The Strategy Behind NOT Collecting a Free List

I’m going to throw this out to the peanut gallery, and in all fairness, I didn’t think of it. I remember reading it somewhere, and I regret I don’t remember who said this, but to paraphrase: “The only people on my list are the ones who’ve paid to be there”. It’s the strategy I’m going to use with my soon-to-be-live latest e-report launch, and here’s the reasoning behind it.

The desirable quantity in a list is its responsiveness. Therefore, the only time you should put someone on a list is when that someone has already bought something from you, (i.e. has demonstrated the capacity to be responsive to your sales pitches). This insures a higher chance they’ll buy something else from you later, because they’ve already paid money to be there now. A lower volume of names, to be sure, but more responsiveness.

I know the $7 report theory puts this to some use. You buy the report before you’re asked to for your name and email, which means the person selling it already knows the latest addition to their list will buy from them. Granted, they’re probably not going to buy a product in $97 dollar range if this happens, but other $7 products and their 100% commissions? An entire web site full of them called 7dollaroffers.com exists as nothing more than a clearinghouse for those sorts of offerings in multiple niches, giving you plenty to promote.

So, what do you think, and what are your circumstances?

• Can you get responsiveness out of your free ezine list? If so, what are you doing?
• Do you already do it this way? How’s it working out for you?
• Have another strategy you’d like to share?

Leave a comment and give me your opinion.