You're a business owner, and of course you'll do ANYTHING to make your business succeed.

After all, you don't just believe your idea/product/service will work -- you also know you're ONLY PERSON in world who can make it work, because you're simply PASSIONATE about it.

But sometimes -- sometimes -- this business owner's passion and conviction turn out to be very same things that can bring about failure.

All because of a common mistake that too many well-intentioned business owners often make...

What IS This Mistake?

....And how do you avoid it?

Before we get to these questions, let me ask you to think about a few people first:

Dentists. Doctors. Teachers. Parents.

What do these people have in common? What do you remember most about them when you were a child?

Most likely you started out hating these people, because they always seemed to be making you do things you didn't like. Horrible stuff like root canals, flu shots, research papers, and eating leafy green vegetables.

But as you grew older you probably looked back on your relationship with them, and you realized you had more reason to love them than anyone else. Because during those times when they told you those horrible things were "for your own good" -- they were actually telling truth!

Now, we think we're all grown up and we know all about that.

But there is ONE IMPORTANT LESSON that we mature business owners can learn from this juvenile mistake:

No matter how old you get, you still can't always recognize things you REALLY NEED.

My Head Hurts... I Should Buy A Car!

This is a hard truth, and we all need to learn it.

Although we like to think we're in total control of every aspect of ourselves & our business, there WILL be times when it's best to consult experts.

Let's take "marketing," for instance.

Marketing gurus have always advised you to put yourself in mindset of your customer. And at first glance, this seems too easy. After all, no one knows your product better than you.

But then you watch your marketing efforts flop over & over again, and you start blaming ezine & website owners (where you place your ads) or your ad distributors (for not doing their jobs).

You overlook part where you probably made your first mistake: When you failed to REALLY put yourself in your client's shoes.

And it's not really surprising, or anything to be ashamed of. Simply because you are NOT your client.

You're business owner, product developer, service provider. You know too much, have gone too far, and it's really hard for you to teach concept of a simple star to a first grader when your mind is already filled with relativity and nuclear propulsion.

So what DO you do to succeed? How DO you reach imagination of a "first grader," when you're already a Doctorate Degree holder?

Simple: You ask for help of a first grade teacher!

Ask The Experts, And DO What They Say!

Again this sounds so simple, but many floundering businesses today prove it is not.

Branding expert Rob Frankel even laments that there are 2 kinds of business owners that are beyond anyone's help:

- The first kind believes in his own style of marketing so much, he doesn't think he'll ever need advice of a marketing specialist.

That being case, a list containing names and email addresses of interested prospects becomes an essential building block of success. A viable and workable opt-in mailing list is not an 'option' . . . it's a necessity. It goes without saying that we want our list to be as large as possible, but we're also seeking list quality as well.

So, here are several techniques that we have used, and continue to use in our own list-building efforts. They will work IF you work them.

1. Place an invitation to join prominently on your site.

Exposure is operative word. Consider that your visitor is likely to be already interested in what you have to offer. Otherwise, she wouldn't be at your site in first place. She will also be likely to join your list IF you give her an open invitation, and make it worth her time and effort.

2. Offer an incentive for joining your list.

A majority of Internet users come online seeking information about whatever topic interests them at moment. Take advantage of this human curiosity by offering an informative ebook, group of ebooks, or an educational report on a topic that surrounds your site's focus. This will further pique interest of your prospect, giving her a reason to join your list.

3. Advertise your incentive offers to other lists.

Paying for qualified leads is a reasonable and much used business practice. Advertising your new promotional ebook, report, or even a free service that you will provide can and typically will bring in a flood of new list members.

Note however, that this technique involves a cash investment for initial advertising. To use this method, you must also have a focused marketing plan in place, geared toward recouping your cost by immediately offering your new subscribers related products for purchase.

4. Promote your list in your signature box.