How to Get Your Email Marketing Opt-in List

If you've been doing any type of Internet Marketing, I know you've heard the expression "the money's in the list." Maybe your wondering what is this "list" and how do I get one?

An opt-in list is simply a list of email addresses from people that have chosen, "opted" to receive emails from certain people or on certain subjects. Explaining what an opt-in list is, is probably the easiest part of the list.

Why do you want to have an email marketing campaign? It's been proven that an ad needs to be seen 7 times before the majority of readers will act on it. An opt-in email marketing campaign gives you the opportunity to show your ad those 7 times. Repeated emails also build familiarity and trust. Familiarity and trust build sales.

To begin an email marketing campaign, you have to have a list of email addresses to mail to. There are several ways to get one.

The quickest, but least effective, way to get an email marketing list is to purchase one. With this method choosing the right email marketing list provider is very important. The provider is responsible for selecting your audience. Mailing offers of business tools to an audience that signed up for home decorating tips isn't going to be very productive. And just because these people have joined the providers opt-in list, doesn't mean they'll be responsive to your offers.

Another way to get your opt-in list, is to provide an email marketing sign up form on your website. This is better than purchasing an opt-in list, because your visitors have expressed an interest in your product or service by being on your site. It's slower though, unless you have a lot of traffic. You also need something that your visitors will consider of value to them to offer in exchange for their email address.

Still another method of obtaining opt-in email addresses is provided by the many joint venture free giveaways being offered these days. If you can get an invitation to join one of these, you'll have the potential of obtaining hundreds or even thousands of opt-in email addresses. All you have to do, is provide a product you're willing to give away for free. Of course it's not really free, since you're getting an opt-in email address in exchange. And not just any email address either. The address of someone you know is interested in your product or service line. An email marketing dream come true. And probably one of the fastest and easiest ways to build your own opt-in list.

There's also the method of building your opt-in list by using another company. Putting your advertisement in one of the mailings to their opt-in list. This is a good way of getting opt-ins for your own email marketing campaign, as well as making new sales. For this to be effective, of course, you do need to be sure that their products and/or services are compatible with yours. Once again, sending offers of business tools to people interested in garden supplies...

So there you have it. Some basic ways to get your opt-in list and start your email marketing campaign. Whichever opt-in method you choose is up to you. Just be sure and get started today!