A responsive email list is the most valuable part of your business. Get this right and your success is a lot easier. There are several variables that add up to a responsive list, and in this article, I want to cover 4 areas:

Build the relationship, help your readers, get paid, and keep them coming back for more. Let's get started...

1. Build The Relationship

It is well known within marketing circles that people buy from PEOPLE and especially people they like. Therefore it is important as a marketer you develop a relationship with the people on your list.

When people initially sign up to your offer, they don’t know anything about you, aside from what they found out on your site.  You're a stranger, someone who they are taking a chance on.

However over time, they will get to know you and what you're about. A person who can be trusted and even liked…

…a person whose views are worth listening to.

Just consider this for a moment; if a stranger came up to you and asked to be taken halfway across the country to visit a relative, you are probably going to tell them where to go.

Now let’s repeat that scenario, and replace the stranger with a close friend, someone you like. Now things are different and you will most likely move heaven and earth to try to help them out.

As I say people buy from people…people they like/trust.

That's the first key to building a responsive email list. Let them get to know you by telling about how you got started, about experiences you've had, a little about yourself. And let them know that if they have any questions or comments, that you are happy to hear from them. Which leads to the next key...

2. Help Your List

Your subscribers are on your list for a reason. They are their own reason(s), and they are on your list because they are getting value from it.

If you are doing it right, the mails you send to your subscribers will help them.

This can be with valuable content they can use to add to their knowledge or understanding of the topic/niche you are writing in, or it can be a suggestion of a product or service that you believe will help or benefit them. (Or, as I often do, a combination of the two).

Get this right and subscribers will start actively looking out for your mails and will even be disappointed if they don’t receive anything.

I know I have certain marketers I feel this way about, and maybe you do to.

And make sure to mention at the end of every email that you welcome their questions and comments.

And when you do get responses, take the time to reply to their message. When you show that you are interested in helping them, they are going to be more likely to open your messages and click on the links to make a purchase.

Your responsive email list is there to help you subscribers, and it is also there so that you can do what any online business needs to do - get paid.

3. Sell To Your  Subscribers

Let’s not beat about the bush, we are marketers and therefore we are looking to make an income. We shouldn’t hide this fact or feel uncomfortable about it. As long as we are providing a good service it is fair to expect payment in return.

When it comes to email marketing, the simple equation is. The more valuable emails you send (within reason!), the more income you are going to make.

I cannot emphasize this more strongly.

If you seldom send emails to your subscribers, you are not going to create the income you dream off…period!

This is what a responsive email list is all about. Sending messages on a regular basis. Helping them with tips, free resources, and links to products that can help them get the results that they are after.

I'm not talking about spamming people to death. If all you send are offers to buy stuff, you'll end up with a list that doesn't read your messages, or they will leave your list.

 However send mails that build the rapport, with information that will help, educate and/or entertain with links to products or services that will help and they will stick around and be happy to consider the products that you're offering. 

And that leads to key 4 - Keeping them on the  list...

4. Keep Them Engaged

A responsive email list won't end up very responsive if you bore them, or irritate them, or send messages that they consider a waste of time. You need to keep them engaged and willing to open and read your messages.

An important point I want to make is this:

You are going to get unsubscribes. Not everyone is going to be interested in what you're sending.

This is nothing to be worried about, as you can’t and don’t want to be liked by everyone. Those who do not relate to you are very unlikely to buy from you but they will be costing you as most autoresponders charge based on the number of subscribers you have. Therefore the sooner you can get rid of people who just don’t relate to you and your style the better.

The unsubscribers aside, those who do remain on your list will become familiar with you and your regular mails. If the content of your regular mails is good you will build up the rapport with your subscribers. They will expect to see your regular mails and therefore will look out for them, improving open rates.

Conversely if you have long gaps between mails, people will forget about you and are FAR more likely to unsubscribe from your list when you do eventually send a mail. It really is a case of out of sight out of mind when it comes to sending mails to your list and so it is very importantly to send not only good quality mails but also regular mails.

So there you have 4 keys to a responsive email list. From building and keeping relationships, through helping your list with their needs, you'll have a list that will be the most valuable asset you have in your business. To Your Success...

A wise man once said "If you build a responsive email list and treat that list with respect, and help your subscribers whenever you can, you'll never have to worry about making money online ever again. It's your golden ticket - the most valuable asset in your entire online business." Learn more here...