If you want to start your own opt in list you are going to have to learn how to set up an auto responder so that you can collect subscribers and follow up with them on a regular basis in order to generate repeat sales and consistent profits.

The first thing you will need to do is create a new account with a reliable service such as Aweber which provides unlimited auto responders, tracking links, and excellent support. Once you have set up your account you will need to create a new auto responder and change the name, add a description, and insert your from name and email address.

The next thing you will need to do is create a subscription form using the tool in your control panel which you can find by clicking "Web Form" under the "List Settings" tab if you are using Aweber. This tool will allow you to create a standard subscription form which you can insert into your squeeze page or you can also create a pop over which hovers over the top of your web page.

You will also need to enter the thank you page link which is where visitors are directed to after they have subscribed and you can use this to sell a product and offer a special discount as a reward for joining your list. To track which page your subscribers are joining from you should also enter a tracking name.

The Web Form tool will also allow you to design how you want the subscription form to look on your website which is useful if you need to make it small enough to fit in the sidebar of your blog. The main benefit of using the Web Form is that you will be able to track the number of impressions your subscription form gets so that you can work out your conversion rates.

The next thing you will need to do is start adding messages to your auto responder which will be sent out on your behalf on a timeframe that you specify. The first message that you create should welcome subscribers to your newsletter and provide the download instructions for the free report that you are giving away (if you have one).

The follow up messages should alternate between providing useful information and recommendations for products which you have created or are promoting as an affiliate. Its important that you send free content to your subscribers on a regular basis to keep them interested and each of your follow up messages should be sent five to seven days after the previous so that you don't swamp your subscribers with constant emails. This also gives you time to send broadcast messages in between each follow up without overwhelming your subscribers.

After you have set up your auto responder and created your squeeze page its just a case of sending as much traffic as you can to it in order to collect subscribers and build your list. As well as this you should always test new things and track the conversion rates of your squeeze page and follow up messages and make some modifications if you think you can achieve better results.

About the Author

This article was written by Simon Akers who is the editor of the Marketing Oasis newsletter, a free internet marketing ezine packed with tips to help you succeed and increase your profits: http://www.MarketingOasis.com