How not to pick up chicks with your website
Published: Sat, 04/02/16
A story of suspense.
Intrigue.
And, yes, romance.
(Well, not really).
Anyway, about 4 years ago I briefly dated a chick who was curious about what I do for a living. One thing led to another and… yada yada yada… she wanted to see my website.
Most chicks would ask about that eventually.
But, I always put it off for as long as possible.
Why?
Because I didn’t like chicks “Googling” me right away.
(Ogling me was fine, but not Googling).
And the reason why is thanks to a blog post I wrote about an Internet marketer who called me a “psychopath” to his list that same year. (Since then I’ve learned he pretty much thinks practically everyone who teaches marketing — except himself, of course — is a psychopath). Anyway, I guess I tripped an SEO switch or something on my own site. Because at the time, if you typed my name in Google, “Ben Settle psychopath” appeared on the drop down list of suggested keywords!
Thanks Obama…
Luckily, I eventually learned it worked to my advantage.
But, that’s a tale for another day…
Where was I?
Oh yes, the website.
Anyway, so she finds my blog and, 7 seconds later, says what probably millions of people online say to themselves when landing on a site such as mine:
(And I even say sometimes too…)
“Ugh. Pop ups.”
She was, of course, referring to my light box pop-up on my blog (a script generated by aweber), where the entire screen turns black except for the form to opt in.
It *is* a tad obnoxious and annoying.
But, it’s also quite profitable, too.
In fact, a year before that I took it down (foolishly caring about it annoying people). And, after a few months — since I didn’t pay attention at all — I did the math and saw I’d lost at LEAST 300+ subscribers, not to mention hundreds of more potential opt ins. And as stoopid as I felt at the time for giving into social pressure (“your pop ups annoy me”), it taught me a very valuable lesson about websites selling with direct response.
A lesson I never hear anyone else talk about.
A lesson you, my fledgling, can benefit from.
And that lesson is:
“The ONLY purpose
of your website
(with *rare* exception)
is to build an email list”
It’s not to brand yourself.
It’s not to display your products.
Or educate people.
Or show off your skills.
Or even to impress chicks (gasp!)
Those are important, but they aren’t the purpose of a website. At least, not in my way of thinking. Instead, it’s to get as many quality people onto your email list as you possibly can so you can then relentlessly market to them over and over and over again.
More:
Tomorrow’s Ben Settle Show podcast talks more about this in detail.
If you want to build a bigger list, this episode will do the trick.
While you’re waiting for it, download our past shows here:
http://www.BenSettleShow.com/blog
Ben Settle