ve delivered does not resonate with your readers and you need to refocus on what readers really desire.
This is the pulse of your Blog.
As long as you have your finger on it, you always know what to do next.
Without it, you’re also flying blind, and the uncertainty will never end.
#6 – Dwindling Motivation
Here is the severest symptom of a small mailing list.
Here’s what almost universally happens when a Blogger:
Has hardly any sharesCrappy commentsZero attention from influencersNo income generationNervous about their directionUncertain about their content
They give up.
On one I know has the self-discipline to work in a vacuum forever. Without feedback or evidence of progress, everyone runs out of energy, and soon quits altogether.
That said, the opposite is also true.
If any Blogger is getting:
Consistently good sharesLoads of great (encouraging / intelligent) commentsEmails from influential Bloggers in their verticalBuckets of moneyCompliments about their branding and content
Then they stay hugely motivated.
AND
Guess what controls all those things?
Your mailing list.
A Cure For Small Mailing List Syndrome
This may sound like I’m oversimplifying things, but I’m not. Your email list really is the cure-all for every problem Blogger’s face.
Invest specific time in a day/week to build it.
Kick off by ensuring that new site visitors have an irresistible incentive to subscribe.
i.e. The bribe you offer for them to share their Email Id with you must be awesome.
Build an attractive opt-in form to snag new site visitors. The tons of free WordPress plugins really makes this awfully easy.
Never stop looking for new ideas to get even more subscribers.
Figuring out how to build your mailing list in the not the most exciting part of Blogging, but then taking medicine is rarely fun. You have to just gulp it down and pray that it cures what ails you.
Your Blogsite will prosper or perish based on how seriously you grow your mailing list.
So get serious about building it. Getting serious about building / expanding your mailing list is the only known cure for – Small Mailing List Syndrome.
P.S. I’ve a new Blog post titled
– To Increase Your Mailing List Offer Irresistible Incentives –It will be published on Friday 2nd Sept 2015. Do watch out for this post. In it I’m covering every technique popular Bloggers use to increase their subscribers.
Please Leave Your Comments They Really Are A Huge Help
Please do share what you did to create a large and trusting mailing list in the comments below. My readers will be thrilled and bless you for sharing your approach.
If you liked this Blog post, I’d love to read your comments. If you thought that this Blog post was not up to your expectations, I’d love to read your comments.
It’s your comments that helps me get better each day. Please pass on your bouquets or brickbats in the comments section right below.
