Email list building is one of the most critical components of a modern internet marketing money making campaign. You can either choose to average a 1% conversion rate on your web site, with a one time hit from a visitor, or you can achieve a 2-5% conversion every single month from your opt in email list. In just one month, that is a 200-500% increase in sales per visitor. Compound that monthly and now you see the difference.
So how do you do it?
1) You must use a squeeze page to gather subscribers. If you send visitors to your main web page and put a hover or flyin opt in box on the page, you may convert 10-15% of your visitors to subscribers. If you use a squeeze page, you should be able to convert 40-60% into subscribers, depending on the traffic source and the strength of your offer.
2) You must send massive traffic to your squeeze page. Traffic will not find you on its own. You must drive targeted traffic to your web site.
3) You must load their mailbox with value. If you do not give them value, they will opt out. Send them free gifts that genuinely have no obligation. Send them useful information. It has been said that a headline gets the email opened. I disagree. My email address gets the email opened. My subscribers see my email address in the from column and they know they want to open my email. Why? Because I deliver massive value in my emails. I regularly get thank you emails from my subscribers.
4) You must build a relationship with your subscribers. Ask and answer questions. If someone writes you an email with a question about how to do something, do not send him a link to a product he can buy. Send him the answer. He will buy from you later.
5) You must keep in touch with your subscribers. Mail at least once per week. If you go on vacation, find a way to send an email from Hawaii every week. If you do not, they will have forgotten who you are when you come back.