List Building

The basis of successful email marketing is the development of your own in-house email list.  Email marketing requires a mailing list.  Your contact list is the backbone of your email marketing strategy.  You have to build, grow and maintain your contact list.
To be effective with email marketing you need to have a list of people to communicate with. But what you really need is a “targeted” email list. The quality of your “opt-in” list will ultimately determine future success. The two basic options are:

• Build your own list. Your own list will be far more beneficial to you than hiring or buying a list.  Absolutely no question of that.
• To rent or buy a list from a list broker. (Highly advise against this option)

The best option is to build your own opt-in email subscriber list.  Build a good relationship with the people on that list.  Offer them good reasons to revisit your site and purchase your products and services.
The best way to start building trust between your potential customers and yourself is to make an offer of free relevant information on your website that your visitors can access instantly.
Visitors to your website will give you their email addresses in exchange for free valuable information.  The best way to grow an email list is to offer an incentive for people to sign up.

Customer List

If you are in business, you probably have a customer list already. Your customer list is your best list because you do not have to spend money or time in finding customers. They are already there.
Are you collecting relevant details about your existing customers? If not, why not! It is easier to sell to your existing customers because you already have a relationship with them. Your own opt-in list is the most effective marketing tool on the internet today.
To collect relevant information from your customers you could

• On your next communication to them offer some reward if they respond by email, such as a free report or a gift certificate or something else. The alternative would be to get them to send you details of their email address or give it to you in person.
•  If you do not have a customer list then create a joint venture with another business that sells a related product or service. Under this arrangement you would communicate with the customers of the other business promoting your products and services. By offering a quality incentive your aim will be to capture their details for future marketing use. Obviously, you will have to offer the owner of the list an inducement for them to allow you to communicate with their customers.

Website

Opt in from your website. Your website MUST have a form or email link to allow visitors to subscribe to your mailing list.
To build your opt-in list you will have to provide your visitors with an incentive to sign up. Incentives can be very effective in gaining new customers. The incentives must be of value and interest to the target market.
Some incentives to consider are:

• An information on a specific subject that has valuable information.
•  Special reports offering exclusive information.
•  Software programs.
•  Provide access to “Members Only” section that has information available that is not accessible by the general public.
• To improve the success of sign ups and the retention of your readers you need to:
•  Streamline your sign up procedure, make it as short as possible.
•  Make the subject line of your email powerful and make it mean something to the recipient. Do not have the same static subject every time.
•  Use viral marketing technique. Include a section within your email to allow the recipient to email your notice / newsletter to one of their friends or associates.

By having signed up on your site you at least know that these visitors have some interest in your products and services.
Remember websites are popping up every day. It is difficult for most people to remember where they have been and return a second time. You must provide a way for them to subscribe on their first visit. You also need to allow for a signing up process to be available on every page not just your home page.

A form for Sign up

Create a form on your website to collect information about customers who want to sign up. 
Make the form as short and as easy to complete as possible.  Ask for only relevant information. 
If you do not need specific information such as a person’s marital status, then do not ask for it.
To be really successful you should have a subscription hot link process available on every page of your website.

NOTE:  Extreme caution is advised in using popup windows to get people to sign up to your site.

Traditional

Another way to build your own list is to use existing traditional media. In your traditional media (i.e. television, radio and print) use them to your advantage to also collect and record email addresses. This can be done by encouraging them to contact you by email. You could also use press releases in the same way by offering an incentive to those who respond by email. Also ensure that all your off line media (including stationery) carry details of your web site and email details.

Viral Marketing

This email strategy allows you to reach potential customers through the use of current customers. A product or service email forwarded by an acquaintance serves as an endorsement. Viral marketing can serve as an efficient method to reach new customers. In your email messages suggest to your recipients to inform their friends and associates about your products and services.

Viral Marketing is a form of word of mouth (mouse). It is an effective tool to build your customer list.
The key to successful opt -in lists is to keep and maintain your customer base. The best way to do that is by offering them quality content. This will help you to build a trusting relationship that will lead to increased sales.
 Remember the best list you will ever have is the list you build yourself. Do it right the first time round.

Hot Tip:
Always provide a very simple way for people to unsubscribe.  The easiest way is to include an unsubscribe link within your email.

List Gathering

There are a number of list gathering concepts outlined below.

Double Opt-in

The person checks boxes of related interests upon signing up. The person also receives an email confirming registration and a link within the email. The person clicks on it if they wish to join or confirm membership. This process is a good idea especially if someone uses another’s email address. If the link sent by email is not clicked on to confirm then membership is not gained or opened.      

Rating: The best type of list.

Confirm Opt-in

Requires the person to register and select topics of interest. An email is sent to confirm the joining of the mailing list or membership. Rating: A good type of list Opt-in – The person registers and selects or ticks boxes of interest. No confirmation email is sent.    Rating: An acceptable type of list.

Opt – Out

The prospective member goes through a registration process. Topic check boxes are pre-selected. The person can then deselect topics of no interest, however if non are unchecked then the person will more than likely get unwanted information.        Rating: Well it’s better than spam.

Purchase or Rent an Opt-in List

Caution needs to be exercised in the use of rental or purchase list. Highly recommend not using this type of list.

If you decide to build your list by renting or purchasing from a list broker. There are a number of issues you need to address prior to purchasing or renting such lists.

• Is it a true opt-in list?
• Were the names gathered primarily from a web site?
• Did these people agree to receive offers from other third parties?
• What is the list brokers policy regarding privacy?
• What is the reputation of the list broker?
• What is the quality of the list?
• Are you dealing with a reputable company?
• Are demographics available?

List Building Techniques to Avoid

Make sure you never purchase a list that contains spammed email addresses.

Capturing Email Addresses From Web Visitors. There is software available that will capture the email address of visitors. Some web masters use these email address as an opt -in list. I do not agree with this process and urge you not to employ it.

Email Harvesting Software. This type of software captures email addresses off the internet at random. The promoters of this type of software will provide you with a plausible reason why these emails are OK to use. If you want to be in business for a long time and want to be respected do NOT use these techniques.

CD Rom With Email Addresses. In general save your money and do not bother with them. Especially the 20 million emails for $49.95 type CD’s. There will undoubtedly be a whole range of undeliverable addresses and a number that will never be read by a human.

Managing Your List

The number one secret of managing your list is to keep it up to date and maintaining the information. Managing should be relatively easy. It will not take a lot of time, a few hours per week would be sufficient. When the list of names gets around 200 + you may then need to look at other options such as email marketing software or an online service.