Always a checklist, never a check

Published: Sat, 02/27/21

Last year one of my readers sent me a screenshot of someone teaching what to do after someone opts-in to a list.

It went something like this:

Day 1: Tell them what to expect + a free gift

Day 2: Share your story in a dramatic way

Day 3: Share the epiphany you had + free basic solution

Day 4: Share the hidden benefits of solution

Day 5: CTA to full solution i.e., your offer

All these supposed “clever” checklists of things to do to get checks coming in that try to gameify & hack their way into the sale are simply a waste of effort & energy to anyone who knows how to actually market, sell, and close deals.

The reason for their clumsiness:

They are making it about the marketing instead of the market.

Once you realize it’s about them and not the marketing, the whole game changes.

Example:

When I wrote the 14-day sequence for Learnistic, I didn’t sit down and say, “on day 1 I’m gonna tell them what to expect over the next 14 days. On day 2 I’ll give them this other free gift to show what a swell guy I am. On day 3 I’ll tell them about that time I was sitting on the toilet and had an epiphany. On day 4 I’ll tell them about how Aunt Martha in the grove found the hidden benefit to…”

No.

What I did was ask:

“How can I build a relationship with these people?”

And then that dictated the content, the strategy, and the approach.

It ain’t about checklists, it’s about relationships.

And on that note:

If you want some advice on list-building — both free & paid — that bring them in with an at least somewhat established relationship before they even hear from you… I go deep into both in the upcoming March “Email Players” issue. Including some ways I am experimenting with myself, and that I highly recommend you do too.

The deadline to subscribe in time to get it is tomorrow when I send to the printer.

Here’s the link:

https://www.EmailPlayers.com

Ben Settle