11 Ways to Quickly Build Your List

by: Rosalind Gardner

If you've been doing your homework, you know that your Internet business basically can't exist without a list of ezine subscribers.

This is very much a case of 'the more, the merrier'. The more people on your list, the more sales you make, the merrier you'll be.

So how do you get lots of people to subscribe to your list as quickly as possible?

And just as important - once they've signed up, how do you get them to stay on your list?

Good questions!

For the answers, read the following 11 tips and learn how you can quickly build your own big list of happy, loyal subscribers.

1. Location, Location, Location - Place a signup form in a prominent location on every page, so every visitor to your site will have the opportunity to sign up for your newsletter or autoresponder series. This 'prominent' place is commonly the upper right hand corner.
2. Add an Exit Pop-Up - To make sure your visitors don't leave without seeing your ezine signup form, add an exit pop up that pops ONLY when they are leaving your domain. Exit pops on every page are annoying. Not only won't you get the subscriber, you'll lose the visitor permanently.
3. Keep Things Simple - Make it simple to sign up for your ezine. Subscribers aren't applying for a job, so don't ask for their age, city of residence or other personal information. First name and em*il address are sufficient to allow you to personalize your emails without intruding on their privacy.
4. What's in it for Me? - Describe the benefits and frequency of your periodical. Deliver on your promises. Literally.
5. It's Fr ee! - People love to get free stuff. Mention that your newsletter or 7-part ecourse is free and increase your sign-up rate ten fold!
6. Sweeten the Pot - Make your offer irresistible. Include an ebook as a free download. If you haven't written a book or a report, many top marketers offer ebooks that can be coded with your affiliate links.
7. Make Your Email Work for You - Include a subscribe mailto: link or URL in the signature line of every email you send out.
8. Write Articles for Other Ezines - Offer your articles as free content to other webmasters ezines. In the author's resource box, include a link to your own ezine subscription form.
9. Ezine Advertising - For as little as $10, you can advertise in other ezines to thousands of potential subscribers. Be sure to include your subscription URL or email link at the bottom of the ad.
10. Keep 'Em Coming Back - To keep your list growing in size, your newsletter content has to be entertaining and informative. That's the only way to keep your 'unsubscribe' link from being over-used.
11. Go Viral - Ask your readers to pass your newsletter on to their friends. If they like it enough they will. (See 'Keep 'Em Coming Back' above.)

There you have them. Eleven ways to build your subscriber base quickly, easily and for the most part, without cost.