Does your Internet business website have an opt in email list, and does every web page have an opt-in form so that people can add themselves to your list? If not, then you’re neglecting one of the most lucrative aspects of building an Internet business.

It doesn’t matter how big or small your business is, building and maintaining a list of subscribers interested in receiving email from you can make a big difference. Everyone who visits your website and fills in your opt-in form is allowing you to keep them informed about any updates on your website and also to tell them about your business.

As an opt in email list owner, you’re safe from spam accusations because everybody on your list has filled in the opt-in form on your website, and they have also confirmed their request by email that they received from your autoresponder. Basically, each subscriber on your list has sent you his or her name and e-mail address and confirmed that he or she is willing to receive emails from you. These are considered double opt-in subscribers.

However, just because somebody has gone through the double opt-in process doesn’t mean that he or she will read your newsletters. It’s up to you to provide useful and interesting content and to encourage your opt in email list of subscribers to open your emails by writing compelling headlines that arouse their curiosity. When writing your headlines, though, be sure that the content of your newsletter relates to the headline, otherwise your subscribers will feel cheated or disappointed and will either unsubscribe from your list or simply stop opening your emails.

Another key to building a list of subscribers who actually read your email messages is to avoid the temptation to over-sell your business. If every single one of your emails does nothing more than try to persuade your subscribers to buy your products or join your business opportunity, you’ll probably be disappointed with the results. Certainly your subscribers will quickly stop reading your messages.

Instead of trying to sell to your list of subscribers, try to build a relationship with them. To do that it’s important that you think about what your subscribers actually want from you. Most likely what they want is useful information about the market niche that your business is serving. They also want to be entertained. So, right from the start make sure that you inform and educate your subscribers with lively, entertaining and cheerful messages. Then you’ll be able to introduce them to your products and services later.

How late is “later”?

It could be a brief sentence and a link at the end of your email, or you could add a little business promotion and web link in the PS section of your email. Or, you could choose to avoid any direct promotion at all in the first few messages that you send out.

Really, it’s a matter of finding the formula that works best for you and your subscribers. But, the point is to show them that you’re an expert in your field whose judgment can be trusted, and to entertain them in the process. Warm and informative newsletters are vital to winning over your subscribers, and winning over your subscribers is of course important to your ultimate objective which is building sales for your business.

An opt in email list gives you the luxury of being able to build a warm and trusting business relationship with a potentially unlimited number of people for no more than the cost of a professional autoresponder service and the time it takes you to research and write your newsletter messages. So, don’t neglect to build your list, and don’t sabotage your efforts by trying to sell to your list before you have warmed up your readership and won them over. Win them over, and you’ll have turned strangers into customers for life.

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Also, check out John Baril’s online training blog at: Online Marketing Promotion