affiliate_email

You can’t sell through your site if nobody can find it, and one of the most reliable ways to get them to visit is to invite them. And the easiest way to invite them is to via email. But beware, and approach email as if a “do not email list” existed today, as it may in the future. Is someone hasn’t given you express permission to email them something with a commercial message, do not send anything. This is considered spamming and it will ruin the good will you’ve worked so hard to build for your site. It can also subject you to fines and other penalties.

So, how can you create an email list?

Draw people to your site via search engines, and offer them something of value, such as an ezine or newsletter subscription, in exchange for their email address.

Speak, network, and give classes; have participants sign up for your electronic newsletter or ezine.

Be sure your brochures, marketing materials, and handouts reference your site and the free information available. When they visit, have a form so they can subscribe to your information. Once anyone subscribes, autorespond, asking them to confirm that they indeed do want to hear from you in the future.

NEVER take a shortcut by borrowing or renting an email list.

Once you have built a list, keep these targeted visitors interested by periodically providing them with a e-publication that addresses their information needs – anything from updates on legislation to e-book chapters to tips and how tos. Give them a way to contact you to ask questions, and actively solicit their opinions on your site and new information they would like to receive. Always give them an easy way to opt out of your list, every time you communicate with them. This way you will have a highly targeted list of qualified buyers – a must for online commerce.

Karen Kari's articles and more information on the affiliate business can be found at:
http://www.affiliatebandit.com/
http://www.advertisingcellar.com/
http://www.billionfreeads.com/