While all the Internet marketing gurus are quick to state that “the money is in the list,” they fail to mention that while that may in fact be true, building a list is not always the easiest thing to do. In fact, creating a list can be extremely demanding, even when you’ve successfully managed to tweak your site in every conceivable way, from testing squeeze pages to fine tuning headlines. However, there’s no reason why you should throw in the towel because there are in fact certain measures you can take in order to get that list growing faster than what you thought possible.

1. Offer a Newsletter

Let’s face it, we all love getting something for free, so if you offer your visitors something in return for opting in, you’ll automatically have more opt-ins. Of course, having said that, whatever you offer them needs to be of some value to them because if it’s not, they’ll simply unsubscribe almost immediately. Furthermore, you need to keep your list warm and the best way to do that is by sending out weekly newsletters to those on your list. Providing your newsletters are packed full of useful information within your niche, and your readers find them interesting and beneficial, they’ll actually enjoy receiving them.

2. Offer a Free Report

Offering visitors a free report has also shown to be incredibly effective in getting them to opt-in, particularly when the report you’re offering them is available only from your site. Providing your opt-in report is just as meaningful as a regular report is, there’s every possibility that those who read it will opt-in. Of course, it also pays to include a few testimonials from some of your happy subscribers because we all know just how powerful word-of-mouth advertising can be.

3. Use Videos

I’m sorry to have to say this, but if you haven’t yet noticed just how much traffic sites such as YouTube, MetaCafe and DailyMotion are getting, then I’m afraid you must be from a different planet. These sites are all exploiting the fact that as humans we tend to be lazy, and as such, why read through an article if you can simply look and listen instead. By including videos on your website for those who opt-in, you’ll effectively be encouraging visitors to opt-in. Just make sure that your opt-in box appears right next to a tempting video, That way, once they’ve watched the video, the temptation to opt in will simply be too much for them and as a result, more names are added to your growing list.

4. The Importance of Quality Graphics

We’ve all heard the saying that one should never judge a book by its cover but unfortunately most people do. Websites which don’t look the part, inevitably suffer from a low sales and conversion rate. The chances are; if your site doesn’t look good, you’re more than likely already aware of it. The fact is though, you can do something about it because in this day and age, professional graphics no longer cost an arm and a leg. In fact, you can now get opt-in and other template graphic for about the same price as a domain name. Professional looking graphics do exactly what they say they can do, in that they make your site appear professional. Remember, people will be more willing to opt-in if you have a professional looking site.

What other ways can you do to increase opt-in conversion rates? Please share your questions and comments below. Thanks!

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Here are 14 top tactics that will help you to increase your list:

1. Put Forms on Each Website Page – One great way that you can start increasing your opt-ins is to make sure that you put your sign up forms on all the pages of your website. This way everyone can see your sign up form, no matter what page of your site that they happen to land on.

2. Make Forms Visible – It’s also very important that you make your forms visible on your website as well. If no one notices your form, they won’t sign up. Testing shows that the best location for your opt-in box is the upper-right hand corner.

3. Show Your Privacy Policy – Make sure that you show your privacy policy near the sign up form so everyone can easily see that you won’t be selling or giving away their email address.

4. Assure Opt-Ins That They Can Unsubscribe – People want to know that they can unsubscribe. So, make sure that you let people know they can unsubscribe. They’ll be more likely to sign up.

5. Show Benefits to Signing Up – Showing the benefits to signing up can really help you to increase opt-ins. Use language that will show visitors all the benefits to signing up to be a part of your list.

6. Keep the Form Simple – If you want to increase opt-ins, keep the form simple. The more complex the form, the less likely people are to sign up. Usually asking for their name and email address is sufficient for your needs. Remember, you can always get more information in the future.

7. Use “Tell-A-Friend” Technology – Mike Filsaime’s Viral Friend Generator is a small program that plugs into your opt-in process to create an incentive based tell-a-friend form. VFG increases visitors to your website which in turn increases opt-ins to your list.

8. Have a Great Call to Action – A great call to action is also important if you want to get people to sign up for your mailing list. Use powerful wording to get people to take action and sign up, e.g., “Click Here To Sign Up Free!”

9. Provide Top Quality Information – Providing top quality information in your newsletter is a wonderful way that you can work to increase your opt-ins. When people know they will get great information, they’ll be more likely to sign up.

10. Offer Discounts for Signing Up – Another great way that you can work to increase the amount of opt-ins that you get for your mailing list is to offer discounts on products or services when they sign up. People love to get discounts, and this is a great way to get their email address.

11. Have a Prize Drawing – The thought of being able to win a prize is definitely a motivator for those who are considering signing up.

12. Give Away an Infoproduct – Giving away an infoproduct is a great way to increase your opt-ins. Things like special reports and ebooks are great options for you to give away.

13. Try Pay Per Click Campaigns – You may also find that using a pay per click campaign is a wonderful way that you can bring in more traffic to your site to increase your opt-ins for your mailing list. Pay per click campaigns are very effective and can really help you to build up your list.

14. Get Involved with Forums – Forums allow you to have a signature line that links to your site, and then when people click on your link, they’ll have the opportunity to sign up.

As you can see, there are many effective ways that you can work to increase your opt-ins to your mailing list. Whether you use one of these methods or all of them, you will definitely find that they will help you to build your list.

Got any email marketing tips you’d like to add to the above list? Please let us know by leaving a comment below.

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1. Your goal or purpose must be clear and concise. Ideally, your landing page should be there for one purpose and one purpose only. It’s there to convert a visitor into a buyer. Likewise, if you’re not selling anything and you’re simply wanting visitors to subscribe to your newsletter, then that would be the purpose of your squeeze page.

2. Use one page for a single package of related keywords. Essentially, you need to create various squeeze pages in order to cater for the various audiences you’re targeting. This is absolutely necessary because not all your audiences will be like-minded people.

3. Your headline should always highlight the benefits. You don’t want to lose your visitor before they’ve even read through your offer, so make sure the most attractive aspects are mentioned in the headline. You can always include other benefits and/or advantages elsewhere in the offer.

4. Avoid elaborately designed pages. It’s been proven beyond all doubt that simplicity is the key, so don’t be tempted to include a multitude of colors. Instead, opt for black text on a white background. If you have to use colors, restrict them to headlines and the like. Above all, while it’s perfectly acceptable to have some simple graphics, avoid flashing banners as you would the plague.

5. Use terms which have a psychological effect. These are nothing more than simple words which have a psychological effect on the subconscious. Also referred to as psychological triggers, words such as guarantee, proven, tested, etc, can make a difference if used sparingly.

6. Your landing page needs to flow smoothly. Your best way to determine this is to read the page yourself, not once, but over and over again. You need to be sure it is smooth to read, rather than appearing like snippets of text which have been placed together.

7. Call your visitor to action more than once. Some visitors are easier to win over than others and these may be ready to buy your product before they’re even half way through your page. If they’re ready to buy, why risk loosing them by giving them time to change their mind? Therefore, have your “Buy-it-Now” buttons, etc, in more than one area of the page. Additionally, include a few hyperlinks which link to your shopping cart.

8. Instill a feeling of urgency. Putting a time limit of any offers is a great way to instill a sense of urgency. Make it clear that the offer they are receiving, will only be valid until a certain time but realize one thing, if you don’t stick to your guns, you’ll be losing credibility.

9. Put yourself on display. Putting a quality photo of yourself on your landing page can increase your visitor to buyer conversion rate tenfold. Generally speaking, people feel safer when they can see who they’re dealing with, and they feel more confident that you’ll be there for them should they need help.

What’s your take on this post? Do you have any other tips on writing effective squeeze pages? Please comment below.

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