The key to using an opt-in list effectively is to develop a large subscriber base. Not just a large subscriber base, but a list of targeted potential customers.

Although a large opt-in list is an important part of your success, quality of your publication is even more important -- both will play a very important role.

If you really want to build a massive opt-in list, you MUST provide your potential subscribers with an incentive. The competition on Internet is fierce. No longer can you simply tell your visitors what your publication will provide and expect a large percentage to subscribe. It simply won't work. You MUST give your visitors a reason to subscribe.

=> Incentives

Using incentives is a highly effective method of obtaining new subscribers. However, your incentive must be of value and be of interest to your target audience.

Some popular incentives include:

* Exclusive ebooks that provide valuable information

* Special exclusive reports

* Special software programs

* Access to a "members only" area of your website

* Provide a service

* List their website within your Directory or Search Engine.

In order for your visitors to receive your incentive, they must agree to receive your publication.

=> Pop-Windows

Although pop-windows can be irritating if not used correctly, they provide a highly effective means of obtaining new subscribers. The key to using pop-windows effectively is to combine them with your incentives.

If you would be interested in adding a pop-window to your site, I highly recommend "Pop-Window Generator" at Willmaster.com. This powerful online utility will enable you to fill out a simple form and instantly generate pop- window code for your pages. This generator will enable you to select type of pop-window, set length of cookies, and completely customize look and feel of your window. The only requirement to use this free utility is that you must be a subscriber of WillMaster Possibilities. This is a great publication and I highly recommend subscribing. http://willmaster.com/possibilities/members/

This is a prime example of using incentives...

=> Alert Boxes

Although using pop-windows with incentives is a highly effective method of obtaining new subscribers, there is one other method that is even better. When combined with an incentive, this method will literally double or even triple your subscriptions instantly. That's not hype -- it's fact, as I use this method to obtain hundreds of new subscribers each week. It's similar to a pop-window, but it doesn't require your visitor to fill out a form.

This sounds easy enough but these days ezine advertising has become so competitive that a smart marketer needs to rethink his/her ezine advertising strategy. This is necessary in order to stand apart from competition, reach an audience of targeted customers and continue to reap overwhelming benefits resulting from this highly effective medium.

One of biggest problems with traditional ezine advertising is fact that your ad gets sandwiched in between 5-15 other ads of similar content. This naturally dramatically decreases effectiveness of your ad.

Not to mention fact that with so many affiliate programs in existence, competition between affiliates has escalated to new heights leading to many affiliates of same program saturating a once responsive market through their ezine advertising campaigns.

This has lead to decreased revenues for affiliates and public apathy for product/service. The situation has gotten so competitive that not only once but on several occasions I have witnessed ezines publish exact same ad for an affiliate program (with different affiliate I.D.'s) all in very same issue. How can this possibly benefit those advertisers?

However, this is not fault of ezine publisher either. The main purpose of an ezine (for many but not all publishers) is to sell advertising. When someone approaches a publisher with advertising dollars, you cannot fault him/her for taking money and running ad. That publisher is simply making an honest buck.

But there are some ingenious methods you can employ to get your ad in front of a responsive target market by utilizing ezine advertising. For starters, if you run an affiliate program provide your affiliates with several different, tested classified ads which they can use to place in different ezines.

Remember, your affiliates are your salespeople - you want them to make as much money as possible so that you too make as much money as possible. Therefore, it is in your best interest to help them as much as you can.