Every website and blog needs to create an opt-in list. But there is more than way to take your list of subscribers and put it to work monetising your website.
Outside of the obvious use as a way to communicate with subscribers and customers, here are some further suggestions for your Email List you may not have previously considered.
Joint Ventures
Have you ever thought about sharing space on your email messages? There are a couple different ways to do this. The first is a trade out – you include material from a partner in one message and they agree to do the same for you. You could also participate in profit sharing of any sales that occur as the result of each piece. Now you’ve easily doubled the number of people receiving your message.
The second way is to sell advertising space on your email. After all, you wouldn’t hesitate to sell online advertising space on your website or blog, right (and basically that is what affiliate marketing is)? So why not sell email message real estate? Enticing a sponsor to spend the money should be easy if you can prove the delivery rate of your communications.
You can also sell your list if you have included an opt-in to receive offers from other companies. Of course you’ll want to be very cautious about what’s promoted to your list. You’ll lose subscribers in a heartbeat if you’re not careful!
Create A Members Only Page
Here’s a way to include a call to action in your email message that almost always produces results – create a special landing page that only subscribers to your Email List can access. The page can offer something special, such as a discount code, a white paper, or something else of value.
This does two things for internet marketing purposes, it gives subscribers a reason to visit your website again, and it creates traffic to your URL.
Run A Contest
Or how about this: run a contest that only your opt-in list members can participate in. Advertise the contest on your site or blog but make it clear that contest entries are limited only to replies to an email message you send out. This is a great way to get people excited about the possibility of winning something and checking back to see who wins.
If you use an autoresponder, there is very little of your time spent on the actual hosting of the contest. Link the correct contest answer to content on your site so that you gain extra traffic.
Offer New Products Or Services
The key to making money from your email list is to steadily and regularly communicate with your subscribers. The more new and unusual tips and offers you provide, the more apt they are to take notice – and action. Consider offering something new that goes along with your niche market.
If you’re not getting as much money as you should from your opt-in Email List, don’t give up, just get creative. Mix things up and keep your subscribers looking forward to the next communication.
See you at the top of Google!
Sean Rasmussen
SEO Australia Pacific
AussieSEO.com © 2007 - 2010
Hi Sean,
These are all great ways to monetise your email list. I currently subscribe to a list where the blogger creates special content just for the people on that list. I notice that when we comment on the content, it makes the regular commenters want access to it.
I think it’s a really awesome way not just to get people to subscribe to your list but also to get new people to market your products to. There are definite benefits to being on that list. I am learning a lot from this blogger.
.-= Jazz Salinger´s last blog ..Learn and Earn – It’s a Marathon Not a Sprint =-.
Hi Sean
These are such great ideas. I feel at present that email marketing is an advanced skill for me however it has piqued my interest. I don’t think about email as a marketing tool but from what you have said here, it actually makes sense to do so.
Joint ventures sound like fun to do and so do competitions and offering new tips and products. I am pleased to now have that information added to my bank of IM knowledge and can use it further on up the track of success.
Thankyou for sharing this information.
Blessings
Elly
.-= Elly´s last blog .. =-.
So creative with the e-mail list. You`re a thinker which tells me I need my thinking cap on.
There are ways to co-create new business (love that word co-create) and you spell some of them out so well hear..
Email marketing is a good move – as it does allow you time to build up that essential credibility as you provide good and free information.
My little gardening list regularly gets tips on different aspects of gardening and how to’s etc – have yet to really push a product.
I do like the ideas of selling ads on my emails – would never have thought of that!
The JV idea is good – when I have a big enough list to interest someone.
This is full of good stuff – just cut & pasted 2 to do later today as a try out!
Good luck with it Peter, I’m sure taking action on some of these strategies will pay off for you
Making use of email marketing to leverage the opportunity that your list gives you is an important element for your online success and development of your business.
To ensure this happens and continues to happen, it is crucial that your emails are not just junk mail .
That’s the key – the people who have signed up – they didn’t sign up to be hammered with sales pitches – sure they know that you will make offers – but they first of all want from you content or information that is of value and of use.
Another element in this is to genuinely let them know you are interested in working with them to discover the solutions they need. Encourage their questions, ideas, suggestions, comments, and ask for feedback. Make it clear that you will address their concern.
Email marketing isn’t about hitting a load strangers with hard selling and information they don’t need or didn’t request.
“Treat the people on your lists with respect, and they will reciprocate. A trusting relationship goes a long way, even with email marketing.”
I have 5 articles on Ezine with more info that I learned from Sean Mize if you want more ideas
at http://ezinearticles.com/?Email-Marketing—Respect-Your-Subscribers&id=4203321
When you say about selling advertising on your email list to monetise it, how do you know how much to charge? Is it based on the cost of keywords or how big your email list is? People wouldn’t be interested unless the list is targeted at prospective customers and then you would worry that they would take sales away from you.
.-= Jackie Stenhouse´s last blog ..Anxiety Separation in Children =-.