Internet Marketing Strategies Part Nine:
Building an Opt-in List
By Shelley
Lowery
Developing your own list of targeted potential customers
is the absolute most important marketing strategy you can
use.
No matter what strategies you're currently using, if
you're not collecting the email addresses of your
potential customers, you're literally guaranteeing your
failure.
Opt-in lists provide you with the ability to create a
targeted list of potential customers in which you can
advertise on a continual basis. You will have a direct
line of communication, which will increase your sales
considerably.
The key to creating an effective opt-in list is to provide
your subscribers with quality information. The best way to
do this is to provide them with a weekly, bi-weekly, or
monthly ezine. An ezine is a newsletter or publication
that is sent to subscribers who have chosen to receive
your publication.
For further information on creating an ezine, download the
free ebook, "Ezines: A Complete Guide to publishing."
http://www.web-source.net/free_ebooks.htm
In order to build a database of potential customers and
start collecting email addresses, you'll first need to set
up a mailing list. This mailing list must enable your
visitor's to submit their information and subscribe them
to your list.
There are many free list services that will enable you to
set up a mailing list. However, they are not recommended.
They will not allow you to personalize your messages with
your subscriber's names and they require your visitor to
reply to a confirmation message.
For a complete guide to setting up your own opt-in list
system, read the article, Creating, Managing and Building
Your Opt-In Lists.
http://www.web-source.net/optin_lists.htm
If you'd rather not have to set up your own system, here
are some good scripts you can run on your server:
1-2-All Broadcast
http://www.12all.com
A complete list management system including HTML or plain
text newsletters, MySQL database, personalization
features, automatic removal links and more.
AutoResponse Plus:
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=autoplus
Complete list management including unlimited lists, HTML
or plain text mailings, MySQL database, customizable
auto-personalization of messages, automatic removal links,
unlimited folow-up autoresponses and more.
Building Your Subscriber Base
There are many powerful ways to build your subscriber
base. However, for this article, we will only focus on the
"best" ways.
Your Website
Place a subscription box on every page of your website.
Make sure you don't overlook this powerful means of
gaining new subscribers. Your visitors will enter your
website from many other pages other than your main page.
They may never even visit your main page, so make sure
your subscription box is visible on every page of your
website.
Incentive Subscriptions
This powerful means of obtaining subscribers entails
offering your visitors a free gift in return for their
subscription. This free gift may be a free ebook,
software, or report. This method of obtaining new
subscribers will increase your subscription rate
immensely.
Download free ebooks that you may use as incentives here:
http://www.web-source.net/free_ebooks.htm
Writing Articles
Write informative articles and allow them to be freely
published. By writing articles, you can significantly
increase your subscriptions. The key to using this method
effectively is to include your subscription information
within your bylines.
For further information in regard to writing articles,
read the article, "Write For Publicity."
http://www.web-source.net/write.htm
Free Ebooks
Create a powerful free ebook and allow it to be freely
distributed. Place your subscription box on each page.
Your ebook will have the potential to be viewed by
millions of Internet users.
For further information on creating an ebook, download the
free ebook, "Ebooks: A Complete Guide to Self Publishing."
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/web/jump.cgi?ID=500
Creating and developing an opt-in list is an absolute
must. You must take every opportunity to promote your
publication and gain new subscribers. The more subscribers
you have, the more sales you'll make. Make sure you don't
overlook this powerful method of making sales.
Copyright ©
Shelley Lowery
About the Author:
Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design
course, Web Design Mastery.
http://www.webdesignmastery.com And, Ebook Starter -
Give Your Ebooks the look and feel of a REAL book.
http://www.ebookstarter.com Visit Web-Source.net to
sign up for a complimentary subscription to Etips and
receive a copy of the acclaimed ebook, "Killer Internet
Marketing Strategies."
http://www.web-source.net
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