5 Top Tips for Building a Fast-Growing, Highly Responsive Opt-in List
By Richard Knight
Posted Thursday, August 19, 2004
It’s sad that so many of us don’t truly understand the power of building a highly-responsive opt-in list. As an Internet Marketer I can tell you that you that your opt-in list is your MOST important asset. Once you have an opt-in list of people who might be interested in your products, you’re truly sitting on a gold mine my friend.
All you have to do is follow the 5 steps I’ve outlined below and you’ll be able to tap into this gold mine of potentially unlimited potential in no time:
1. Give Something of Value – If you want people to give you their name and email address, you have to give them something of value, something they can use, and something beneficial. It’s also best if this something is free. If you offered to give out a free sharpened pencil to everyone who signed up to your list, odds are you’d get very little sign ups to your list. But if you offered them a free report on how to gain 1000’s of visitors to their site, for webmasters and fellow internet marketers or how to bring your golf stroke down by 8 strokes for the golf enthusiasts I bet people will be far more inclined to sign up. If you give your customers something of value, then they will be 10 time more willing and almost happy to give you their name and email address to get what you offer.
2. Provide Quality Content – Once you have a growing opt-in list, you’re gonna want to keep your subscribers, subscribed to your list. The best way to do this is to provide them with quality content. Basically give them an incentive to being your subscriber. The most popular form of this is an e-zine (electronic magazine) or a newsletter. You can create an ezine or newsletter on anything you wish, but needless to say it should be based on your subscriber’s interest. If your subscribers signed up to your list to get your free report on golfing then make an ezine of golf advice or golfing tips. If it was to get your free internet marketing ebook, then try to give them useful Internet Marketing Tips and/or resources. Basically just give them quality content that interests & proves beneficial to them and trust me, they’ll stick around.
3. Know Your Limits With Ads - This is a tricky subject amongst Internet Marketers. Some say more ads won’t hurt, while others say less is better. Me, personally I try to keep it in moderation. I’d like to say that it’s best to put a link to a RELEVANT product or opportunity in every email you send, allowing yourself to profit from every email that is read by your list. But I also try to keep blatant ads to a minimum which is why I only run 2 solo ads a week to my list, anymore than that is pushing it, in my eyes. Basically it’s up to you to know how many ads you want to run. Just remember to put your subscribers need and views ahead of your wallet, when it cones to this decision. Believe me, they’ll love you for it and your profits will show it.
4. Get Them Involved – Don’t let your subscribers just read your emails, get them involved. Allow them the chance to voice their opinions, ask questions, interact with other subscribers, run contests, and allow them to pick what they want to see in the ezine. The best way to get them involved is to run online polls, run surveys and let them see the results in an upcoming issue. It’s also effective to make your own online discussion board to allow your subscribers to communicate with one another.
5. Reach Them on a Personal Level – Add a personal touch to your email messages. If you captured their name, then use it. Basically, try to talk to them like you would a friend. Use words like I, you, us, we in your messages. Let your humor and personality show in your email. Talk about how your week has been, how your family’s doing, what’s going on with the family pet, your future plans, basically just show them that you’re “human” just like them. Many subscribers find this refreshing and it helps build a rapport or relationship if you will, with them. Use your ezine or newsletter as a chance to build relationships with your subscribers just as you would make them feel more like a friend than just a subscriber.
Obviously there is much more to be said on building your opt-in list, but if you learn to follow these 5 Tips you’ll soon develop a list so big and responsive that will supply with ever flowing residual income that most Internet Marketers can only dream about. Till next time, Think Big and Big Things Will Happen!
About the Author
Richard Knight’s Brand New Free Book, "How to Build Your Profit Pulling Powerhouse Overnight!" Reveals The Time Tested & Proven Internet Marketing Secrets That Are Making Top Internet Marketers a Fortune ...Get Your Free Copy at (http://www.sixfiguresuccess.net)
