Simon Paul Thurston

You finally realized that you need a great opt-in list.  You’ve read countless articles and have sought out expert advice.  You’ve read all kinds of success stories by people who’ve created a small fortune with opt-in lists, so you’ve finally decided to have one of your own.  Then it happens – you think you know everything there is to know about opt-in lists and you’ve followed all of the advice to the letter, yet you still weren’t able to make a profit.

Even worse, maybe you’re losing money.  You hired excellent writers to help you create content, or you’ve invested in software or a mailing list.  And even though you’ve built a huge list – only a very small percentage ever actually buys anything, so you’re not making any profit.  You’ve reviewed your statistics and sales figures over the last few months, and things just don’t add up.

What Went Wrong?

Why have others succeeded where you have failed?  The most common mistake is simple – you dove in head first.  You chose a topic that you believed would be very popular and would earn you profit, but it turns out this isn’t the case.  Just because folks have signed up for an opt-in list doesn’t mean they are going to buy from you.

Here, I will offer a few important tips for those who have already started an opt-in list that is simply failing miserably.  You can rejuvenate your failed venture.  Here are three quick and easy ways to rebuild a profitable opt-in list.

1) Get your customers to trust you, and your product.

Provide expert advice and recommendations that are valuable for people.  If people trust you, your opt-in list will consist of folks who know you and believe that what you have to say (and sell) is quite valuable.  You can build a base from people all over the internet, such as forum users.   Ask friends.  And of course – always have a link on your website that provides an easy opt-in option for visitors to your site.

2) Find a product or service that people want and need.

Although it may not be your forte, if you provide a service and product that you have thoroughly researched, you can carry it on well and succeed.  Invest your time, effort, and money in learning what niche out there is extremely popular.  Research it, learn about it, and learn what products within that popular niche that people are seeking. 

While it’s true that it is best to sell something that you have an interest in, not everyone may share the same interests as you do, or your current interests might not be something that is popular or profitable.  Be flexible.  Find what’s popular, and twist it to make it interesting to you.  Research well, and you’ll see profits start to roll in.   Offer promotional material to your list that readers can use and will want to share.

3) Make friends with other opt-in list users.

The best way to learn what works and what doesn’t, is to become friends with someone who is currently running a successful opt-in list.  These are people who have the experience and background – and experience is always the best teacher.  While there are a number of articles throughout the internet on these subjects, there is nothing quite as valuable as getting to know someone who is successful, and learning from them.

Experienced opt-in list users will be able to share with you what works and what doesn’t, because they’ve gone through it.  While different circumstances demand different approaches, a general battle plan can still be very helpful.  There are so many pitfalls, these are the people who will have the experience to tell you which ones to avoid.

Building a profitable opt-in list certainly doesn’t happen overnight.  It takes a great deal of preparation and effort.  Opt-in lists are built from scratch – gathering loyal readers who will learn to respect and trust what you offer.  Maintain the quality of this list carefully – keep it organized and manageable.  If you need help – hire someone.  It’s that critical to keep your subscribers happy and satisfied.  If you do, they will be willing to buy from you again and again - and your profits will skyrocket.