List Building Superstars - June 28th Teleseminar.

Jason James - Explosive List-Building with Audio and Video.

As the List Building Superstars (LBS) teleseminar series wound down, it was imperative to introduce something new and exciting into the mix. Fortunately for those on the line, Jason James ("Membership Riches") delivered thought-provoking reasons for using streaming audio and video for your next marketing campaign.

After a stint in the U.S Marine Corps, James established himself as an eBay Power Seller between 2000 and 2005. Not content to rest on his auction building laurels, Jason then set his sights on Internet Marketing fortune, launching his first product in 2005. Two years later, he has achieved 2 million dollars in sales with four products (N.B. A fifth is on the way). He currently enjoys a subscriber list that exceeds 75,000 members.

Curiously, James accomplished much as a "solo-preneur", without the benefit of established joint venture (JV) partners or high-priced coaches and mentors. A major reason for success appears to be his early adoption of Internet video marketing techniques. Not only was Jason James able to stand out from the crowd. Opinion leaders, i.e. "gurus", began seeking him out for various projects and campaigns.

(Audio, Visual, Written) Communication is the Key.

Whether you promote your own products, or engage in serious affiliate marketing, Jason advises entrepreneurs to stay in front of their prospects and customers' hearts and minds with content and offers that solve problems and satisfy needs. It is important to match your methods of communication with the objective. For example:

Writing: Use signatures within personal and broadcast e-mail messages that move curious readers from your message to the next step (i.e. opt-in, purchase).

Audio: Clear invitation to prospects to subscribe to your newsletter.

Video: Appropriate for training subscribers about software, audiovisual products, and other high-end products. Depending on the sophistication needed for your campaign, may require hiring a professional.


Three Audiovisual (AV) Strategies for Internet Marketers.

Jason suggested simple AV strategies that anyone can implement immediately:

A. 30-60 second audio and/or video on your Squeeze Page.

i) "Hi, my name is [YOUR NAME]."
ii) Offer a free report with reasons why they should read it.
iii) "Enter your name and e-mail address in the boxes below."
iv) "Thank you."

B. Outrageous videos to increase opt-in rates.

Jason's self-described "wacky" video for his latest promotion increased his opt-ins from eleven to fifty percent! Originality and irreverence apparently have a place in Internet Marketing.

However, if you do not have the skill nor the personality to "stand out" in the video crowd, consider outsourcing the work or trying something more conventional.

C. YouTube/MySpace style social networking sites.

Free services that allow you to upload video, slide shows, etc. to promote you - not anyone or anything else.

Video use does not absolve marketers from empathizing with their audience during a sales pitch. Nor does its mere use guarantee success if previous audio and written messages failed. So, in conjunction with your favorite tracking software/service provider, be prepared to test and tweak your delivery until you get the desired results.


I Wanted my List Yesterday!

Jason James wants us to have a "I gotta build a list now!" mentality that's laser-focused on finding prospects looking to spend money. He also advises us to do whatever is necessary to retain customers - it is much easier to generate repeat sales from existing subscribers than recruit more and more opportunity seekers.

James advises new marketers to be patient with their efforts and warns against frustration. List building is slow in the beginning, but rigorously testing common techniques right from the start (e.g. Pay-per-Click, e-zine advertising) will save time and prevent aggravation down the road.


Internet Newbie Pitfalls.

James sees too many "newbies" failing to build lists right from the start. They may be engaged in casual networking, but they are not marketing. By failing to bring new acquaintances into their opt-in lists, they are unable to sell and consequently are leaving money "on the table".

Beginners are loath to join numerous mailing lists, fearing information overload and a cluttered Inbox. However, they neglect the positive side of joining lists, i.e., learning about what the "Big Dogs" are up to. Numerous e-mail marketing, sales copy, and viral marketing tips can be had for free by simply "shadowing" 3 to 5 of your favorite marketers. There is a good chance that they are doing what you'd like to do, so why not learn from the best? One day, you may end up meeting them in person or perhaps working together.

Jason James believes in low frequency list maintenance, choosing to mail targeted messages to his 12 sublists twice weekly. Usually on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. His advice is not to go overboard with subscriber offers, because multiple daily e-mails risk an elevated unsubscribe rate just as you are nurturing a critical mass of like-minded people to follow your advice.


Tried and True Techniques for Growing Your List.

In order to direct traffic towards your video opt-in message and attract like-minded subscribers, Jason recommends several standard methods:

A. Article Submission to Directories.

Jason claims that articles generate up to 150 leads weekly for him; even articles written several weeks or months ago still bring in traffic. Your resource box is the critical part of your article, because that's how people can follow up with you.

B. Free Giveaways.

Both voluntary and forced opt-ins can be induced with free reports, e-books, etc. However, list-builders beware! There is an inherent risk of creating a list of unresponsive "freebie seekers" who expect gifts all the time!

C. Forum Marketing.

Forums like the Warrior Forum are excellent venues for exchanging marketing ideas and strategies, even making business contacts. At worst, you can leave signatures containing links to your squeeze pages.


Personal Mistakes on the Road to Financial Independence.

Jason James qualifies as a list-building superstar, and readily acknowledges its importance in his business. However, in his earlier days, James did not manage his list as professionally as he would have liked.

You see, he collected and maintained names and addresses from his eBay business on his own, and got caught as the list's size and diversity grew. He quickly realized that shifting names between different lists was a hassle. Thus, Jason recommends the use of a professional autoresponder service that permits, among other things, multiple list segmentation.


Conclusion.

After only a few years, Jason James can safely claim a place amongst Internet Marketing's heavy hitters. Perhaps his eBay experience helped, but upon further investigation, video use is what makes James stand out today.

In the summer of 2007, audio-visual exposure is all the rage, even amongst the so-called newbies. It is not difficult to find clever applications on squeeze pages and sales letters. Some well-known marketers even offer custom-made videos as an enticement to be part of their affiliate programs!

Only you can decide if Internet video is the right option for your circumstances. However, following Jason James' advice at the end of the call is something all marketers can agree on:

Have fun, don't get intimidated with technology.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rahul Majumdar is a full-time information marketer who specializes in teleseminar reporting, article marketing, and information product creation.