An opt-in list is crucial to any site or internet based company. Even for a small venture such as a niche profit site an opt-in list can make a world of difference and also add some extra income to your pocket. Rarely will you see an e-commerce site, big or small, that is without an opt-in list.
An opt-in list allows a company to market their wares and site via e-mail. With an opt-in list, a site and a subscriber consent to sending and receiving a newsletter from your company. You can keep your subscribers abreast of what is currently available in your site as well as whatever is planned.
Because there is mutual consent between the two parties, any mail sent to the list is not considered spam. There is a great number of successfully read promotional materials such as catalogs, newsletters and ezines that are sent because the subscribers themselves have signed up for them, meaning, they do want to be sent those items.
Building a list is crucial, only a small percentage actually subscribe to an opt-in list. Many people find promotional mails annoying but of you provide a good newsletter or promotional material, you will see your list build and grow. You can also achieve this by having good content on your site. If people like what they see and read on your site, then they will want more. Newsletters are a way to attract them back to your site.
But other than marketing your wares and your services, an opt-in list can also be used to earn extra profit. The more subscribers you have, the more money you can make. Here are seven ways to make money using nothing more than your list.
1) Place advertisements. Many corporations will be willing to pay to put their banners and ads on a list with many subscribers. Selling or renting out lists is not a good idea so rather than doing that, many companies would just rather place ads with lists that have a huge subscriber base. Your newsletter can have ads and each one spells money.
2) Have affiliations with other companies that have at least a semblance or relation to your site. Here other companies will provide links and brief descriptions of what their products and services. With every click made on the link that directs or leads a subscriber from your list to their site, the company will pay you. This is P4P or pay for performance.
3) Make deals with other companies by asking for a small percentage of sales done through your list. With every sale done by customers that have come from your list and have gone there because of your newsletter, the other company will pay you a small percentage of your sales.
4) You may also get products from other sites on a consignment basis and sell them to your list via your newsletter. Place descriptions, articles and photos of the product in your newsletter. There will be those who will buy from you and when that happens, you can order the product from the other site and sell it to your buyer.
5) Sell e-books or a compilation of your articles on your list. Manuals and how-to articles are in great demand. Many people will be willing to shell out money to gain knowledge about a certain topic and subject. With your existing list trusting your expertise in that area, an e-book may be offered and sold or used as an incentive.
6) Create a network out of your list. Get people to invite more people to view your site and subscribe to your list. The larger your list the more people will be able to click on your links and affiliate links as well as make your advertisement rates higher.
7) Subscribers are willing to pay for information if they know that it can be trusted and relied upon. Use your list to get more and more people to subscribe to you as well as browse your site. Lastly, you can use your list to earn money by making them your partners. Your list will be the bloodline of your growth and increase.