Have you got a list? Friend, you need to build your own list to succeed and make profits online. Why? Well, it is a well known fact that traffic is the lifeblood of any website. Traffic comes with at cost. Would you prefer to keep chasing after fresh traffic each time you have a “hot” product or service to promote? The money that is in the list is actually from repeat customers. In short, once you have built a list, it becomes your first form of trusted traffic. Remember, this is not just any old traffic but one that you would have built trust and a strong relationship with. Do you think they will be responsive to your recommendations?
So without much ado let’s see how to really build a quality opt in email list?
1) First find a niche and do some research. Yes. Something you really like to do. Something you know very well how to do. What’s your hobby? It’s that simple. Whatever it is you need to find out if there is a demand for it. Go to Overture.com to find out. Just put in words or phrases that best describe your product or niche. Is there a hungry market?
Now do some research. What’s already available in your niche? Can you offer something better? In short what do you have to offer your niche market that is different to what is already available?
2) Now write a report on your research findings. A 10 -15 page report will do. Look for some affiliate products in your niche and include the links to monitize your report. Someone clicks on a link and hey, you’ve just made some money.
Can’t write? You can if you try. If not get someone to write for you. You can also look for a couple of well written articles, put them in the right order, give it a title, contents page and write an introduction. Make sure you have the permission of the author. Ask if you can put your affiliate links in. If they have affiliate programs they may be more willing to say yes. That way you still make some money if people click on the links. Let me assure you that it is not difficult to write. You just have to start and it will get easier.
3) Having determined your niche/target market and written a short report, you need a point of contact - a website or website squeeze page. If you prefer, get a web host and create a squeeze page as your landing page. A squeeze page is basically a web page that is optimized for collecting a visitor’s name and email address. Alternatively, you can subscribe to a squeeze page service for under $20 a month and includes hosting. Have a look at squeeze pages you have been to and learn.
3.1) Subscribe to an autoresponder service (again you can get these for under $20 a month). This will enable you send out email messages to keep in touch with your subscribers once they start coming in. It will also supply you with an HTML code that will create the name and email address form on your squeeze page. Without this you simply will not be able to collect your visitors details.
4) People need to know about your website squeeze page. Yahoo Overture and Google AdWords are both effective methods of sending targeted traffic to your site. Writing targeted articles and sending the readers to your site is a very effective method of sending targeted traffic to your website squeeze page.
Remember your research report? This is where it comes in as you will offer it for free. Yes for free. It must be a highly-valued free gift
4.1) So lets say your visitor is now at your site and enters their name and email address. What next? It’s time to start a friendship with your subscriber. Think of them as real people with needs and expectations. Not anonymous internet names. Write real, personal emails to them as you would to a friend. Discard any thoughts of sell, sell, sell. You are looking at a long term relationship so think long term. They must trust you to actually respond to you otherwise they will unsubscribe.
4.2) Offer your list information that is highly relevant. They must expect to receive emails which contain high quality information about your niche that will benefit them. I do not like to receive useless information and I am sure neither do you. Once they think or feel that you have nothing of value to offer they will vote with a click. The unsubscribe button.
5) Having developed a relationship with your subscribers, you are now on firm footing to begin recommending some of your favorite products to them. If you have not created any yourself then it is time to look for a complementary affiliate product. Think of the reputation you have built with your list so far. Ensure what you decide to promote to your opt in list is valuable, usable, and worth more than the sales price. The same principles apply with your own product. Build value into everything you create or offer, and be sure you deliver all what you promised.
There you have it. List building in 5 simple steps. Follow each of these steps, and you will be on your way to a responsive and profitable email list in quick time.
Willi D is an expert author and marketer specializing in List Building. Learn for free How to Build a List from Scratch without Spending a Fortune” at http://www.ListBuildingMission.com
You have my permission to reprint and distribute this article as long as it is distributed in its entirety, including all links. © Willi D 2007
Tags: build a list from scratch, list how to, opt in email list
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