3 Golden Rules For Building a Profitable Opt-In List

Let’s be absolutely clear about this, building an opt-in list is the life blood of any online business.

No doubt you’ve read countless sales letters, articles and blog entries describing how people regularly make fortunes on the strength of their opt-in lists and you might be wondering how you can get yourself into a position to do just the same as them.

It could be that you have an opt-in list but you’re unable to make it convert for you. Having gone to the time, trouble and expense to build your list you’re just not converting it into sales (and, more importantly, profits) and you can’t work out why this should be.

So what could have gone wrong? Why have others succeeded where you have failed?

I’ve listed below the 3 fundamental rules you should follow to build your opt-in list:

1) Get your customers to trust you and your products first.

Trust and reputation are critical when you are running ANY business and just launching your opt-in list would not necessarily make you an expert and a believable seller in your customers’ eyes. Try posting a good number of topic-related articles online first before you start an opt-in list.

Try to post on forums first to gain knowledge about your customers and about their wants and needs and target those wants and needs.

Join forums from other sites as well. Provide expert advice and enhance you profile by giving recommendations. When you feel that you have established yourself within your particular niche and people are likely to trust you, you will be able to start your own opt-in list.

You can build a base as well with other forum users. You can ask them to join your list. Friends are always good customers. Put up a link to your site so that they may be able to see what you’re business is all about.

The simple fact is that the product sales and the money will only come in when the consumers and subscribers believe and trust in you. They want a product or service that could be a good exchange for their money – real value for money. People are less likely to buy something based on your recommendation if they don’t know you.

2) Find a product or service that people want and need.

Although the subject / niche may not be your forte, if you provide a service and product that you have researched well, and have educated yourself on, you can progress with the business and expect to make income from that niche. If you do your research well there is no reason why you should create a profitable business in any niche.

The point is that the most profitable niches may well be those in which you would normally have no real interest. That should be irrelevant if you are looking at a niche from the perspective of how profitable it can be. It’s a very important distinction to make.

3) Get to know other marketers within your niche who also have established opt-in lists.

Quite apart from the fact that you can negotiate list swaps or joint ventures with these acquaintances, it could be that the people you get to know have more experience in your niche and can give you personal, one-to-one advice to help you avoid future pit falls. This could be invaluable to you and of huge benefit to you and your business.

Nobody builds a profitable opt-in list overnight so you need to have a modicum of patience. As your list grows, you should also go to some efforts to maintain the quality of your list. Keep it organized and manageable. Make sure that your subscribers are happy and satisfied and they will be willing to buy from you again and again.

So there you have it. Building an opt-in list for ANY niche is absolutely ESSENTIAL. These are basic rules you should bear in mind and adhere to when practicable.

To your success.

By: Steve Peirce