Build An Email Marketing List

Before you start building a list, you need to give some thought to the underpinnings - the software or service you'll use to store the email addresses and communicate with your list members. At first sight this might seem simple. After all, most hosting packages include autoresponder services which will do this for you, so do shopping carts, and there are many free services available. The problem can be summed up in one word: deliverability. Spam filters and anti-spam measures make it difficult to get commercial messages delivered, even to people who have requested them. Even if your messages do get delievered, sometimes your recipients forget that they signed up for them and mark them as spam, or they are lazy and use the spam button instead of unsubscribing. This only has to happen a few times before your domain gets blacklisted - and suddenly none of your messages get through, to any of your lists.

This is the reason so many people swear by the larger established list management services such as Aweber and Getresponse. Those service companies put a great deal of time and effort into keeping good relations with large ISPs like AOL and Yahoo so that messages are delievered, and they also help you stay squeaky-clean at your end so you have less chance of being wrongly accused of spamming.

Moving a list from one service to another is a major hassle. You can easily lose more than half your subscribers if they have to sign up again with a new list. Starting with a reputable service from the get-go costs more in the short run but if you are serious about building your lists, it will pay you back many-fold in the long run.

The cornerstone of list building strategies is to offer people something they value in return for them giving you their email address.

"Something of value" depends on your market, but it could involve these possibilities, either for free or for a special reduced price:

• An ebook, sample chapter or report containing real substance, not just a sales pitch


• One or more audios or videos - again, with real content, not just a pitch.


• A teleseminar or webinar, or a recording and/or transcript of one


• A sample of your physical product


• A trial of your service or membership site


• Software


• Screensavers


• Coupons for discounts, 2 for 1 deals, etc

Make sure that what you offer is closely and directly related to what you plan to sell to your list later on, to make the list most responsive.

So you have your value to offer in exchange for someone's email to add them to your list - how do you get your value in front of them? Here are some possibilities:

• Place your offer on thank-you pages, yours or others, when people have just bought or signed up for some item related to your offerings, and on confirmation and transaction emails.


• Advertise on sites or in publications related to your niche
  
• Put a sign-up form on every page of your web site


• Place your offer in direct mail pieces or catalogs you send out: or advertise your offer in related catalogs.


• If you present as a speaker or seminar leader, make your offer to your audience and people who buy your "back of room" products.


• Write marketing articles and make your offer in the resource or bio box.


• Allow affiliates to sell your valuable item and keep all the proceeds


• Make your offer (tastefully) on social networks like Twitter


• Join online giveaway sites and give away your valuable item