USING SAFELISTS ("OPT-IN" LISTS) TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS

Safelists are easily the best marketing tool in my arsenal of promotion weapons. Using safelists is simply e-mailing your advertisement to others without the threat of spam (unsolicitated e-mail). This is accomplished by joining safelist groups who have agreed to receive your advertisement. Like all other members of a safelist group, you agree to receive other members ads. The result is your ad being sent to like-minded marketers who are interested in internet business. Just recently, safelists have made a turn from using your own mail server through e-mail based safelists (for example, to post to a list you send your ad to a certain e-mail address where it gets dispursed to the members). The latest "fad" are web-based safelists. To post to web-based safelists, members enter a password protected website where advertisements are sent from. There are many of these web-based safelists that have 1,000's of members, which means YOUR ad in 1,000's of mailboxes. 

Opt-In Lists are an effective method of advertising. As with any form of advertising, it must be done consistently to see good results. I recommend posting to opt-in lists every day.

Opt-In Lists have been formed in a variety of different subjects like: gardening, mechanics, sports, fashion, home-business, entreprenuers, MLM's, etc... There are thousands of these lists with a subscription basis from a few people to thousands on each list.

When people are interested in joining any of these lists, they may do so for free. Once you have joined a list, you have agreed to receive the postings (ads) made to that list.

Of course, we want to join alot of opt-in lists so we can send out our ad about Empowerism for prospects to read!

There are several different places to find thousands of different opt-in lists. Here are the URL's to these places:

http://www.globelists.com/

http://www.egroups.com/

http://www.topica.com/

When you get into these sites you will have to sign up to become a member. Once you are a member, you can join whichever lists you want to.

IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT JOINING SAFELISTS

1. Before joining any lists, get 3-5 free e-mail accounts. You will want to have these to send all of the lists to that you will receive. That way you will not be "clogging up" your regular e-mail account with all of these postings -OR- You can choose the "No Mail-Web Only" setting. If you do this, you will not receive any e-mails from the lists and you can read the lists on the web. You CAN still post to the lists if you choose this setting.

2. DO NOT join lists that are moderated or restricted. You want to be able to make posts to all the lists yourself.

3. Join lists that have a good subscription base.

4. Join lists that you can post to once a day. If you want to join lists that you can post to less than that (ex: once weekly) then you will have to organize a system to keep track of when you posted last and the next time you are allowed to post.

5. When you ask to be subscribed to the lists you are interested in, they will send you a confirmation e-mail. You have to confirm before you are added to the list.

6. Get Organized! If you are going to be successful with Opt-Ins, you have to get yourself organized. This is what I do:

EXAMPLE:

I keep a written log of all of the lists I have joined with each list company (egroups, globelists, or topica.) On this log, I also put notes like: 1. Can post to once a day. 2. How to post to that list. etc...

MORE NOTES ABOUT POSTING TO OPT-IN LISTS

1. Post to all of the opt-in lists you have subscribed to DAILY. Unless, you are not allowed to. Post to those lists as allowed!

2. The system I use for posting is rather simple: I go to the list companies (egroups, globelists, or topica) and post my Empowerism ads from within their sites.

3. I also keep my ads on my desktop. So all I have to do is copy and paste when I am ready to send a post.

3. DO NOT FORGET TO DELETE ALL OF THE E-MAILS FROM YOUR FREE E-MAIL ACCOUNTS if you have chosen the "Individual or Digest Mode."

Well, that is all there is to posting to opt-in lists. You will find it a little time-consuming, however, it is well worth it. Promote via opt-in lists diligently! It will pay off!

Just get yourself organized. Have a system. Then everyday when you sit down in front of your computer, you will know exactly what you are doing! If you aren't organized, you will sit down and think, "What is it I am doing again?"

Everytime I use opt-ins, there is almost an immediate response!

Happy posting!