It is important today for business owners to have a strong following. When you build a strong following you have the ability to create instant cash injections in your business whenever you need it. There are several ways to build your following offline and online but the most effective strategy is through List Building. A list:

• Allows you to establish a personal relationship between you and your subscribers/followers.


• It helps create credibility and rapport.


• The power of a list provides the perfect way for your prospect to experience your company on a regular basis via email, direct mail or text messages, etc

No matter what the economy does or no matter if your advertisement budget is cut, your list gives you instant access to your target market and opens a direct line of communication. There are many different strategies to building your list but, the most effective is creating an opt-in process.

Getting opt-ins can be tricky.
The best way to encourage opt-ins is by offering something in return for their name, email address and any other contact information. This allows individuals to consciously decide if they want to hear from you and take measures to connect. Here are a few ideas to increase your opt-in rates to build your list:

• Add an opt-in-box to your website with a free offer (product or service)


• When speaking at events provide a digital download for an exclusive report


• Conduct a free webinar/teleseminar that your target market would love

How to capture and manage your list?
In order to capture the opt-ins, you want to use a contact management system that helps you manage your list and one that makes it easy for you to send messages out to them. Once you have your contact manager account set up you will be able to manually add individuals (they must verify subscription) and/or place an opt-in form box on your site (this is the most efficient and automatic way).

Show your customers that you know what you are talking about. Provide them with helpful tips and advice that pertains to what your company is about and how you can help them solve their problem. It's best to offer something that can be immediately accessible after joining your list.

Build a strong following that will buy from you.
The more RESPONSIVE your subscribers are the more revenue you can generate. Make sure that they are satisfied with your opt-in marketing strategies and keep them excited about receiving your newsletters, text messages or catalogs, etc. Once you've build up on a valuable opt-in list, make sure that you consistently maintain it well.

Keep in contact with your subscribers on a regular and you will have a surefire way to build a strong following that will buy your products.