Although that article is itself a great resource, I still find myself being asked questions about use of email marketing online. Since I didn't go into depth about specifics of marketing using email in that previous article, I thought another was in order.

How do you go about sending email or marketing yourself online without crossing into "SPAMmer" category? First and foremost, KNOW WHO YOU ARE SENDING YOUR EMAIL TO. You don't have to be familiar with each recipient personally, but you'd better know whether or not they really want to hear what you have to offer. Always keep that in mind when sending an email to anyone, especially if it's an email meant to market your product or service.

Building An Opt-In List For anyone with an established website and a known web presence, building an opt-in list is generally an easy affair. The best type of list is "double opt-in list." This simply means that subscriber to list was required to complete at least two steps - apart from one another - to join list. Usually this means that user filled out a web form (name, email, etc.) and submitted it. They were then emailed with a "click here to activate your subscription"-type link. Once they click on link, they are subscribed to list. This strategy prevents those who aren't sure what they're doing from joining and, more importantly, keeps Bob from signing up his friend/enemy Larry without Larry's consent. I recommend you find someone who specializes in newsletter list keeping and delivery (such as Topica - http://www.qksrv.net/click-1357406-10280459) to do this for you.

Whether your website is brand new or well established, you should be collecting customer contact information (email addresses in particular) for further contact. You can provide a free newsletter, periodic updates via email, or "exclusive opportunities" for those who join. There must be some kind of incentive or you won't gather many email addresses. For an established website, this is usually enough. You already have traffic to see your offer and sign up. You need do little more.

For new site, though, this is only a portion of battle. The real effort comes in marketing your offer to drive traffic to your website and build your opt-in list. There are a LOT of great ways to do this without causing much of a stir. My favorite is to participate meaningfully in discussion lists related to your business. I spend a lot of time in Web Design and Development forums speaking with others in business as well as amateurs just looking for tips and help. Doing this without pushing myself down people's throats has gained me both fame and website traffic.

Another way to gather fast results is to advertise in newsletters/e-zines related to your business. Every business has trade, gossip, or news-related publications both on and offline. An advertisement in an e-zine online can get you 3,000 people looking at an ad you only spent $10 to list! The best thing about Internet is that these ads can usually include a hyperlink so that they can read your ad (which hopefully contains some kind of call-to-action) and immediately click through to your website!

In addition to all this, there are some great tools at Roving Web (http://www.qksrv.net/click-1357406-1668329) for email marketer. They offer free trials on many of their services and give top-notch service to their customers.

A slower and more time-consuming way to get word out is to talk to publishers of these e-zines, writers who write articles for them, and even to website owners of related websites and tell them about your product, service, or offer. If what you have seems interesting enough, they may write an article or include a "blurb" free of charge! Or even trade links with you so you can help each other promote your individual websites.

By Julie Chance

Have you ever watched a documentary about climbing Mount Everest? If so, you will undoubtedly remember one specific segment of journey where climbers cross a chasm, one carefully placed step after another, using aluminum ladders strung end to end. For me, just thought of it is enough to cause an anxiety attack!

There is a similar chasm between your product or service and your potential customers, even if it is only in potential customers’ mind. And for them, thought of crossing that chasm is enough to cause a severe case of anxiety.

Picture a group of your potential customers, standing at edge of a chasm on Mount Everest and you and your product or service standing on other side. It is your job and role of your marketing efforts to help potential clients cross that chasm one step at a time. At this stage, your immediate objective is not to get them to purchase. It is simply to get them to take that first step out onto ladder, followed by one more step, and than another until they reach ultimate decision to purchase.

It is as ludicrous to expect a potential customer to reach a purchase decision in one step as it would be to expect a Mount Everest adventurer to cross a chasm in one step. So how can you begin to move your potential customers across purchase chasm?

•Step One - Awareness and Knowledge: Before someone can purchase a product or service they must be aware of it. They must also have knowledge about what problems product or service will solve for them. They must be able to picture in their minds benefit they will receive from using product or service, and that picture must be enticing enough to motivate them to take that first step.

At this phase, your objective is to make potential customers aware of your product or service, generally through mass media type activities, advertising, direct mail, articles, public speaking, etc. and then to get them to take first step by requesting additional information. You might offer a brochure, free report, newsletter subscription or other informational item in exchange for contact information. The key is to offer something that:

* Is of value to your potential client, * Provides him or her with additional knowledge about your product or service and how it will solve his or her problems * Poses a very low level of risk or obligation on part of prospective customer.