The easiest way to acquire an email list for your ezine or email marketing is just to buy one. They're not too expensive, and they provide you with a long list of names and email addresses.

But if there is one thing I've learned as owner of an ezine, it is that easy road is not always one that brings you best results. The problem with buying an email list is that none of people on that list know who you are. When they receive an email from you, most likely they will just delete it without bothering to open it.

That is why it is so beneficial to build your own opt-in email list. Yes, creating a list from scratch is more difficult and time-consuming solution, but at least it is a solution. Email lists rarely bring desired results, so money you spend on them might as well be flushed down toilet.

Email marketing and ezine distribution isn't about blasting a bunch of strangers with sales pitches and information they don't want and didn't ask for. If you really want to achieve results with your email list, you need to build your own.

Here is a list of questions you need to ask yourself when building your email list:

How to Generate a Powerful Tornado of Web Money

By Stephen Bucaro

Tornadoes are one of most feared phenomenons in nature. A tornado is a powerful rotating funnel of air. Scientists have measured wind speeds of over 300 mph inside a tornado. The rotation of a tornado feeds upon itself, often spawning smaller counter-rotating tornadoes as it pulls in everything in its path. Wish you could create a powerful tornado that pulls in money from Web? You can!

Your main tornado consists of a website with free downloads and an associated newsletter. Let's assume people start at your website, drawn in by valuable content it provides. To download freebies, they must sign up for your newsletter.

Your newsletter draws them back to your website for more content and more downloads. Round and round they go from newsletter to website to download. As they are exposed to your products, services and advertising, they generate a powerful stream of revenue. This main tornado can spawn smaller tornados that pull in more money from Web.