Then stick to it! Many would be entrepreneurs will give up when first efforts seem to produce scant results. This will only leave a larger market share for you. Consistent marketing action and persistent focus will get you what you want.

4. How will you retain subscribers?

What will keep your list members from unsubscribing? What will you consistently offer to keep their attention?

It's important that you develop firm answers to these questions in advance. Lack of a well defined concept in this vein can lead to inconsistencies in your content, and possibly a mass exodus of previously interested prospects.

We do wish to advise against offering a constant flow of 'freebies' in order to retain subscribers. This can critically undermine responsiveness of your list. Your subscribers should know upfront that while you are interested in serving their needs, you are also in business to earn a profit.

5. What will be your mode of delivery?

How do you plan to keep in touch with your list? It goes without saying that we are discussing online communication by email. But there is methodology within that form as well.

You may choose to send your list only updates, new product announcements, and bits of useful information from time to time. Yet even this seemingly informal contact mode should be done on a scheduled basis, and not be left to random action.

You may also choose to formally publish your own newsletter. In this case, make a realistic assessment of how much time you have to devote to publishing, and gear your publishing schedule to surround your own ability to follow through. Few things are more detrimental to effectiveness of your list than haphazard publishing and delivery.

When approached with prior planning and systematic action, your opt-in list can accumulate much quicker than you might expect. With proper care and cultivation, it can literally grow into proverbial money-tree, and yield fruit for your lifetime. _________________________________________________ © Copyright 2002 - Serenity Marketing Group LLC All Rights Reserved Worldwide

We still must contact our prospects on a regular basis, to let them become acquainted with us, develop credibility, and set stage for relationships that are conducive to doing business. It often takes several contacts to convert an interested prospect into a paying customer, a near impossible task with one-shot advertising.

Our opt-in list allows us to do specific research, and test market for perceived needs. We can survey our customers and prospects to determine what their problems are, what it is that they want/need, and how much they feel a solution is worth.

By doing this sort of research, we can develop highly specialized 'lists-within-the-list' that are comprised of highly targeted prospects for a particular offer. You can bet that this type of list targeting was used whenever you hear one of Internet gurus crow about making $20K from a single email campaign.

Unlike any one-shot advertising venue can ever do, our own well cultivated opt-in list can guarantee us a monthly income into future. This is what is meant by 'The money is in list.' If we care for our list members, give excellent service, and cater to their needs, list itself becomes a means to financial freedom. __________________________________________________ © Copyright 2002 - Serenity Marketing Group LLC All Rights Reserved Worldwide