If you read my previous post about Liz Ryan, whom I dubbed the mother of list building, then it’s only fair that I tell you about Tellman Knudson, the Godfather of List Building.

Founder of List Crusade, Tellman Knudson is also the creator of My First List, an information product that tells you how to – you guessed it – build your first list.

I was lucky enough to be one of the first people to take Tellman’s course.

Here’s how I found out about it . . .

Being the ever clever marketer, Tellman "called" [using broadcast voicemail technology] one day. Phoebe picked up the phone, smiled coyly and said, "Mom, Tellman’s calling for you."

[I admit my kids know way too much about Internet marketers - Warren insisted on listening to Tellman's Death Match when he came home for lunch in 5^th grade. And when Alex Mandossian sent my Teleseminar Secrets course material to the house, the kids unpacked it all and displayed the manuals and CDs in the living room. "Wow! Alex is so nice to send you the whole boxed set!" they exclaimed.]

Now, back to the post . . .

Intrigued, I took the call and before I knew what hit me, I’d typed in my credit card number and registered for Tellman’s My First List.

For those of you who aren’t as familiar with buying information products online as those of us who have purposefully memorized our credit card numbers so we can take advantage of timely offers, here’s how these products work.

You pay for the opportunity to purchase any or all of these, depending on the product: one or a series of live teleseminars, mp3 recordings of a teleseminar or a presentation, DVDs of a video, transcripts of the information, a manual and bonuses.

In this case, I paid for the privilege of being one of the first to try out the "product" – a series of three phone calls with Tellman and his friends, all list building experts in their own right. A handout that outlined the call was also included as was access to recordings and transcripts.

The problem with me signing up without thinking was timing. Tellman scheduled the live calls to take place on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon. While my family is accustomed to seeing me stroll around the house after dinner on weeknights wearing a headset listening to teleseminars, taking time away to study and listen on a weekend afternoon would present a challenge. 

One that I decided I would overcome by doing as often do – crossing the bridge when I come to it.

The first installment was captivating enough to keep me waiting in suspense for the next call. What was so great? Tellman and his colleagues were actually talking to people and giving them answers – and they stayed on the call until the questions ran out.

But I couldn’t get up the nerve to push 1 to get in line to ask a question.

For two days, I hesitated.

I did the homework, though.

And on day three, somehow I got up the courage to push 1 and share my progress, which you can see for yourself at www.transformmarketing.com, my first opt-in email page.

Amazingly enough, I got through to ask a question directly. One of Tellman’s colleagues, Harris Fellman, opted in to my email list and that opened the door to our PR projects.

Should you buy My First List?

If you’re looking for a short-cut, rapid-fire easy way to get your list going, yes. It’s up to you to decide whether or not to buy into the recommended products and services. If you do, your list will grow faster.

Because of all the personal interaction, this was one of the best courses I’ve purchased. Anytime an expert you trust offers and opportunity to participate and be part of a new product launch, don’t hestitate.

Why am I writing about all this almost six months after it happened?

To let you know that Tellman’s now blogging about list building.  Check out Tellman Knudson’s list building blog for ideas and strategies on how to grow your own list.

And, if you subscribe to Tellman’s email list, be prepared to pick up on some of the zaniest, brightest and most persuasive writing you’ll see in your email box. 

Have questions or comments on the way you grow your list? Thanks for sharing by clicking on the comments link!

Barbara