Building An Email List - James Winsoar

It is often said that the most valuable thing in a business is the list. If this is true shouldn?t building your list be your number one priority?

You may be in an internet-only business, or you might have a real world business so to speak. List building is equally as important in both. Your business probably is a mixture of both offline and online to some extent.

Collecting customers details

A burger restaurant could give cards out with the bill, asking for feedback, and asking customers for their name, telephone number, and email address for a future discount, or a prize draw entry. That way it is possible to regularly follow up with special offers to tempt customers back and encourage repeat custom.

Sites like Groupon are extremely popular today, and it is entirely possible for individual retailers and businesses to set up a similar system of their own, without sharing data, or providing huge commissions out to the daily deals operator.

Individuals in business can also benefit from list building. Professionals, speakers, consultants,?advisers,?etc. can all build their own valuable lists of clients, prospects, or contacts, who they can add value to on a consistent basis by sending out useful tips, articles, trainings, and offers.

The larger your list grows, and the more responsive your subscribers become, the more market share you will get in your sector.

In fact, if I lost everything and had to start again, my number one priority would be building a list. Every day I try to engage in one or more forms of list building activity.

Sending out your emails

The first thing you need to build a list and communicate with your subscribers is an auto-responder.

It would be impractical to add everyone to a group in Outlook, and try to email them manually. Say for example you want to send an email out instantly the moment someone subscribes, then a series of timed emails days or weeks apart, and a monthly newsletter to everyone. Trying to do that in a standard email program would be an administrative nightmare!

I have tried many autoresponders in the past, and the one I?ve settled on and recommend now is called Talk Fusion. They provide world-class support, an intuitive interface, very nicely designed email capture form templates (like the one above right), and the ability to embed video into email without any file attachments or downloads.

Whichever autoresponder you use, remember, once you start building your list, look after it. Never over-sell to your list, or send out any spam. Personally, I would never promote anyone else?s product unless I?d tested it and fully believe in it.

Be consistent with your communication

Consistency is essential. If you are going to email your list once a week, keep to that frequency. If it?s twice a day, stick to it. If you miss a month, then suddenly start emailing weekly again you?re going to get un-subscribe requests or a low response rate. By being consistent you can build relationships with you list.

Above all, always aim to add value!

Talk Fusion?also has an excellent business opportunity. If you are considering joining please ensure that you sign up through my link. Call me on +44 (0)1332 898879 for further information, or skype me: winsoar2.

Source: http://www.jameswinsoar.com/building-an-email-list/

miami dolphins buffalo bills pittsburgh steelers seattle seahawks ryan tannehill cispa baltimore ravens