“The money is in the list” is probably the #1 affiliate marketer saying of all time.  There’s a reason for the saying: in most niches, list building is by far the most profitable tool for amassing wealth.  After all, who could be better to sell to than a captive audience?

Offer your list something for free.

Even when your list caters to an emotion or interest that your prospect has already shown affinity for, it’s still hard to convince people to do something in exchange for nothing.  That’s why free report is the most commonly used list building tactic today.

But you don’t have to use reports exclusively.  In fact, in some niches it’s really not recommended at all!  Quick software downloads (games, screensavers, and personal organizers), discount codes, and electronic ‘coupons’ are all great incentives to get people to join your list.

Don’t sell with every message.

No one reminds their boss every day that they’ll get paid at the end of the week.  You don’t take an opportunity every day to remind your family of when your birthday is (at least I hope you don’t).  And you shouldn’t snag every single opportunity you have, to try and sell to your list.

If you do, you’re likely to end up with a pretty unresponsive list–if you end up with any list at all.

Everyone loves to buy–but nobody likes to be sold!  Even on internet marketing lists, where anyone with any sense expects to be sold to, most list owners don’t try and make a sale with every single email.

Trying to sell with every mail will make your readers ad-blind at best.  At worst, they’ll resent what you’re doing and opt out of your list.  Keep in mind that they joined in order to gain useful information for themselves–not to make you rich.  Give them that information!

Learn more about list building from Matt Bacak this December at the “Survival Tactics for Tough Times” seminar.