The Five Golden Rules of List Building

Golden rules are those that actually work; they have been tried and tested my many, many people in different situations and found to be blue chip processes. Like stars used by sailors to steer by, they are permanent markers to that we can use to navigate to online business success.

So here are five of the best Golden Rules for building your email list.

Golden Rule # 1: Invest in a reputable autoresponder.

The reasoning for this is to ensure that your emails reach your recipient. Remember, you are judged as much by the autoresponder company you use, as the content of your messages. After all, would you rather respond to an opt-in link from 'QuickBuckResponse' or, say, AWeber (who I use, and recommend)?.

Golden Rule # 2:

Make it easy for your recipients to unsubscribe. This is important because naturally you don't want to lose people but, be honest, there comes a time when you want to unsubscribe from a list, isn't there? Nothing makes me more irritated than having to jump through several hoops in order to do so. Understand that when a subscriber leaves, they can come back. So make sure your 'Unsubscribe Confirmation' page is friendly and professional. (And you can even remind them of other products or services you offer, if you have them).

Golden Rule # 3:

Always provide value. You can find reasons you want to do this carefully. It is very important because nothing is more likely to make your recipient press the 'Delete' key than when they see your name in the "From" mail box and associate it with duff content. You're lost. If you haven't anything of value to say - don't do so! And explain the following week, or when you next email your list, why you weren't in contact.

Golden Rule # 4:

Always show up. If you'd rather this can be achieved by deciding how often you are going to email your list, and sticking to it, let people know if there is going to be a break (for vacation etc). Nothing is more likely to lose you subscribers than erratic, irregular mailings.

Golden Rule # 5:

Cull your list regularly. This could include removing subscribers who haven't clicked on links for a while, checking for duplicate email addresses, and so on. It's important because -this may come as a surprise - but the size of your list is not everything. Better to have a responsive list of 500 (when you start out) than an apparently huge list of 5000, most of whom are deadweights who are only looking for freebies from you.

You can trust and rely on these Golden Rules to build your email list to an enviable position. They've been time-tested and have been proved to be true. Follow them carefully and then your ultimate success will be assured plus your satisfaction at your success all the greater.

Was this article of interest and value? James Gladwin is a successful Internet marketer and a list building expert. Get your own List Building product that you can sell - and make money! Click here: http://www.ultrasimplewebtraffic.com/email_course_ezine.html.