[...] Read More Infos here: trafficerablog.com/traffic-exchanges/the-money-really-is-in-the-list.html [...]…

PS: nice site and a seemingly nice TE

The long and short of it is that squeeze pages done properly (which is my goal with this series) are a valuable asset in list building, especially for the beginner. Sure, there are lots of ways to abuse the process and I know of lots of cases where this happens regularly (even by so-called self-professed gurus), but when it is done properly, it is a valuable marketing strategy and is not in the least bit underhanded or “spammy”.

And as for my comment that “they all the same thing in common – give them something they want for free” … this referred to splash pages as a list building tool and NOT to all list building strategies. Remember, my article is about building a list with squeeze pages and there are a few ways to design this process, but it almost always ties back to giving something away.

Perhaps we will just have to disagree here. In my online marketing experience (all 11 years of it), I have had to disagree with many along the way … most of whom I haven’t seen or heard from in years.

This post is the first of a series, the foundation of what is yet to come.

From the post:
So, what exactly is a squeeze page? Well, the term is derived from the fact that this webpage is designed with the sole intent to squeeze some information out of the visitor.

Conclusion:
This seems to infer that since we can’t get the information from the visitor willingly, we must resort to some sort of covert method and the “squeeze page” is the method we will discuss here.

Which side of “shady” is this on?

From the post:
Although there is more than one technique to get people to join your list, they all have the same thing in common: give them something they want for free!

Conclusion:
Any technique to get get people to join a list that will be discussed in future installments will include some variation of “free giveaway”, with the further inference that this is the “only” way since “all” techniques have this in common.

The inference that this is inherent in all list building techniques is just wrong (false, incorrect, not true…). There is no mention in this post or any way of discerning from this post that there will be mention in future installments of the only “right” way to use this type of web page / application – “Offer a product or service that is of value to your market”. What a concept.

The current practice of attaching this type of web page to an auto responder that is preloaded with several messages will generate a greater level of spam when used to promote a giveaway, promoting the use of a giveaway offer on these types of pages is promoting the use of spam driven marketing. Shady? Maybe…

The proliferation of auto responders and spam filters seem to have a correlation. What could the connection be? Hmmm…

So, I am not trying to say that squeeze pages are “THE” way to build a list, but rather that they are “A” way to build a list. And if you are looking to build a list using traffic exchanges, then squeeze pages are the way to go.

As for giving something away for free as a way to get them on your list, there is absolutely nothing “shady” or “wrong” about this. The only place where “shady” and “wrong” come into play are when you don’t do it properly. This is what I will be focusing on in my upcoming articles. Do it properly and you will succeed … do it the wrong way and this is when you walk the fine line of “spammy”.

In other words, it’s how you develop the complete process that determines whether it is acceptable (and successful) or not.

If I might interject here? Tyler was talking about squeeze pages and why you use them to build a list. I think you are jumping the gun at the starting line.

Not even good etiquette on Jerry Springer really so let’s see what the basics are here.

1) Use Squeeze pages to capture a list = good.
2) How to use them and why = not determined yet other than idea of using giveaways. Seems to me that model is used by Huge corporations and marketers all day long. So no that is not a bad method. Are there other methods for building a list? Well of course there are. My main method: I will build a list from people who only purchase something…How bout them apples?
3)Please continue.

Scott

Really, I don’t dislike the author here, I don’t know him or her well enough to do that.

I am a paid member of Trafficera.

I have read the rest of the blog here.

You can find many things in this blog, from a rather interesting article on relationship marketing (where it is clearly stated that the statement “The money is in the list” is not entirely true) to a some what questionable article / video promoting “The art of screaming”.

Most of the blog articles here have generated very few comments and this article just seemed to be crying out “well, if you didn’t like other things, maybe this…”

We’ll keep reading and see what comes up.

“Junk mail” (snail mail box) and “spam” (email box) have a proven effectiveness of 1-1.5%. They are proven effective but, teaching someone to build a business on these numbers is just plain “wrong”.

The fact that someone jumps through hoops to get your “free” item and inadvertently becomes a “double opt-in subscriber” does not make the resulting auto responder generated email any less “spammy”.

I never said these tactics were not effective, just wrong. Many advertising and business practices that have proven effective are also “wrong”. Bernard Madoff found a process that was very effective…

Offering prospects a free sample is not a bad idea in itself, but using the list generated from this type of promotion to trade on has been proven over and over again to be wrong. The mail-order industry has already been through this, quickly generated lists have been offered for sale for years, the buyers are nearly always disappointed.

In other words, I am not trying to teach advanced list building strategies here. I am trying to give an alternative method of advertising (especially within traffic exchanges) to people that currently do little more than promote their affiliate links directly.

My proposal to use squeeze pages to build a list through giving things away is because this is a method that is not too hard to get going and will produce results, even for the beginner. Obviously there are other list building strategies out there (as I stated in the article), but I am focusing on this particular use of squeeze pages. Again, remember who I am trying to help here.

And as for the concept of giving away something for free, this is a proven strategy that works very well and it doesn’t mean that the people joining are only looking for free things. Sorry, but you are way off base on that one. There are lots of things you can give for free (a short video, the first chapter of a soon to be released publication, etc) that will attract genuine buyers. You just have to know how to link them. Remember, I am trying to help people that don’t yet have a reputation online and therefore they can’t just tread on their name … they need a different “carrot”.

In my upcoming articles I will go over a lot of the things that are critical when designing the “structure” for any squeeze page. This will cover things like knowing your audience and relating your offers, etc. These are all very important parts of building a strong and loyal list. So don’t worry, I am not going to trivialize the list building process … but I am also not going to talk over everybody’s head.