Building a Permission Marketing Asset with Social Media Platforms
By AndreaKalli
A permission marketing asset should be the long-term goal of any big-time marketer. Whether you’re looking to market your eBooks, your online services or your offline products, generating a permission list is one of the most fruitful and important efforts for online marketers. A tragic problem is that so many people simply don’t know what a permission asset even is. Here’s a quick definition, explained so that any marketer — new or old — can understand and implement it into their strategy:
A permission asset is simply a marketing database (be it an email list, a Twitter following or a selection of RSS subscribers) that has given you permission to market to them. There’s no bad blood, no spam, and no hustle.
Prolific marketing author and entrepreneur Seth Godin is credited with inventing the term almost ten years ago. However, the concept itself has been around much longer. What separates a permission asset from a standard marketing asset is that your audience appreciates being part of a permission asset. You have their permission to market to them, they expect quality, and they’re very happy when they get it. In return, you have a large group of people that aren’t just open to trying your products — they’re eager to try them, talk about them, and independently promote them.
Establishing this kind of asset has become remarkably simple since Twitter, Facebook and RSS came into the mainstream attention. In fact, it’s become so simple that it can be easily divided into three very clear steps:
The first step is building the following. By far the most effective method for building an online following is by using Twitter in combination with a long-form content tool. The most popular combination (and, thus far, the most successful) is a Twitter account paired with a popular blog. Develop quality content on your blog, offer follow up information on Twitter, and build your following on the two-way transmission of quality content.
The second step is translating that following into a permission asset. The difference between the two is in the quality of the bond. While a Twitter following is valuable, it’s ultimately thin and lacking in long-term commitment. If a follower doesn’t like you on Twitter, they only need to hit the ‘unfollow’ button to leave you behind. Converting that thin trust into the thick trust that builds permission assets requires a constant supply of quality tweets, relevant blog posts, and valuable information. In short, help your followers and you’ll win their trust, their interest, and their purchases.
Finally, a permission asset needs ongoing attention and affection. Keep in touch with your permission asset but don’t spam it senselessly. There’s a fine balance that needs to be maintained. This fine balance favors short and easily digestible content. Think about the gray area between your blog and your tweets — short and simple content that’s massively valuable. Combine this with exclusive offers and promotions that you believe in and you’ll keep your permission asset ready to buy, eager to discuss your products, and willing to promote your brand.
Andrea KalliCertified Internet and Social Marketing VA
Your powerhouse virtual assistant support for:
Keyword and Competition Research, on-page SEO, and Link Building strategies
WishList – Wordpress Membership Sites and Retention Strategies, Wordpress Support
MATERIAL CONNECTION DISCLOSURE: You should assume that I, Andrea Kalli, have an affiliate relationship and/or another material connection to the providers of goods and services mentioned in this page and may be compensated when you purchase from a provider. You should always perform due diligence before buying goods or services from anyone via the Internet or offline.
The internet marketing industry has seen a fair degree of up-and-down movement over the last twelve months. Ultra-profitable cost-per-action advertisements have been pushed around by advertising networks, often to the point of being banned from… Continue reading the rest of this article...
Marketing is an industry that is dominated by psychological triggers, neurolinguistic impulses, and hard-wired cognitive decisions. From direct sales letters that employ envy and opportunity to attract customers, to pay-per-click advertisements that make use of… Continue reading the rest of this article...
Related content
- Explaining Social Networking and Social Marketing to Your Clients
- Home
- Why One Social Media Account is Often Better Than Ten
- What Can Twitter Do For My Business?
- Using HootSuite is a Hoot Indeed!












2 Comments
June 25th, 2010 at 6:44 am
Hi, What a great site, and you make some interesting points and great ideas…
I love SM (thats social media not the other s&m hmmm!)
I recently started learning how to be a social media manager with Ryan Deiss and Kate Buck … They say you can make $2500 …
Per week tbh I’d be happy with a quarter of that and I actually got my 1st client within 3 days of starting – I posted a few reviews, video and free pdf worth $197 on my blog plus some other sm related videos feel free to take a look – http://letsget-social.blogspot.com/
Keep up the good work!
June 25th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Thanks Paul. Good luck with your new social media business!