How To Grow A Profitable Marketing List
Probably the most important thing you can do in any online venture is build a list. The old adage "the money is in the list" probably is the truest thing you will learn when building an online empire. You can have the best product in the world, and the fanciest website with all the bells and whistles, but it does you little good if you have no one to market to.
Building a list is a simple task. Online marketers use a variety of methods to do so, but probably the most effective is the "squeeze page." This is nothing more than a form used online that has a great headline, offers a quality benefit, such as a free ebook or mini course, and contains a sign up form that captures the name and email address of people who are interested in the offer you present. Always be sure to give a high quality product in exchange for name and email address, or you will quickly lose credibility with the people you wish to market to. Many times, a marketer uses a squeeze page to "register" the subscriber that fills in the opt-in form for what is perceived as a much greater benefit.
The capture form on the squeeze page is always directly connected to an autoresponder. An autoresponder is nothing more than a service that collects email addresses, and automatically responds to the person signing up for your offer in the manner you set it up. The autoresponder will work in two different settings, depending on how you wish it to respond. The single opt-in method simply requires a subscriber to send a request via your opt-in form to be added to your mailing list. The double opt-in method requires two responses before a person is added to the mailing list. First, the subscriber fills out your opt-in form at your website and submits their request. Then, the autoresponder will send a verification email to the subscriber. The verification email contains a link that the new subscriber must click on to verify that they really do wish to join your mailing list.
The single opt-in method is the best way to build a large list in the least amount of time, but the double opt-in list is really the most preferable, as you have verification that the new subscriber has opted to join your mailing list. This added protection may take you longer to build your list, but by using the double opt-in method, you have proof that the subscriber really wishes to join your list.
This will keep you out of trouble with CAN-SPAM, the industry watchdog that regulates how commercial email is handled. The CAN-SPAM act was put into effect on January 1, 2004, and was put into law because of the prolific amount of spam, including deceptive advertising and pornography, that was being sent to the general public. CAN-SPAM also requires that you include an opt-out link in any email that you send to your list so that the subscriber can choose to opt-out if they no longer wish to receive your mailings.
Another simpler method is used on websites to grow lists. An opt-in form like what is used on a squeeze page is inserted in a prominent place on a website, usually offering an ebook or software to anyone wishing to join your mailing list. The benefit of this method is this – people visiting your website are showing interest in the niche you are marketing to, and therefore they will be more targeted towards your niche than a lot of squeeze page offers.
Either method works well. This strategy should be the first thing that you do when beginning an online business, because without a list, your chances of success are very limited.
