Need help with list creation in aWeber

Q:  I see that you use aWeber for your ezine.  I'm trying to create a giveaway that is available for download on my site.  When someone signs up for the giveaway, they're added to my email list.  How do I do this in aWeber?

Tania

A:  Hi Tania–

1.  Set up your new list to which new prospects will be added. Go to Create and Manage Lists, and then Create New List.

For this task you'll need to have the following info:

• the email address you'll use to correspond with them. You might want to set up and choose newsletter@yourdomainname.com or ezine@yourdomainname.com.  If this email address isn't already created, you'll need to create it in the admin panel of your hosting account.
• the URL where your logo can be downloaded
• a confirmation page on your site where the prospect will be taken when she opts into your list.  Typically, I put the same info on this page as is contained in the first email autoresponder.  More info on that below.
• personalize the boiler plate text that aWeber provides for the email inviting a prospect to opt into a list.

Enter this info when requested and save your list.

2.  If you have a downloable giveaway (PDF or audio), you'll need to FTP it to your site and then note the pathway to the giveaway, which creates the URL.  For example, if the filename of your giveaway is called donnasgiveaway.pdf and it's uploaded to your site (donnagunter.com, for example) at the level where your other main files are located, the URL for the giveaway is probably going to be https://www.donnagunter.com/donnasgiveaway.pdf  (NOTE — This isn't a working URL but created only for purposes of this tutorial.)

3.  In aWeber, make sure the appropriate list (the one to which new prospects will be added) is selected from your Current List dropdown menu.

4.  Then in the top nav menu, go to Messages and then Followup. This is where you'll add the email messsage that your prospect receives with instructions on how to access your giveaway.

5.  You'll see a green button that says, "Add New Followup Message".  Click that button.  This is where you create the autoresponder, even though nothing in the menu calls this an autoresponder.

6.  Then you'll be taken to a screen where you can create an HTML or Plain Text message, or both.

Plain text is easiest.

7.  Create the message.

Sample subject line:

{!firstname}, confirming your toolkit request and subscription

(the {!firstname} is aWeber coding to insert the recipient's first name into the subject line)

Sample body of email:

Hi {!firstname},

(the {!firstname} is aWeber coding to insert the recipient's first name into the subject line)

Thank you for requesting my toolkit, "TurboCharge Your Online Marketing" and subscribing to my ezine today. I'm confident that you'll find it very helpful as you determine the best strategies to use to help you get clients online.
 
So, congratulations on the first big step you took!

To download the toolkit, just click on the link below.
https://www.donnagunter.com/donnasgiveaway.pdf

You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and read this ebook.  If you don't already have the program installed on your computer, you can download it at no cost at:
https://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
 
I'd love to get feedback as you read the book. If you'd like to provide a testimonial, please just hit "Reply" and send it to me.  I'd love to add it to the website.

You should also receive the next issue of my Get Clients Online Ezine, published each Thursday.
 
Let me know if I can help you make more money (and get more clients) online!

Warmly,

Donna

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If this is the first message of the autoresponder, aWeber will automatically set it up to go out right away.  If you add additional followup messages, you can set them to go out at whatever interval you choose — 3 days after the first, 10 days after the first, etc.  It's up to you.  Then, save the message.

8.  Lastly, create your opt-in form. Go to the "Web Forms" tab and aWeber will take you through a form creation wizard.  The easiest form to create is an "in-line form" using the Basic Plain template.  I believe that Name and Email will already show up in the form for you.  There's an option to put something in the header and footer fields, but I usually delete those.  Give the form a name and save it.  Then, you can take the Java code that aWeber provides and insert that into your web page so that the form shows up there.   

Now, you should be should be all set.

Got an Internet Marketing question?  Ask it here: AskDonnaGunter.com.