Fortune Seeker Blog

For all online marketers, the money is literally in your opt-in list.

If you want to succeed, then building your list of subscribers, prospects or customers should definitely be one of your highest priorities. Because once built, your list can continue to provide sales for you for years to come.

Here are my nine essential tips for building your list through effective email marketing.

1. The most important tip on this list…Only, and I really mean ONLY, send emails to people that have requested them. Use a “double opt-in” subscription process. This process requires your prospective subscriber to submit their email addresses and then receive confirmation requests to which they must reply in order to join your list and receive your next mailing.

2. Your permission to send email to your customers is not permanent. Be sure to include instructions to easily unsubscribe from your list in every message, to comply with the current CAN-SPAM legislation.

3. It is also important to have your company’s privacy policy readily available to your prospective list members. I include a link to my privacy policy at the sign up form.  Let them know what they can expect, like whether or not you will share their email address or other information they provide with a 3rd party or is it only for internal use.

4. You’re trying to build a long term relationship, so make certain that your sign-up form describes clearly what what your subscriber will receive. Be careful not simply use some vague promise of news or special offers. Be sure that the content of your email is what the person has requested and is expecting. Remember, long term.

5. Segment your list. Don’t send customers your prospect mail and vice versa.  For me, it is extremely irritating to receive email from an autoresponder that doesn’t realize I already bought the product.  A customer is not a prospect, treat them differently.

6. Set a schedule for email delivery and don’t deviate.  Whether it’s daily, weekly or whatever, be consistent. Deliver what you say you will and when you say you will.  Daily is overkill, unless it is a e-course.

7. Create your message in both plain text and HTML.  A small percentage of your list will see a message with nothing in it, if you don’t include a plain text message.

8. Use your company name, newsletter name, or your own name in the “From:” field for your messages. It could mean the difference between getting read or deleted. Also, don’t use all CAPS or multiple exclamation points in your subject line, it will possibly be flagged as spam if you do.

9. Always be building your list. All your correspondence should have an offer to join your mailing list, don’t forget your email signature or forum signatures.

Well, I realize this is a tip too, but I liked the way nine sounded better than ten, so let’s call it a bonus tip.

Bonus Tip:

You really need to get an autoresponder service. I use Aweber. They have excellent support and make it easy to manage your database, grow your list, optimize your templates, test your content, and measure your email campaign results all for a measly $19.95/month. And did I say they have excellent support?

If you sign up with them, Aweber has a free video of Jonathan Mizel’s AutoResponse Seminar, an hour of excellent content.

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