Design Solutions
Design Your Own
General
About Opt–In Mailing Lists
How to Build An Opt–In Mailing List
One of the powerful tools in online email marketing is building an opt–in mailing list. An opt–in mailing list is a database of peoples' names and email addresses that have subscribed to an email list via a web form giving that list owner permission to send them periodic emails on the topic they are interested in. The best gift of this powerful tool is the possibility of being able to talk to people who are particularly interested in your product, service or organization.
“Gold is in your mailing list.”
You've heard many veteran internet marketers and established gurus preach these very words time and time again, and for good reasons. It has been established as a fact that most of your sales would come after the 4th to the 8th contact. An opt–in list is essential for your online business.
Most of your sales won't come after the first contact. Your prospects should be given time to warm up to your offer. You have to contact them again, and again, and again, to assure them of your credibility and to make them believe that your offer would be truly beneficial for their needs.
Also, they may not be interested with your current offer, but this shouldn't be taken to mean that they won't be interested with what you could come up with in the future. An opt–in list would allow you to contact them for the future deals you will bring to the table.
There is no doubt that a follow–up system, or a mailing list, or an opt–in list, whatever you want to call it, would be very important for your success in the online field.
How do I build a mailing list?
I won't sugarcoat any answers. A lot of internet marketers are struggling to acquire subscribers
for their mailing lists. They may have been in the business for a couple of years already, yet their mailing
lists are composed of only a dozen or so subscribers.
There is only one answer to give. It's not even a secret, as it is quite simple.
Provide an Incentive
Your visitors should be given a reason to sign up with your mailing list. You cannot just expect them to leave their email addresses without receiving anything in return, right? If you were in their shoes, would you even bother to give out your contact details without deriving something from it?
The mistake that most internet marketers make is that they expect people to sign up by simply promising future updates. This isn't enough incentive. People need something more than that, something valuable, something that is very much worth their time. If you will be able to give them such in exchange for their subscription, you'd be able to boost your number of subscribers really fast.
Here are some incentives that work:
Ezines or newsletters. Information is always a valuable commodity in the World Wide Web.
If you could commit to create and deliver a regular eZine or newsletter for them, you'd be able to
win their subscription and eventually their trust. Just make sure that your eZine or newsletter would
be of premium quality.
Freebies.
Who would say no to something that is offered for free, right? It may be an
eBook, a special report, a PLR product, a software program or another kind of digital item
which your prospects could download in exchange for their subscription.
Contests. You could offer a valuable digital product as a prize for a random drawing,
with your prospects' subscriptions serving as their raffle entries.
Any of the suggestions above are sure to make your prospects take notice. And you'll have greater chances of bagging their subscription and building your mailing list to enormously profitable levels.
There are DO's and DON'Ts in starting your opt–in mailing list. Here are some of the most important tips worth mentioning:
DO's
- Put a subscription form on your website. Offer something in exchange for their name and email address. A free digital product or perhaps a promise of good things to come like in a Newsletter.
- Inform people that they can subscribe to your email list and assure them that you do not give away or sell their email addresses.
- Be clear about how people will benefit from subscribing and how often will you contact them. Make them know exactly what they will be receiving.
- If you can, contact a new subscriber as soon as you can. Welcome them and tell them what to expect.
DON'Ts
- Don't add everyone who has sent you an email to your list. Always ask permission first.
- Don't purchase lists that you are not 100% sure that are opt–in lists. Always have evidence to prove the legitimacy of the list.
- Don't abuse people's trust. This is a sure way to ruin your brand and you. Soon enough they will ignore your messages.
- Don't always try to sell something. I find these emails the most annoying — when people get you to join their mailing list with promises of information and then constantly bombard you with sales pitches and hype.
©2007 Distinct Website Designs
Lindenhurst, N.Y. 11757
Ph: 631.922.6882All Rights Reserved
