Bones Before Dog Food

You probably hear it all the time.

The very first thing you need to do is to start building an email list.

Why?

Because the single most effective way to sell your product or service online is to promote it to a group of people who know, like and trust you. 

A warm audience.

Let’s assume you want to sell a course called “How To Make Candles At Home.”

If someone interested in learning how to make candles knows YOU are an expert in making candles and you offer them a course on that subject they are likely to buy it.

If that same person is approached by a stranger what happens?

They will have to spend some time checking out the course promoter and become convinced of the seller’s expertise and trustworthiness before whipping out a credit card.

After the research, well maybe they are convinced and maybe not.

Sound right?

Making another assumption in this little business model, let’s say you run some Facebook Ads about learning candle making.

Instead of trying to sell with your the email you should begin the process by impressing them with your candle making expertise. Throw them bones before you sell them dog food.

  • You might send them a tip on buying candle making supplies
  • And another email on the types of candles they can create
  • Maybe one more on the designs and sizes you can make at home

By now they are beginning to think you know what you are talking about.

When the next email (the promotion) comes in:

  • Importantly, they will probably open it because you added value in previous emails
  • Your offer of a course will be much more warmly received
  • The “conversion rate” will be much higher than if you asked on email 

In sales, we call it a warm audience.

Strive for it!

About the Author

A serial entrepreneur, Conrad has founded several businesses in his career in such diverse industries Insurance, Healthcare and Internet-based Business Services, (not to mention boyhood lawn mowing in the neighborhood!). In the last two decades, his focus has been on multiplying profits for his businesses using the Internet as a springboard.