All I Really Needed to Know About List Building I Learned From Stephen King!
I have always been an avid reader of Stephen King's writings over the years, he's one of the few authors that I can safely say I have read everything he has written. Granted, I am a couple of years behind, but I do manage to catch up as I get the time and opportunity to read him.
Most of his work is pure fluff or entertainment but some of his writings (Different Seasons comes quickly to mind) is some of the Best Writing America has produced in the last 50 years or so. In the same light, (in my humble opinion) Stephen King is one of the best writers America has produced in the last 50 years.
Totally underrated mainly because of the 'genre' of his writing -- he's the perfect example of a 'stereotyped writer' outperforming many of the stereotypes most critics find that brings down his writing. Once you have been typecasted, it's extremely difficult to break out of the mold that many people, rightly or wrongly, have pigeon holed you into.
Regardless, whether you're on the '+' or '-' side of Stephen King... I am firmly in the '+' column... you should look at him for his 'list building' techniques!
What?
Stephen King and List Building? What's up with that?
List building is all about building a direct personal relationship with your contacts, prospects, or subscribers. Readers must feel a direct connection with you; someone they can trust and relate to in an one-on-one situation.
Your communications should have this friendly, causal feel as if you're talking to a close confident or pal. It must touch your reader on a purely personal level or you will not succeed in building a good relationship.
Stephen King, in many of his books' Post Scripts or Author's Forwards, speaks directly to his readers. These communications are friendly, chatty, and intimate -- like direct conversations with a close contact over a cup of hot coffee on a Misty Maine Morning. Constant Reader please listen up, I have something to tell ya!
Over the years, no doubt, these 'Direct Letters' to his 'Constant Readers' have built up a fierce loyal readership that probably has more of a direct correlation to his sales than many people would admit or could imagine.
His list must be in the 'tens of millions', readers who are eagerly awaiting the next installment of this correspondence. King, whether he realizes it or not (no doubt he does), has built up a large contact list of eager readers who not only look forward to getting their next King Fix but also looking forward to the next Author's Note that touches briefly on the events in his own life.
This is a great way of connecting with his readers and one does get the feeling that King 'genuinely' does care about his readers. It's something that's read between the lines and can't be faked!
It also has a way of 'fleshing out' his writing; offering a personal view or comments on his take of things. It is also a perfect way of building a more personal relationship with his readers. Probably the only down side for King is the few 'fanatics' that may take this relationship to an extreme level. An unfortunate fact of living in the modern world.
In spite of this, building a large contact list has many more benefits and as we see by the King's example, it can take many forms. For anyone in the marketing field, a close study of King's list should be noted for how it builds (over time) a deep loyal following that's ready and eager to shell out for King's latest offering, time and time again.
Anyone building a large list should keep many of these points in mind -- making a direct personal appeal/contact and forming a relationship with your readers or subscribers may take years but a loyal readership will pay dividends for years to come. Rewards that can not only result in financial gains, but rewards of a more personal nature which comes from knowing you have helped someone by brightening up their day or putting a smile on their faces -- just with the power of your writing.
Powerful stuff indeed and worth a King's Ramson!
Copyright © 2005 Titus Hoskins of BWMagic's Marketing Tools & Resources. This author's articles have appeared on such sites as 'Thetechzone.com', 'Promotionworld.com', and 'Addme.com'. Click to Get a Free Opt In List Building Toolkit and learn more about List Building.
This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... 1. When you make your first sale, you need to... Read More A term that confuses just about everyone is "autoresponder". When... Read More An interested visitor who has been strolling through your site... Read More What is an Opt-in List and what is its significance... Read More Creating a newsletter is an ideal way to drive repeat... Read More If you have auto response system set up for following... Read More It is just amazing. Power right at your fingertips. It... Read More It's hard to get your email through to clients, friends... Read More The goal of all marketing is to attract interest in,... Read More It's true that "content is king," but equally important to... Read More 1. Create a unique selling proposition (USP).Developing a USP for... Read More If Gutenberg were alive today he would be in publishing... Read More Forwarding of e-mails is one of the topics I get... Read More There are several ways to ensure that your adverts are... Read More Would you be interested in getting 10 times better results... Read More Let's recap what you've learned so far...In the first lesson,... Read More Does it seem to you that when you view "openings"... Read More The neurophysiological dynamics of understanding each email message are very... Read More What? You are not using a Follow up Autoresponder? Then... Read More Computer viruses are usually a bad thing. They can compromise... Read More I think first of all, everybody deserves to have a... Read More Your newsletter's success depends on its design. An attractive, easy... Read More There's an old saying 'Manners maketh the man (or woman)'... Read More One major asset that every internet or affiliate marketer needs... Read More Just in case you don't know, your 'LIST' ? is... Read More
Adsense
websites
10 Ways To Quadruple Your Sales with 232%
What Good Is An AutoResponder?
Creative and Profitable Ways to Use Autoreponders
Having an Opt In List As an Affiliate Marketer Is Crucial
Creating A Newsletter And Making Your Website Magnetic
The Innovative Ways To Use Your Autoresponder
Power at your Fingertips
Keep Your Work From Home Newsletter From Being A Spam Filter Casualty
Why Use Permission-Based Email Marketing?
Use Autoresponders, to Build Relationships In Your Affiliate Marketing
10 Terrific Ways To Enlarge Your Subscriber Base
EMail Newsletter Marketing Essentials
5 Rules of Forwarding E-mails
How Can You Be Sure That Your Marketing Efforts Will Generate Profits?
How To Write E-mail Messages For Phenomenal Results
Lesson #7: Three Extra Tricks That Can Boost Your Bottom-Line!
E-Marketing Deliverability Issues
Three Phases to Email Sensitivity
Five Profitable Ways To Use Your Follow Up Autoresponder
Viral Marketing with Your Signature File
Learn How to Double and Triple the Size of Your Opt-in List by Helping Others
The 12 Most Common Newsletter Design Mistakes
Email Marketing and Web Communication: Ten Key Tips to Get Your Messages Read
Three Steps To Building A 50K Email List In Less Than 90 Days
10 Ways to SCREW-UP Your LIST
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Are Your Subscribers Receiving Your Newsletter?
In my e-mail one day, I received the following message:... Read More
How To Set Up an Ezine Encyclopedia
Do you read all your Ezines? Or do you file... Read More
4 Effective Ways To Use Autoresponders To Increase Your Sales
An autoresponder is a very powerful tool for any online... Read More
Email Advertising - How Ad Tracking Helped Create a Killer Ad
I recently undertook an email advertising promotion, using a number... Read More
An Unexploited Market: Striking Gold Without Searching for El Dorado
Companies have been focused on using the Internet to market... Read More
The List Is The Thing
Many companies begin their online sales ventures with the wrong... Read More
Autoresponders = Automatic Internet Marketing Success
What if you could send out all the information that... Read More
Email Marketing - How Best To Manage and Distribute Your Messages
This holiday season 15 percent of consumers in the US... Read More
Email Marketing Losing Its Effectiveness? The Alternative Is Desktop Marketing!
You've heard of email marketing, but it isn't what it... Read More
Should You Publish a PAID E-zine?
Many of my clients ask me whether they should publish... Read More
Viral Marketing - Your Key to Gaining New Clients
Email newsletters are an excellent means of promoting the products... Read More
5 Quick Tips to Get Your Ezine Rolling in the Right Direction
Publishing your own ezine is critical to establishing a long... Read More
Online Marketing Through Newsletters
So you want to start publishing an online newsletter? Why?... Read More
Having an Opt In List As an Affiliate Marketer Is Crucial
What is an Opt-in List and what is its significance... Read More
Realtors ? Is Your Newsletter Increasing Sales?
If you are a REALTOR focused on residential sales who... Read More
8 Tips to Increase Response in Email
Opt in email marketing is no different than normal direct... Read More
How To Use Email Autoresponders to Boost Customer Loyalty
Your e-commerce website relies on its customers to become returning... Read More
Ten Tips to Building Your Opt-in List.
To build and maintain your opt-in list requires constant attention.As... Read More
Are Your Emails Being Heard
Yes, the headline is spelled right. What if you had... Read More
Hot List-Building Tips
Here are some hot list-building tips for you to grow... Read More
Lost: 200 emails gone missing. Last seen on the 25.10.2003
Sound familiar? Ever wondered what happens to those unopened emails... Read More
Guarantee Recipients Opening Your Emails With These Secrets To Successful Subject Lines!
You've done the hardest part; you've captured your prospect's email... Read More
Lesson #1: Autoresponders 101
What the heck is an autoresponder?An autoresponder is much like... Read More
Analysing Autoresponders
An autoresponder is an automatic or software-mailing program. Why... Read More
Top 3 Reasons Why RSS Is Better Than Email
Everyone is talking about RSS. Blogs, newsites and the like... Read More
Email Marketing |