"7 Things You Can Do to Build an Effective and Responsive Opt-In Mailing
List"
We're assuming that the primary goal of any Internet marketing effort is to earn
money consistently over a long period of time. It doesn't serve us well to look
only at short term goals. 'Flash-in-the-pan' success does happen for some people,
but it's rare, and by far not the rule.
That being the case, a list containing names and email addresses of interested
prospects becomes an essential building block of success. A viable and workable
opt-in mailing list is not an 'option' . . . it's a necessity. It goes without
saying that we want our list to be as large as possible, but we're also seeking
list quality as well.
So, here are several techniques that we have used, and continue to use in our
own list-building efforts. They will work IF you work them.
1. Place an invitation to join prominently on your site.
Exposure is the operative word. Consider that your visitor is likely to be
already interested in what you have to offer. Otherwise, she wouldn't be at
your site in the first place. She will also be likely to join your list IF you
give her an open invitation, and make it worth her time and effort.
2. Offer an incentive for joining your list.
A majority of Internet users come online seeking informationabout whatever
topic interests them at the moment. Take advantage of this human curiosity by
offering an informative ebook, group of ebooks, or an educational report on
a topic that surrounds your site's focus. This will further pique the interest
of your prospect, giving her a reason to join your list.
3. Advertise your incentive offers to other lists.
Paying for qualified leads is a reasonable and much used business practice.
Advertising your new promotional ebook, report, or even a free service that
you will provide can and typically will bring in a flood of new list members.
Note however, that this technique involves a cash investment for the initial
advertising. To use this method, you must also have a focused marketing plan
in place, geared toward recouping your cost by immediately offering your new
subscribers related products for purchase.
4. Promote your list in your signature box.
Most email softwares will allow you to generate a signature file that will
be appended automatically to every email message you send. Configure this file
as an advertisement for your mailing list or newsletter. Stress the benefits
of membership to your list, and feature your incentive items in this ad as well.
Considering that a signature line is an important part of any solo sales letter
that you may send, promote your list in that fashion as well.
5. Use pop-up windows on your site to promote your list.
While you hear it said that pop-up windows aggravate many visitors, it seems
to be primarily unrelated pop-ups from other sites that cause the most disdain.
A small 400 X 400 pop-up window that promotes your list, your incentive items,
or your newsletter will generally be well received by a visitor to your website.
After all, she has already expressed an interest simply by visiting.
Our own testing has proven that a tastefully done pop-up window with a sign-up
box included will pull as much as 80% more response than a stationary sign-up
box on any webpage.
6. Joint venture with other list owners.
Subscribe to the lists of other marketer's who have a common business focus
with you. Read the newsletters, the ads and the updates to decide which of the
list owners you wish to become involved with.
Then contact each one, offering to recommend their list to your list, in return
for their doing the same for you. This technique is sometimes referred to as
'ad-swapping' and is a relatively common practice among newsletter and ezine
publishers. However, we do recommend that you investigate the quality of material
published by any list owner before you involve yourself.
7. Aggressively submit to list directories.
This technique will not normally bring in floods of new subscribers, but it
is a tried and true method of consistently increasing your list.
Enter an online search in Yahoo or any major search engine using the search
terms 'newsletter directory,' 'ezine directory,' and 'list directory.' Your
search will return dozens of resource sites where you can promote your list
for additional exposure. In most cases, your only investment will be your time.
These are not the only workable techniques for building your own opt-in mailing
list. Oftentimes, the new and innovative idea is the one that gains the most
subscribers. So feel free to use your own imagination and ingenuity to augment
these techniques or devise completely new ones. You will be rewarded handsomely
in the long run.
About the Author:
Dan B. Cauthron offers original marketing insights and a 7-Volume eMarketing
Library to all new subscribers. Join his list by visiting http://www.Revenewer.com
or by sending
your name and email address to mailto:Dan@Revenewer.com with the words 'subscribe
me' in the subject bar. |
