How's your blog's free giveaway working for you? You know, that free ecourse, video or newsletter you're giving away to entice others to join your list.
Is your giveaway helping you to build your list at the speed of light, or are you lucky to get one or two opt-ins per day…. or week?
Don't worry, help is on the way.
You see, I've been working with a coach who has helped me transform my lackluster, blend-in-with-the-crowd blog giveaway to an exciting opt in offer that people are running through burning buildings just to get their hands on.
Well, that's the hope, anyway … it's a bit too early to tell.
But in working with my coach to develop this offer, I've learned quite a few things about creating free blog giveaways, and I want to share them with you today.
Remember – your giveaway is the gateway to your marketing funnel. If it's weak and fails to attract people inside, the rest of your funnel won't much matter.
5 Ways To Transform Your Free Blog Giveaway into a List Building Superhero
Try these strategies for improving the conversion rate of your blog giveaway. You can either use them to improve your current freebie, or start from scratch.
1. Aim Your Blog Giveaway Directly at Your Target Market
Don't try to create a giveaway that everyone and anyone who comes across your blog will want. It won't happen.
Rather, put together a giveaway that will uniquely attract those who are in the small niche you are targeting.
Don't have a good handle on your Target Market yet?
That's fine — read to the end of the post. I've got you covered.
2. Address a Challenge and Provide a Solution
What are the biggest challenges holding back your Target Market?
What's driving them nuts and keeping them awake at night, wishing they could figure it out?
To know this, you'll need to do a bit of research. One way is to hang out in forums where your ideal customers hang out and listen to the conversation.
What are they talking about? More importantly, what are they complaining about?
Another way is to ask a question. That's what I did when I asked my current list and readers to provide me with some much needed direction.
From this one question, I was able to determine exactly what my target market's biggest challenges were: using their limited time most effectively in their business, and finding a great mentor who can help them cut down their learning curve.
I addressed both of these challenges in my new giveaway.
When you get a handle on this, provide them with at least one way they might solve this problem.
If you can do this, your blog's free giveaway will attract prospects like bees to honey.
3. Dare to be Different
Simple newsletters or “free updates” just don't cut it anymore, unless you're one of the top leaders with a stellar reputation and huge credibility.
For everyone else, this is just blending in with the crowd, doing what everyone else is doing.
Dare to be different!
There's dozens of choices for creating a free takeaway — things like interviewing experts in your niche, creating a set of tutorial videos, and creating “kits” (groups of items that supplement each other in helping your target market solve a problem) will help you stand out and position you as an expert.
Unlike high school, being different when it comes to your blog giveaway is your goal. To blend in with the crowd will slow your business to a crawl.
4. Make It Easy and Everywhere
This tip isn't to do with the takeaway itself, but it's important none-the-less.
Make it easy for your visitors to get your giveaway, placing your opt in box prominantly above the fold.
If you want to maximize the exposure of your giveaway, consider using a plugin called MaxBlogPress Subscriber Magnet.
I use it on this blog and it's helped me to boost my opt in rate considerably.
Maybe you'll notice the opt in box at the bottom of this post, or when you comment? All part of the plugin.
5. Don't Overwhelm Your Readers
I don't know about you, but when I see a book or video title with “50 Steps to….”, I get overwhelmed.
I mean, how on Earth will I be able to follow 50 steps, you know?
My point is this — make your blog giveaway simple enough that your readers will feel inspired that it will help them NOW.
People want solutions and they want them now.
If you make it too complicated, they won't bite.
To your success!
.
Dr. Bob
Creator of The Part Time Business Blueprint
Email: bob@bobandrosemary.com
Skype: drbobclarke
P.S. If you see the value in blogging but have no idea how you'd stand out as an authority in your niche, watch these 3 videos now.
18 replies to "How To Transform Your Blog’s Free Giveaway into a List Building Superhero"
Enjoyed your blog on tips of give aways to catch people on your list. I am a part time MLM business person. My business partner is always looking for tips on internet marketing to grow our business!
I wanted to approve your comment because it seems legit. But you CANNOT put your keywords as your name.
Most bloggers will flag it as spam.
Here’s what you CAN DO:
If a blogger had the plugin CommentLuv installed on their blog (like we do), you can use the following format to get your keywords in:
YOUR NAME@ YOUR KEYWORDS.
This is okay, but just the keywords will never fly on most blogs.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Hey Grace,
Yeah, that’s why anyone trying to build a list will work hard on finding that “irresistible offer” — free stuff that others just can’t resist. It’s magic when you get it right!
Thanks for your comment!
My hubby and I would like to start building a list and offer some giveaways and as great as that plugin looks that you recommend it is just out of our price range right now 🙁 Do you have any other suggestions that are more economical or even free?
Hi Jenny,
It looks to me that what that plug in is doing is a opt in or capture form. You could do the same with an auto responder like Aweber (if you have an account). They have a lot of forms to choose from.
There are several places around the internet to find them. I remember reading that the “Thesis theme” had some to chose from.
You could google “capture form” or “opt in form” and see what you come up with.
Hope that helps!
My Best,
Stephen
“Dare to be Different” You have to stand out! With so many people in the same industry as you, promoting the same things like you, they have to see you are different and better!
I liked you #3 tip. I think that’s one on the most important things: be different! Be unique! People admire creative ideas.
hello
A large column, I am going to spend more time and research to this topic
What a great idea in transforming blogs free giveaway into a list. I really love giveaways and this one I want to have. Thanks Bob!
That’s a great post Bob and I’m sorry I’m late responding because I missed the webinar. But, Tuesdays are hard for me since that’s when I meet with my team.
I could use more sign ups daily although I do get them everyday now. I’m working on putting together another free gift and I’m sure you probably have already guessed the topic. Seems like I continue to get questions about my blog all the time so I’ll work up to that here in a few months.
I’m so happy you love working with your coach and that you are moving in the right direction. I know you’ll continue to share with us areas she’s helped you with. Will continue to look forward to those as well as anything else you share with us. I’m always learning from you Bob.
Hope you’re having a wonderful day!
~Adrienne
Great post, Dr. Bob! I know that I’m trying to build mine, but I think that one of my other issues is trying to figure out how to build viewers to my blog. I figure if I can get one, that will also help with the other. After all, you can have the best opt-in on the planet, but if no one sees it, is it really there?
Absolutely true, Steve. It’s kind of like the chicken and the egg, I suppose.
Here is my thought… start with great content, add a killer giveaway, and then promote the heck out of it. 🙂
Thanks for your insights!
Great ideas here! Asking your readers what they want and then give it to them. Sometimes the simple seems the hardest. Thanks
Hey Stephen, this is something I learned early on — if you’re not sure — ASK! Too many marketers get caught up in what they THINK they’re market wants, when in reality its something else.
Glad you found this useful. Thanks for commenting!
Hi Bob,
One word keeps coming up for me as I read this post: TARGET.
I agree that the successful deployment of a giveaway lies in target. I have seen this more vicariously than anything else because I’m still a bit new to the blogging world…but in the giveaway I did over the Summer, I took the advice of blogger friends and made sure to apply it to a specific sector. The end result was that I sold more than I hoped to while getting some good quality opt-ins to my blog. Very cool.
I like your idea of including a poll of some kind. I haven’t tried this yet, but I think that this makes a good deal of sense considering that we’re here for our readers.
Great ideas!!
Cat
Hey Cat,
Thanks for the kind words. I use polls extensively. They serve 2 purposes.
First, they help me research my target market and give them what they want.
Second, it gives people a voice and one thing I’ve learned — people love to give their opinion on things.
Sounds like you’ve had some good initial experiences. That’s great — keep the momentum!
As always, if there’s anything that we can do to help, never hesitate to ask.
Hi Bob,
Congratulations on your new free giveaway! Great minds must think alike because I just rolled out mine last week! I wasn’t getting nearly the new sign-ups that I wanted and I realized that my free offer was entirely to generalized and that was the problem.
So I narrowed it down to one problem facing many marketers and “8 Wildly Effective Ways to Promote Yourself Online Today” was born!
I look forward to checking your free offer and thank you for letting us know about the webinar! I’m definitely interested!
Thanks!
Stacy
Hi Stacy,
Congrats! I just checked out your new Giveaway and it’s awesome — lots of value but very focused and concise. LOVE it!
Everyone here should go take a look at Stacy’s giveaway. It’s a great example of focusing on what your readers want and giving it to them.