When beginning to grow an opt-in list there are certain things that need to be understood. Subscribers to your list can come from a number of different directions. The majority will be people who have taken up an offer of a free report or e-book on a niche topic in exchange for their name and email address or they may have already made a purchase. Once on your list, it is up to you, the internet marketer, to keep them happy and, therefore, keep them on the list. They are the bedrock of your online business from which you will mine your gold.
The first important point to make is that, with an opt-in list, you will avoid issues with the Data Protection Act and other related legislation because the people on your list are subscribers, they have actually given you their contact details voluntarily and are expecting to get messages from you. They have agreed to be on your list. However, always include an unsubscribe link in your communications so that they have the opportunity to withdraw from your list at any time.
It is essential to keep your list up-to-date. You do not want it full of tyre-kickers and people who are not really interested. There is software available to help you keep your list ‘clean’ and productive. Always conduct yourself with decorum and honesty so as not to find yourself on the receiving end of irate subscribers who feel they are being exploited or taken for granted. In order to keep your list happy they have to know that they can trust you, that they can rely on you not to try to rip them off or dump shoddy products on to them.
Never, ever Spam! If you have an opt-in list that trusts you and responds to you, spamming will never be necessary anyway. All you will do by spamming is to ruin your reputation as a trustworthy marketer. You could also find yourself shut down by your ISP and, in extreme cases, possibly blacklisted; – end of business!
Never provide pornographic material or any other dubious content. Apart from the moral aspect of this, it is yet another way to get yourself shut down and blacklisted. Once you have established your niche, stay within its boundaries and provide only the best information possible to your subscribers.
Building a healthy relationship with your subscribers is of paramount importance in internet marketing. Provide quality at all times; be approachable and helpful; always give value for money; remember the saying that internet marketers under-promise and over-deliver; treat your opt-in list well and they will reciprocate.