Your email list can launch your business and help you achieve your biggest dreams. It’s the key to a long-lasting and successful business.

However, some people struggle to build their list. Others struggle to make money from their list.

Here are seven tips to build an email list that brings results.

1. Make them an offer they can’t refuse.

The best way to motivate someone to sign up for your email list is to make them an offer they can’t refuse. We’re talking about a super valuable giveaway. For many online marketers information products are a good motivating giveaway.

Ebooks, reports, online courses and even videos or audios are a good list building tool. They provide the subscriber with instant gratification.

And when the freebie is a top quality item, they’re sure to remain an avid subscriber. This means subsequent emails sent to them will be opened, read and acted upon.

2. Make sure your offer is strongly related to your niche.

Some people make the mistake of offering freebies that don’t strongly correlate to their niche business or goal. For example, a fitness trainer may offer a free report on how to eat to burn the most fat. However, their website is otherwise devoted to fitness training exercises.

People interested in fat burning are going to download the report but they may not necessarily be interested in fitness training or exercises.

You want to draw the subscribers who will be interested in also buying your products and returning to your website.

3. Connect and network.

One of the best ways to build an opt-in list is to network. Get out, shake hands literally. Pass out business cards. Participate on social networking feeds and include a website link on your profile and in some posts.

Participate on blogs and industry forums. The more places you visit and the more people you meet, the more traffic you’ll drive to your website opt-in form.

4. Build partnerships

Build partnership to build your list. Partnerships with relevant businesses can be a powerful way to grow an effective email list.

For example, an information website about getting the most out of Facebook and a website that sells customized Facebook pages might benefit from cross promoting one another’s list.

5. Utilize article marketing.

Article marketing accomplishes a number of business building tasks. It can also be used to drive strategic traffic to an opt-in page or squeeze page. However, when using article marketing be sure to:

a. Write a top notch article that makes people want to read more.
b. Offer a compelling and relevant giveaway to motivate an opt-in
c. Link to your squeeze page from your article and/or author’s resource box.

6. Employ strategic ads.

Finally, consider creating highly specific and targeted PPC (Pay Per Click) or Facebook campaigns to drive traffic to your opt-in page. Advertise the gift. Test and track your ads for success.

7. Review your opt-in form placement.

Make sure your opt-in form is placed in a prominent position on your website. Consider testing and tracking various locations to see which location works best.

And make sure to follow up with your subscribers. There’s no point in building a great opt-in list if you’re not going to use it!

Author’s content used under license, © Claire Communications