Tuesday, October 20, 2009

3 Methods for Building a Profitable Opt-In List

By Marion Rose Jones

You have finally realized that you need a good opt-in list. After reading innumerable articles and sought expert advice and have read many success stories of people creating a small fortune with opt-in lists, you have at long last made up your mind to have one of your own. Then this happens, you believe you know everything there is to know about opt-in lists and have followed their advice to the letter but you still aren't able to make any revenue.

In fact, you may even be losing money. You may be hiring writers or there may be other costs incurred. Even if you have a large list, but only a very tiny percentage actually buys from you, you could still be losing money. You'll realize that after a few weeks, when you see your statistics and sales figures.

So what could have gone wrong? Why have some been successful where you have failed? The most common mistake is to dive straight right in. You selected a subject which you thought might be fairly popular and would make you money. However, this is just not the case. Just because you write to people on the list, it doesn't mean they are going to buy.

Here I will offer more advice, for those who have started an opt-in list and have failed. You can revitalize your failed project. For those who are just starting off, here are three quick and easy ways to build a profitable opt-in list.

1) Get your customers to trust you and your products first. Just launching an opt-in list does not make you an expert or a believable seller. Write many articles before you start an opt-in list. Write about any subject you know and have started and used for your site. Use forums to gain knowledge about your customers about their wants and needs and aim for those wants and needs.

Join forums from other sites as well. Provide expert advice and suggestions. When you feel that people trust you, you will be able to create your own opt-in list. You can build a customer base with other forum users. You can invite them to join your list. Friends are always good customers. Put up a link to your site so that they can see what your business is all about.

The truth is, the money will only come in when consumers and subscribers believe in and trust you. They want a product or service that is good value for their money. People are not going to buy something because of your suggestion if they don?t know you.

2) Find a product or service that people want and need. Although it may not be your specialty, if you provide a service and product that you have researched and learned about well, you can put that over.

While it is true that it is best to sell something that you have an interest in, there are not many people who have the same interests exactly. Do your research well and you will see the profits come in. Also provide your subscribers with promotional material that they can actually use and spread around.

3) Make friends with other opt-in list users. This is beneficial especially if it is someone who has already started a successful opt-in list. These are people that have experience in this venture and experience is still the best teacher. While there are many articles accessible on the Internet, there is nothing like getting a first hand account from someone you trust.

Knowledgeable opt-in list users will be able to tell you what to do and what not to do because they have gone through it. While different situations crop up for different people, the common ideas can still be very helpful. There are many dangers to avoid and these people will be able to tell you which ones.

Creating a profitable opt-in list doesn't happen overnight. There is much preparation to do. Opt-in lists must be built from scratch, as your list grows, you should also maintain the quality of your list. Keep it organized and manageable. Get or hire help if need be, just make sure that your subscribers are happy and satisfied and they will be willing to buy from you one day.

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