Why Big Marketers Are Dying Off, And Little Guys Can Win

57 | Posted In Marketing by David

An idea hit me. Admittedly, its gone through my mind before. It is super-basic, yet I see so many people online just forgetting.

See, in this whole blogger market, I’m not exactly the biggest fish in the pond. My list size is respectable, but not nearly as big as some of the folks like Darren or Brian (from CopyBlogger). My traffic is nothing to complain about, but people like Pat Flynn are far surpassing me.

But, generally, I’ve got a pretty tight-knit bunch of readers. :) Every time that little voice in my head wonders if I’m doing enough, I get people who tell me they open my emails religiously.

Side note: Have I told you guys how much appreciate you lately? :)

Plus, I do OK in the promotional department, too. This year, I came in #3 affiliate for one of Ryan Lee’s launches and ended up out in Las Vegas with him and several others. I was #1 affiliate for Corbett’s Traffic School launch, beating out several other bloggers you guys would know and love.

The other day, Ryan Lee mentioned me on his blog as one of the marketers who “get it”. (Much appreciated, Ryan.)

So, what is it that I “get”?

Honestly, I don’t think its just that I “get” something… I think its just that I haven’t forgotten.

Our readers are PEOPLE. Real people, not just numbers on an email list. And, they have opinions, mindsets, things to say. Hell, especially bloggers, you guys have things to say. ;)

Which brings me to my primary point…

TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION.

That’s it.

As a blogger and a marketer, it is all too easy to get into a 1-way flow. A top-down thing where I’m just lecturing you guys and you listen. Online, it is too easy to only gauge things like email open rate… or when I’m selling something, the number of orders.

But, those things are impersonal. They’re good – don’t get me wrong. You want to watch the numbers. But, still, it is impersonal.

We’re not built, as human beings, to enjoy 1-way flows. That’s why we got sleepy in college classes when the professor was talking to the chalkboard. He wasn’t talking TO us. He was lecturing. He was thinking about himself, and we’re supposed to feel honored to be listening. Yeah, bullshit.

As Ryan pointed out on his blog, some of the big marketers out there are losing their shirts now. They burned their list, trying to shake their subscribers upside down for every dime they had. They offered no real value, just sales offers. They rarely, if ever, actually interacted with their subscribers. Many of the old big-timers are now exiting the niche and you don’t see them launching anymore.

THEY DIDN’T LISTEN. THEY DIDN’T ENGAGE IN A TWO-WAY CONVERSATION.

They just kept pushing $2K products. And it worked… until it didn’t work anymore. People grew weary.

So, how can you promote a two-way conversation with your readers and subscribers?

  1. Reply to their emails.
  2. Ask them to email. Do you ever ask people on your list to email you back by replying?
  3. Reply to their comments on your blog.
  4. Ask them questions, and invite them to reply. You can learn a LOT about your market by asking simple questions, and it keeps you “on the pulse” of your market.
  5. Move beyond your blog. Do videos. Do webinars. Let your subscribers interact with you as a human being.
  6. Be transparent. You don’t have to share every little thing (obviously), but just be a real person. You’re not perfect, so don’t try to act like you are.
  7. Keep it personal. Address them by name. Use email surveys rather than solely form-based ones.

I could go on, but you get the point.

This stuff creates loyal fans.

Not because you’re so damn awesome. It is ONLY because…

You listened. You acknowledged them. And you helped.

Free eBook!

Like what you read?

If so, please join over 12,000 people who receive exclusive online business and blogging tips, and get a FREE COPY of my eBook, Six Figure Blogger Blueprint (PDF and MP3)! Just enter your name and email below:

← Older Comments
  • http://twitter.com/NathLussier Nathalie Lussier

    You’re right that people tend to forget. It’s easy to just look at the data and forget what’s underneath. I feel like Gary V’s got his finger on the pulse of this, and described it really well when he said that we’re actually going back to the days of the small town… where everyone remembers what you do, and if all you do is promote 2k programs without as much as a hello and thank you, then they’ll go somewhere else.

  • http://www.findallanswers.com Jane | Find All Answers

    There is nothing powerful than a two way communication. People won’t feel respected or “special” when the marketer just pushes stuff one way. And sadly, most requests (call to actions) to subscribe promise to offer quality and tell them that their subscribers are special. Thanks for making a great point David.

  • http://www.melvinblog.com/ Melvin

    This is so true Dave. Like you, one thing that I’m proud of is I reply to emails. And these are emails that are mostly replies from my newsletters so although its impossible to reply to all of them, I do reply to MOST.

    I hate to mention names but guys like Frank Kern don’t do it and you’re spot on right. I mean I just see it absurd that they keep on pushing products that are so expensive yet when someone emails them back to ask questions and whatnot, they don’t reply.

    I’m thinking that maybe they’re relying too much on being structured that they don’t care anymore about anything that comes nowhere from those structures that they built. I know automating stuff is cool but sadly its just impossible to automate everything.

  • http://twitter.com/JMPruitt75 James Pruitt

    One thing that I always found funny is these big name marketers talking about engagement in their materials, but they wouldn’t do it themselves. They think of one way communication as engagement.

    I have always said relationships are the key to success in this business, and that takes work both ways to build.

  • http://www.successbuildingblocks.com Grady Pruitt

    Thanks, David!  As a relatively new marketer/blogger myself, I’ve been trying to concentrate on building relationships myself  These tips will go a long way to helping me out! 

    And Stu, my dad always said “If sense was common, everyone would have it.”

  • http://dool.in Dave Doolin

    Ash, I save your emails too.

  • Vikk Simmons

    Having been in the blogosphere before it was the blogosphere, I’ve watched a lot of people and read a lot of pitches. I can’t point to anyone who has fully captured my attention and interest for as long as you have, David. 

    Count me as one who always opens your emails and who generally responds to much of what you are suggesting, pointing to, and offering. Why? For many of the reasons others have said. Mostly, it’s because you offer timely, relevant information that generally does not grow old and dated. Your commonsense solutions offered in BogMasters Club are as helpful today to me as they were more than a year ago. And I continue to use and read and watch to learn. 

    But another really important reason is because I can reach out and talk to you. You try to make yourself available in a variety of ways and that’s helpful to someone like me who struggles with the technological stuff. You listen and reply directly to the problems. I learn by listening to your interaction with others. 

    You may not be in the millions–yet. But you are definitely doing something very, very right. You have an engaged, committed audience who are also participants in the Risley experiment. :) And I’m glad to be along for the ride.  

← Older Comments