| "> | | | | when building your email list: |
| The easiest way to acquire an email list for your | | | | *Who is your target audience and what do you have |
| ezine or email marketing is just to buy one. They're | | | | to offer them? |
| not too expensive, and they provide you with a long | | | | *What kind of relationship do you want with the |
| list of names and email addresses. | | | | recipients of your emailings? |
| But if there is one thing I've learned as the owner of | | | | *What method or methods will you use to collect |
| an ezine, it is that the easy road is not always the | | | | email addresses? Web forms, registration or |
| one that brings you the best results. The problem | | | | subscription forms, trade shows, telephone contacts |
| with buying an email list is that none of the people on | | | | and sales calls are all viable ways to get the email |
| that list know who you are. When they receive an | | | | addresses of people who will be interested in what |
| email from you, most likely they will just delete it | | | | you have to offer. |
| without bothering to open it. | | | | *Will your emails come in the form of ads, |
| That is why it is so beneficial to build your own opt-in | | | | newsletters, deals and specials, company |
| email list. Yes, creating a list from scratch is the more | | | | announcements and press releases, or discussion |
| difficult and time-consuming solution, but at least it is | | | | lists? |
| a solution. Email lists rarely bring the desired results, | | | | *Will you handle the creative aspects of your |
| so the money you spend on them might as well be | | | | mailings, such as copywriting and editing, or will you |
| flushed down the toilet. | | | | need a little help? |
| Email marketing and ezine distribution isn't about | | | | Once you're ready to start building your list, use |
| blasting a bunch of strangers with sales pitches and | | | | outside lists to help you get started. You can recruit |
| information they don't want and didn't ask for. If you | | | | opt-in list members by renting an opt-in list to send |
| really want to achieve results with your email list, you | | | | out an announcement. You could also try taking out |
| need to build your own. | | | | an ad in a targeted email newsletter or discussion list. |
| Here is a list of questions you need to ask yourself | | | | |