It's a wild and woolly Web out there.
Garish banner ads flash from our screens, trying to entice
unsuspecting surfers through offers of unlimited wealth
with a simple click of the mouse. Bold, 36-point headlines
proclaim that the visitor has just found *the* Web site
that will make all of his dreams come true. Marketers,
through classified ads, beckon people with all the
subtlety of carnival barkers.
Small wonder that savvy surfers have become immune to these
blatant and all-pervasive marketing tactics. Click-through
rates on banner ads continue to rapidly decline.
Hard-hitting sales sites send their visitors scurrying away
almost before the entire page downloads. And unsolicited
emails, or spam, does not only get ignored--recipients
routinely turn in the spammers to their ISPs or anti-spam
Web sites.
So how does a self-respecting businessperson like you
target and reach online customers who would certainly
benefit from the products or services you have to offer?
The answer lies in creating and building your own opt-in
list.
Perhaps you already belong to one or more of them yourself.
An opt-in list is a compilation of email addresses
provided by people who voluntarily subscribe (opt-in) to
a list in order to receive specific information or content.
The subject matter for opt-in lists runs the gamut, from
those for cooking and gardening enthusiasts to fan clubs,
travel clubs and entrepreneur networks. They include
joke-a-day and quote-a-day lists. Some are discussion
lists, where members exchange news and advice; others are
electronic magazines (known as "e-zines"), where
information can only be posted by the list owner, and which
usually are set up in a newsletter format.
As subscriptions to these lists are by-and-large free, and
because most list owners assure subscribers that their
email addresses will remain private, opt-in lists present a
relatively risk-free way for people to explore hobbies or
commercial ventures, share information and ideas, or
receive educational, inspirational or humorous messages at
regular intervals (e.g., daily, weekly, etc.). In other
words, people love to join 'em.
So now that you know what an opt-in list is -- how can
creating one of your own benefit you? Keeping in mind the
drawbacks of other online marketing methods mentioned
above, building your own list puts you head and shoulders
above other marketers in the following ways:
1. You can design a list that attracts only those
people who would have a potential interest in
purchasing what you have to offer. Suppose, for
example, that you want to set up a Web site to sell
crafting supplies (baskets, material, paint or
whatever). You might consider creating a "how-to"
kind of list for crafters. Want to offer your
accounting skills to entrepreneurs? Put out a
regular tip sheet with ways they can save on their
taxes, or cut business expenses. The possibilities
are virtually limitless.
2. Whether you set up your list as an e-zine or
discussion group, the object is not to hard-sell
your subscribers from the get-go; rather, let them
to get to know you and your area(s) of expertise.
Put yourself in their shoes--would you randomly
select an "expert" from the Yellow Pages to repair
your car or fix your plumbing, or do you prefer to
deal with vendors that you (or people you trust)
know personally? This same philosophy applies
online.
3. Lastly, you will have the ability to make your list
aware of your products or services on a repeated,
regular basis. You can include the URL for your Web
site in each message, or provide a review of (and
link to) your favorite affiliate programs. With
all of the competition out there these days, and
more springing up daily, half the battle is just
letting people know how to find you. Your opt-in
list does that.
Now you not only know what an opt-in list, but also the
benefits you can reap from starting one. So how and where
do you create your very own opt-in list?
List hosting services abound. They range from free to well
over $200 a year. The freebies, naturally, provide
limited features, although you don't need to spend an arm
and a leg to get an excellent hosting service for your list
either. If you are serious about building your
professional reputation around an opt-in subscriber list,
some features you might want to consider in a hosting
service include:
· A hassle-free way for people to subscribe or
unsubscribe to your list;
· The ability to schedule the delivery of your
messages ahead of time--even when you are on
vacation or away on business;
· The option to send your messages in either simple
text or the glitzier HTML;
· Automatic formatting, so your emails do not look
choppy and amateurish;
· A way to personalize your messages (rather than
"Dear Subscriber," wouldn't it be more effective
to say "Dear Frank" or "Dear Joan"?)
· Responsive service from the list host provider to
your questions.
Sure, the competition's tough out there, and building a
successful business takes time, enthusiasm and
perseverance. But with your own opt-in list, you can
indeed make your mark on the wild and woolly Web.
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Chris Kilian operates several sites online that help ezine
editors. http://TwoDollarAds.com adds subscribers to ezines
for free, and his latest site, proves all full-featured
list hosting services are NOT expensive. Get yours today.
http://www.rapidreply.net.
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