Ask nearly anyone who runs an online business what their biggest struggle is, and chances are they’ll say, “I need more traffic.”
You need traffic to build an email list.
You need traffic to make sales.
You need traffic to fill your coaching programs.
So the big question is, where do you get all that traffic?
Sure, you could buy ads, but if you aren’t careful, you might just fill your list with less-than-ideal audience members, which will do nothing for your sales. You could focus your time and energy on search engine optimization, but unless you have years to build your business (and who does?) then SEO should not be your first choice.
Fortunately, you have other options.
Be a Guest
Everyone needs content. It’s the one thing that remains consistent among all content creators – there is never enough traffic. That’s where you can help, and get helped in the process.
By guest posting on other people’s blogs, you can “borrow” some of their traffic.
You can’t simply regurgitate old content and send it out in a dozen directions though. To get the best results, you’ll want to:
- Create custom content designed with your host’s unique audience in mind.
- Provide stellar value with actionable ideas and strategies not found everywhere else.
- Inject your personality into your writing, so those new to you will instantly connect with you.
- Offer a compelling reason to click through to your website or blog for more information.
Partner Up
No list? One quick way to “borrow” someone else’s list to kickstart your own is to schedule a free event with a partner.
Here’s how it works:
- You (as the one with the small list), create a compelling, free training which leads naturally to a low-cost, no-brainer product.
- Install an affiliate tracking system such as aMember, Infusionsoft or 1Shopping Cart.
- Offer your best affiliates a higher percentage of profits in exchange for co-hosting your webinar and bringing their traffic along for the ride.
This is a win/win for both of you, as you gain the traffic while your affiliate gets a bigger payday. Just be sure you have a good funnel in place so that your new list members can benefit from all that you have to offer.
Get Interviewed
Want to really show off your expert status, while bringing traffic back to your site at the same time? The easiest way is to get on the interview circuit. Just like authors with new books and actors with new movies, coaches and service providers can get in front of new audiences simply by answering questions about what they know.
Of course, you’re probably not going to appear on the Today Show or Oprah (although that’s not impossible), but there are still plenty of opportunities out there for coaches and consultants in every niche.
Look for interview and speaking opportunities on:
- Podcasts
- Other blogs
- YouTube
- Periscope and Blab
- Local events
- Industry conferences
- Telesummits
Start by reaching out to your colleagues and to podcast and blog hosts you most admire. Get the word out with your friends and your list that you’re looking for opportunities.
You can also subscribe to HARO’s email list. Twice a day, they send out requests from reporters looking for comments and information from experts in numerous fields. This is a great way to get mentioned in news or trade publications, which will give exposure and increase traffic, as many of them will allow a link back to your blog or website.
Even if you don’t yet have a list of your own, it’s easy (and fun) to kickstart your audience growth simply by making yourself available for these and other opportunities. Each guest post, podcast interview and webinar is another chance to get in front of a whole new market, so take advantage of it!
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