Are You Building Your List with Cross Promotion?
Online marketing is similar to the offline, brick and mortar world in that it is a relationship business first and foremost. What I mean by this is that you can grow your online business much more quickly if you are willing to take the time and make the effort to connect with others who do something similar or complimentary to what you have to offer on the internet. This can lead to the opportunity for cross promotion to each other’s lists and communities which will grow both people’s businesses exponentially in a very short time. Expanding your reach in this way is valuable for years to come.
This cross promotion can begin in any of a number of ways, such as with guest posts on the other person’s blog, promotion of each other’s products through an affiliate link, co-hosting a webinar or teleseminar, and including more details of what each of you has to offer within a sequence of emails. Start slowly and build your relationship through this cross promotion strategy.
When I first introduce someone to my list and my community I like to do what I refer to as “seeding” my audience. This means that I will name drop the other person’s name in regards to how we met and what we have in common. The idea is to make sure your community is familiar with the other person well before you do any promotion at all. Once you do promote, even if it is for something that is free, your people will be more open to signing up and downloading something that is being offered by a name they recognize. Telling the story of how you are connected will pay off handsomely over time.
Once you do your initial cross promotion, don’t let too much time pass before doing it again. Repetition is important in our noisy world of online marketing so you want to keep the momentum going once it has begun. And using two or more types of media will also be helpful. I can introduce someone through my writing, but allowing my list to hear their voice will make a difference. You may also wish to use video, such as Facebook Live to share your thoughts and knowledge with others.
And be strategic with your cross promotion for best results. Make sure there is a reason to introduce this person to your community. If it’s a part of the story of how you are connected with them it will make sense to them. For example, if I introduce someone who helps authors write and publish books it makes complete sense if this person has been helpful to me with my authorship over the years. Think about and plan this with the other person before you begin and you will see the results you are hoping for more easily. The final result will be additions to both of your lists, more sales and downloads, and a greater reach to those who will benefit from being a part of your community.
I’m Connie Ragen Green and I work with new online entrepreneurs to help them get into profit as quickly as possible with information products, affiliate marketing, marketing for small businesses, blogging, authorship, and more. Download your Online Entrepreneur Blueprint and get started right away.
