It seems like every couple of years someone’s claiming some marketing channel is “dead” or “over”. So I just read this article in the Wall Street Journal… and they’re talking about something I’ve been saying for years. It’s about the difference between building a following and actually making sales…
Anita
Thank you. I’m about to launch a new biz in the health industry… amazing stuff… helping thousands. Not tech minded and after domestic violence, in debt BUT here I go. Making a difference. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼😊🙋🏼🌸
Maryanne
Good luck, Anita!
Andrea Lewis
I wish you the very best of luck and good on you for getting back up again after what sounds like some pretty tough times.
J
Effort in the right direction will make your life better and as a result- make other people’s lives better around you too! You can make the world a better place simply by changing you! Good job!
Mike Gorman
It’s true, even me who is a digital media advocate, a communications and media producer for very clever and accomplished people, I refer to email, I use email to keep in contact, to build groups and nurture people; email is very powerful. I am not a ‘marketer’ I don’t really pay a lot of attention to ‘sales’ but email is as Jeff says.
Scott Anthony
Brilliant as ways Jeff!
D, D. Stojanovich
it’s all a mystery to me (a writer). But I persevere…..
Karenna Reidy
Yes!!! Email is where the money is:-) I’ve got a question on how to grow my email list: I’ve got 200 subscribers and my goal is to get to at least 1000 ( of engaged subscribers) in 4 months. I’ve got 300 IG followers and about the same on FB. Where do I start?( I’ve been doing regular posts but minimal advertising. But it seems FB advertising is the way?) Thanks Jeff!! Love your work:-)
Albert
Which company does that 1.5billion?
Nancy Paul
My guess is Russell Brunson’s Click Funnels.
Jeff Walker
Russell is growing that business very fast, but it’s not at that level (at least not yet).
Beth Burgess
I have one question Jeff. Much respect to you and I know your system works. I am a psychotherapist and I know I could create a course that would help people immensely. But I have a chronic illness and have this for 5 years I can barely get out of bed at the moment.. I know if I created a program, it would help so many people. I have worksheets I created when I was well and they would be a great structure for a course. I have everything needed to create an amazing thing that would help many people. But what do you do if you are limited by illness? I used to media and speaking, but I can’t do that anymore, Can you still sell a great course without media, speaking etc,
Yvon Kruger
I agree with your way of thinking: follow the money. Social is a great way for getting attention and get people to like you, but untill this day it looks like nothing beats the product launch formula using mainly email. I have used it for my own labels for ten years and recently helped a millennial and Instagram-adept with it. The result was huge! 😊 She could not believe it and still doubts if this success had to do with the plf system or with her Instagram efforts. So we are going to test an evergreen launch now. We’ll see!
Abdullahi Bello Umar
Vintage Jeff! Always saying it as it is 👍🏾
Let’s go get ‘em!
John Rizvi
Did Jeff say WHO the company was that did $1.5 billion in sales through email?
He kept mentioning there was “a” company doing it but I don’t recall him saying who it was.
David Hieatt
Hi Jeff, I got interviewed and quoted for this article, but I did tell them you should speak to Jeff Walker.
Barbara Mealer
I firmly believe if you want to sell, forget the social media. You will get less than 5% of your sales from there. Build that e-mail list and work it. Following he money will get you all the information you need. I seen and read about a lot of the hacks to get you more sales, but why throw tons of money at something that only gets you minimal sales. Spend the money to get your list built up and then learn what to send them. It will work.
Chris
Jeff, what about Google new Gmail ads for acquiring new customers. What targeting levels can we attain? I focusing on this now because seems like bypasses all the natural email marketing and old school, ground work. Building the actual list.
Thoughts?
Casey Demchak
Thanks for the reminder and the weekly wisdom, Jeff. Always good to get a refresher on the proven fundamentals. Best – Casey
Chris
Beth comment..
Beth so sorry to hear about your illness. I too suffer from a crippling illness snd getting out of bed each day is a chore.
You can certainly do this without speaking to people but you need a high value place where they can go, your target niche and get the info you have.
If you already know there is an audience for your content and know how to access this audience. Think where they hang out, where they ask questions, chat with others, what keywords they use to search for content b they want.
Enter member sites.
Right now I’m building out a high end membership site for cancer sufferers. It addresses emotional and mental side of cancer more than physical. It will have abundant resources that help people who struggle snd fight cancer everyday.
This is where you need to showcase your knowledge. Start with Google snd find membership site software. They are plenty of free tools with wordpress that manage members, if you use wp. There are also web software based sites that run membership platforms you can start on a trial and then pay monthly depending upon members you have. They have great features and are low cost. Wild Apricot is one I’ve used and is fantastic. Has everything you need to showcase your Content and professionally manage members.
Don’t give up. Your knowledge is needed by people and they are looking for it!
Hope this helps Beth 🙂
Mary L Barbera
Totally agree with you Jeff! When I started selling online 4 years ago, I had an email list of 2000 parents and autism professionals. Now my email list is over 50,000! Every time Facebook announces big changes (like they did this week), I’m less nervous knowing I have my list!
Eric
Hi Jeff
I love your ideas and I love your message, but when you throw out these “facts”, like this company is doing 1.5 billion in sales and you don’t give us the name of the company, it really makes me question the validity of your claim. Why don’t you give us a little bit more to go with? What are you hiding? Honestly, it’s this vagueness that’s kept me from buying anything from you.
John Rizvi
I thought it was just me that was wondering who the company was that was doing 1.5 billion in sales via email.
Jeff Walker
It’s not a huge secret in the industry… nevertheless, they are a private company so I don’t feel it’s my place to reveal who they are. To me, it would be a lot like your friend telling you what his income is, and then sharing that information on my Instagram.
Suzanne e Judd
Ahhh!…personal integrity!…that’s what I like about you Jeff Walker and why I bought from you!…THAT and the way you danced on stage at PLF live 2015 😉 which shows you are also lots of fun!
Connie Ragen Green
You’re right! Thanks so much for sharing, Jeff. I love it when someone sends me an email telling me that email is dead.
Connie Ragen Green
Julie
Thanks, Jeff. Always great to “see” you every Sunday.
Val M.
Yes Jeff not the first time and certainly not the last time the death of email will be announced. I must admit that though I am aware of the power of email marketing I have neglected focusing in building my email list. Your email is the second time in the last week or so that I heard an expert in the IM space talk about the fact that businesses are looking for people with that skill. That should be incentive enough to get serious about focusing on using email marketing.
Thanks for sharing.
Rob King
Old guys rule! Thank you for confirming what what we need to be doing.
This is the first time I heard the difference between acquisition and sales.
Thank you Jeff!
Dan
Jeff inspired me to start an email list and I’ve made multiple 6 figures from it. It’s the one true way to connect with your audience. Efforts in Social need constant grinding to get results. Email is automated and closes the deals. Thanks Jeff.
Greg Hagger
Great reminder Jeff, I am putting a lot of effort into building up my bass guitar community, and building my email list. I find it is easy to get sucked into Socials and spending too much time building those up. Great to remind us to funnel through to our list from these platforms.
Love your video and also the Launch book!
Chris Swan
Man I needed to hear this today. There are so many voices out there saying different things. But I can always come back to the sound reasoning voice of Jeff Walker. Thanks for what you do man!
Malcolm Thompson
I have been with you for 18 months or so. I particularly like and admire your frank down to earth format it just simply resonates with me. I’m taking my time with PLF but am proactively building towards my launch. One part of what I have learned as you so rightly teach is ‘baby steps’. One example that I hope will be of interest to you and others is the build of my Linkedin network over the past 12 months. My profile is not perfect but it is honest, my website the same. (improvements underway) With no advertising or promotion just taking each connection and answering them in a totally personal one to one, manner has grown my network to 12500 with relative ease and the quality of those contacts in relation to what I’m all about is really outstanding. My point is that people need to like what they see with a sincere level of individuality (USP). If they find this they connect. The personal connection is everything. A little goes a long way so long as you do it every day to keep the momentum up.