Email marketing is still the most cost effective way to build your online business, and the best way to succeed with email marketing is to have your own quality mailing list. See this article for simple but highly effective steps for achieving a profitable mail list.

Email marketing is still the most cost effective way to build your online business, and the best way to succeed with email marketing is to have your own quality mailing list.

An opt in email list contains addresses of people who have agreed to receive information from you, whether that be a newsletter or promotions relating to your online business. It is very important that you get peoples permission first before sending them any information. If you are accused of spam then your ISP may cancel your account.

Building a profitable email list takes a lot of persistence and patience, but it is possible. More importantly a permission based email list can bring you much better results then a purchased one. Why? Because a permission based email list consists of people that you know are interested in what you are offering. Who knows what the people on a purchased list are interested in.

Your mailing list can consist of current customers, old customers, potential customers, prospects and new leads.

How can you get started?

- The single most important thing that you can do to build your list is to have a sign up form on your website. If not, then you are missing out on an easy way to grow your list. Not only should you put the form on your home page, but put it on every page you have as well. Do it now! Go to GetResponse and get set up as soon as possible.

- Any form at all on your website should ask for permission for you to send out future mailings. If someone downloads one of your ebooks make sure you ask for their email address so you can send them updates. You get the idea.

- One way to build your email list is to use classified advertising. Classified ads work very well for finding new prospects. Offer a free report or article relating to your topic of interest. Classified ads work great when you use such lines as: write for further information, free report or software, etc. Be creative in your ads and have fun as you build your email list.

- Partner with other websites that are similar to your own. Ask to exchange links or banner ads for your newsletter, or see if they could add your newsletter to their opt in form.

- Contact other email marketers who already own a list and advertise your newsletter or website in their newsletters. You can also inquire about solo ads. Solo ads are a good way to promote your newsletter because your ad is sent out solo to all the addresses on a list.

- Viral marketing is a good way to generate interest in your newsletter and help to build your email list. Always include a forward to a friend link in every one of your newsletters as well as a sign up link for those new readers.

- The truth is that once your subscribers believe and trust in you then they will buy from you. You can build this trust by publishing articles relating to your websites content. Use your resource box or author bio to advertise your newsletter.

- Put together a forum or discussion group on your website to find out what your customers wants may be and then target those wants.

- Join other forums and provide recommendations and expert advice to help build your reputation.

- Make friends with someone who has a successful email list. Experience is the best teacher.

Every successful business should have a mailing list, but failing to communicate with your list could mean losing the most valuable asset of your business.

The key to Internet success is to get your business noticed and one of the most effective ways to do this is by building an opt in email list.

If you are still not sure of the importance of building your own targeted opt in email list then here are a few more tips that you may find useful.

1. Determine your target market. It will be much more difficult to build your list if you do not have a particular market in mind. Having a target market will also allow you to focus more on your campaigns which will give you better results since you are directing your emails to those who will most likely respond to them.

2. Your target market should be widely available on the Internet. How can you promote your online business if no one is interested? Research your market and avoid wasting any time.

3. Use the search engines to verify your target markets income producing potential. Search for ads that contain keywords relating to your interest and if you find many then you know that if people are willing to pay for advertising relating to your market then chances are good that you picked a winner.

It takes alot of preparation and effort to build a profitable email list and it does not happen overnight. They are built one email address at a time. As your list gets bigger it is important to maintain the quality of your list. Keep it clean and organized. Most of all, make sure your subscribers are satisfied and if they are, then they will make sure you are too.

The success of your online business depends on your opt in email list. Consider your list as valuable as gold and as most successful online marketers say, the money is in the list. Knowing enough about marketing to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you've just learned about marketing, you should have nothing to worry about.

About the Author

Johan Krost work at home as an internet marketer for 2 years. Visit his blog ate-Marketing and receive free info on how to stop being an average marketer and start earning real profit from your online business.