This quick tutorial outlines a method to start a viral marketing campaign, build a highly targeted and responsive mailing list, and improve the conversion rate of your landing page… all by using free reports.

Start A Viral Marketing Campaign With Free Reports

The goal with your report is to impress your reader, and gain their trust and respect as an expert in your niche. The more you give away, the more people you will attract in your target market. This is a great way to build a highly targeted and responsive mailing list, which is an incredible asset to any online marketer.

1. Write your report

It doesnt take long to write up a Special Report for your niche. Start out by listing 7-10 tips or solutions for something of great interest to your ideal reader. If you have a hard time coming up with ideas, simply visit discussion forums in your niche to see what interests them most or what topics they are asking about.

Your report can be as short as 5-10 pages, as long as it makes valuable points and presents a solution for the reader.

2. Set Up a Landing Page

This step is important, as it allows you to connect with your market and also compel them to subscribe to your mailing list. The main purpose of the page is to give away your free report and make a personal connection with that visitor.

You may use a photo of yourself and a brief description of the report they are about to download. Keep in mind that you still need to use sales copy to sell people on free things. Their time is valuable, and so is their hard drive space, so make it a no brainer for your visitors!

On that same page, offer them another freebie. This can be a follow-up report, a free trial, or something that your readers would want as much as they want your Special Report. Invite them to sign up for this second offer, by joining your mailing list.

Be sure to let them know what they can expect from you in the future (ie more great tips & resources to [insert solution]). You can also include a link back to this page at the end of your report, offering the second download if they did not have an opportunity to download it when they got your original report.

3. Send Traffic to Your Landing Page

- Write a 600-800 word Article that relates to the topic of your Special Report. You may want to write several articles, but start with at least one. Submit this article to niche article directories, and to webmasters and ezine publishers that reach your target market. Include a link to your landing page in the Byline or Resource Box and include mention of the special report that readers can download free for even more information.

- Try to land a spot on a niche internet talk radio show, or an interview with a popular expert in your niche. Create a personalized version of your landing page for these readers and/or listeners, such as: http://mysite.com/xyzshow or http://mysite.com/xyzreaders. They will be compelled to click to see what you have put together for them specifically.

Another method that you can use, particularly if you write an in-depth Special Report of 20 pages or more, is the “bonus method”. Instead of giving your report away freely, you can approach product developers in your niche about giving your Special Report to their buyers as a Bonus. As long as your report is not available freely on the web, this will increase the value of their product and most will gladly include your Report.

The key with this method is that you are getting in front of buyers in your target market. The people who receive your Special Report as a bonus have already ordered something online in your niche. These are highly valuable readers, and you may want to put more emphasis on getting them to a landing page for another freebie or tip sheet… encouraging them to sign up for your mailing list.

Either way, Special Reports are a great way to gain exposure in your target market and build a responsive mailing list… You will want to keep this list warm by continuing to send them valuable tips and resources.

Once you have established a trusting relationship with your readers, you can introduce them to your own products, or products that you recommend as an affiliate.

Best,

Lynn Terry