While the vast majority of the world has placed preventive measures in place to protect themselves from receiving unsolicited email in their inboxes, there are still quite a few in cyberspace who welcome solicitations. However, before we go any further, let me be perfectly clear here. I do not condone the practice of sending UCE or spam nor do I enjoy receiving it in my inbox. Instead, the sole purpose for this article is to give you, the prospective list builder, a better understanding of how to build a responsive and loyal following of opt-in list subscribers who trust you.
Opt In List Building Q & A
But why would someone choose to fill out a form and opt in to your list in the first place? That’s simple and depends on how you present yourself and how they perceive your business. If your prospective subscriber found you as a result of an online search in Google or an advertisement in CraigsList, your website description or ad presentation must have captured their attention in some way. In addition, internet savvy subscribers like these have an inherant sixth sense and can discern when someone like you is trustworthy or trying to pull the wool over their eyes. In short, when your opt in list subscribers trust you they will reward you in kind with their loyalty. if they don’t, you will loose them in a heartbeat.
So how do you establish trust between you and your prospective opt-in subscriber?
When a potential prospect responds to one of your ads by clicking through a link in your ad, this simple action signifies that she is interested in your offer. To increase the odds of your prospect opting-in to your list, your sales copy should be targeted, concise, informative, authoritative and written in a way to persuade the prospect to take action by opting-in to your list via a web form.
When the prospect has successfully submitted the web form, there should be a “thank you” page in place which welcomes the subscriber to your list with clear and explicit instructions on what they need to do next to complete the opt-in process. Another way to ensure that your prospect receives your newsletter or e-zine is to include additional instructions on how to “white list” the email address or domain of your newsletter or e-zine. This way, they’ll receive your messages in their inboxes without fail.
For an example of how this page should appear, click here.
So let’s review…
In order to build a loyal following of opt-in list subscribers, you must be able to clearly communicate with them. This is the quickest and easiest way to build your
opt-in list and establish trust between you and your subscribers. Remember, the faster you build your opt-in list the faster word spreads about your website or
business. The bigger the scope of your opt-in list the more traffic you receive! Ultimately, this equates to more profits.
To reinforce your understanding of this powerful opt-in list building technique, here are four (4) no-nonsense ways in which to do just that:
1 :: Building trust between you and your subscribers is not hard. The most important thing to consider when building an opt-in list is that people are not stupid. Therefore, if you’re trying to build an opt-in list around a topic you know very little about, common sense dictates that very few people will opt-in to your list. People rely on other people like you who know what they are talking about. So if you are interested in building an opt-in list based upon a topic you know nothing about, take time to do some extensive research on the topic first or build your opt-in list around a topic you enjoy or already have knowledge of.
2 :: Convey to your opt-in list of subscribers that you are an expert and know what you are talking about. Once you are successful with getting your subscribers to opt-in, provide them with helpful tips, tools and techniques related to your chosen niche or topic of interest. Talk about how to install a roof if your into hardware products or provide articles on insurance settlements if you’re a settlement lawyer. You don’t have to be a big corporation to make use of an opt-in list. If your subscribers see you as someone who knows what he is doing and saying, they will trust you quickly.
3 :: Be sure to always over deliver to your subscribers, When you begin to promote your products or services to your opt-in list after you have gained their trust, be sure that you always over deliver. Subscriber only discounts, complimentary bonus gifts or over-the-top guarantees are a surefire way of solidifying your rapport with your subscribers for a very long time. The added long-term benefit is that if your subscribers are satisfied and trust you, chances are they will recommend your site to their inner-circle of friends or colleagues.
4 :: Never give your opt-in list subscribers the impression that they are “trapped” or that you are desperate for them to stay subscribed to your list. Prominantly display simple and concise instructions on all of your opt in forms and inside each email so that your subscribers can unsubscribe themselves easily and at any time. If for any reason a subscriber requests to leave your list or is unable to unsubscribe themselves, take time to manually remove them from your list. This one simple step will ensure that your list is kept clean and in compliance with spam laws.
While in the process of building your opt-in list, remember that your reputation means everything. In a traditional brick-and-morter business where you can
literally speak to your customers/subscribers face-to-face or by phone, an online business is far different. If you mistreat someone in a traditional business, it may take as long as a week or even a month before you start noticing a slight decline in visitors. Whereas on the internet, word of your misdeed can spread like wildfire within milliseconds! In short, if you treat your opt-in list subscribers as you would expect to be treated, you’ll have loyal and happy subscribers for life!