Here are 22 simple but highly effective methods to build an email opt-in list easily…

1. List Renting

One of the quickest ways to build an opt-in list is to rent a list from a company.
These lists are normally targeted and you can request what demographics you are looking for.

The company can then provide you with such a list that you can then market to and try to get them to opt in to your personal list.  These opt-in prospects will now become your list members.

There are many companies that sell leads but you’ll have to exercise caution here.  You should never buy harvested email addresses that usually come in the millions on CDs for $9.95.  Emailing to such list can get you trouble fast.

There are other companies that claim that all their leads are opt-in leads but how they opted in will still determine the quality of the leads.  Marketing Sherpa, an online marketing research firm, reported that “fewer than 10% of lists on the rental market today may be safe. The rest are gathered using questionable tactics.”

A general rule of thumb is that you should only buy leads that come with the signup IP addresses and full names.

The IP address can usually be used as verification evidence that the person actually signed up to receive emails from you.  If the lead company cannot provide the IP addresses this is a good sign that your leads are of low quality and of questionable origins.  Having the IP addresses will provide a safer haven from spam complaints.

The ideal is to generate your own leads but many marketers, including myself, have used this method to build very responsive lists.

2. Co-Registration

As the name implies co-registration companies can place your registration form next to the forms for similar products and charge you a per subscriber fee.

For example, if you run a pet related website, your newsletter subscription box would be presented as an additional resource on the ‘thank you’ page of the subscription form for another pet related product.  You often see this practice when signing up for a newsletter subscription and you will have other suggested newsletters that you may also be interested in.

3. Joint Venture List Building

Do joint ventures with newsletter owners in your niche and include a signup form
on the web page that contains your offer.  You can even collect the email address before the offer is shown.

You may have to do some research to find these newsletter owners but you can use a resource such as Google and WhoIs.

4. Sign-up From Any Page

The more often your sign-up forms appear, the greater the probability that you will get subscribers.

This may be in the form of a popup box or on every web page itself.  You must realize that everyone who comes to your website will not necessarily come through your home page.  A different web page may show up in a search engine results so it’s not every time that someone would arrive by your main page.

5. Thank You Page

Trade real estate on your ‘thank you’ page for your subscription form with other list builders in a complimentary field.

For example, if you are running an Ezine on health, then you may place a short text ad for an Ezine on natural cures in exchange for the health Ezine owner placing an ad for your newsletter on his/her ‘thank you’ page.

This is a simple win-win proposal that works to the benefit of both Ezine owners.
One of the most effective system using this concept is the free service known as Thank You Ads.

6. Bonus Lead-In

Offer a ‘demo version’ of a program you are selling or free chapters to an ebook in exchange for their email address.

In this way you have a second chance of making the sale along with building your list.  This is also an easy excuse to collect the email addresses of your website visitors when you don’t have a newsletter of free report to give away.

7. Simple Signature Files

Add an opt-in message in the signature file of your emails – this works.

In this way with each email you send out you give the prospect a chance to sign up to your list.  The use of signature file in emails is how the major free email service providers were able to build their list so fast.

Here’s an overused but classic example which illustrates the method perfectly: Just think about how many subscribers used the Hotmail service because they signed up form the ad attached at the bottom of every email sent out by Hotmail?

8. Referral Script

Use a “Tell-A-Friend” script on your website that will allow your visitors to recommend your website by filling in the form on your site.

This can work effectively at the bottom articles where you place the “Tell-A-Friend” form to encourage readers to share the article with a friend.

There are several “Tell-a-friend” scripts available online that you may find by using the search engine with that term.

9. Article Marketing

Write articles regularly and submit them through article submission services to be picked up by newsletter publishers. EzineArticles and ArticleCity are good article directory sites.

You can include an opt-in message in the resource box.  When people read your articles you are considered as an expert on the subject. Those readers who require more information on the subject will sign up for your list.

With the resource boxes all listing my site, you can imagine the amount of targeted traffic and sign-ups I get every day for free. It’s a great service that cuts down your time and effort.

10. Back-End List Building

If you sell a product or service you can include an opt-in box on your ‘download page’ or ‘check out’ page for your list.

Be sure that the customer is aware that they are signing up for it at this time.  Refrain from using “pre-checked boxes to comply with present laws.

11. Ecourse Marketing

Offer a short course by email.  It’s interesting too that some marketers have been able to offer paid courses just by emailing the lessons.

It should not be difficult to offer a free course by email on the condition that you are providing valuable content.

One way in which you can build this course is to write an ebook and then offer each chapter as one lesson in that course.

In this way there is a higher perceived value by calling it a “course” rather than an ebook and because of how the information is delivered in stages the anticipation makes it more attractive.

12. Viral List Building

Include your list’s opt-in information in all of your reports and information products.

This gives every reader an immediate opportunity to sign up to your list and helps to brand your name with your newsletter.  Especially if your ebook is a viral product then as the ebook spreads then so will your list increase in subscribers.

13. Web Site Announcement

Even if you do not offer a newsletter, you can offer website update announcements to those who sign up for them.

This gives you a legitimate reason to collect the contact information and send them related offers from time to time.

14. Pass-It-Along Recommendation

Place a note at the end of your newsletter (if you create one) encouraging your readers to pass on the newsletter to their friends who they think will benefit from the information.

Just this suggestion makes it more likely that they will because you suggested it and they respect you.

15. Pay-Per-Click Capture

Include an opt-in form on the landing pages of your pay-per-click campaigns to collect the emails of your visitors.

Keep in mind that you are paying to have these visitors to your website and should capture their information whenever possible.

16. Press Release Opt-In

Include your opt-in information in press releases about your product or service.

Here is another point of contact where you may obtain new subscribers from those who read the article and have interest in your product.

17. Offline Capture

Even though you are building an online list you cannot ignore offline marketing.

You can use list brokers for direct marketers and snail-mail these lists with an offer redeemable at your website.  You can also hand out fliers, business cards and use a vehicle logo to advertise your business.

Even Google is now getting into the local market idea.  So don’t neglect the traditional ways of list building.

18. Phone Contacts

Ask your telephone contact and queries for their email addresses and their permission to email them from time to time.

Most likely if they are willing to spend time on the phone with you they will also read your emails.

19. Safelist Marketing

Run a safelist and send your promotional emails to the contact email addresses.

Most safelist are not very responsive at the list email address because of the deluge of emails received there.  But as the business owner you can send emails to the less crowded contact address.

The real profits are not found in being a user, but an owner of a safelist.

20. Start A Forum

Run a forum addressing a niche topic.

Those who sign up to use the forum will normally give you permission to contact them with important updates.  As the forum becomes more popular so will your list grow almost effortlessly.

21. Service Delivery

Provide a free but valuable service and require password entry to the web page with the information.

This will build the perceived value of the information and you will add subscribers to your list this way.

22. Viral Services

Run a free viral service such as a start page program or list builder.

New subscribers must build their downline in order to earn credits.  All of these subscribers now become your subscribers that you can send promotions to.

This is one of the best hands-off methods to building a list.  If it’s not abused, this method can be very effective at building your list.

A number of smart marketers have in recent times demonstrated the effectiveness of this method – all by creating free viral list builders.

They build their own list to the mammoth proportions while helping others too.
It’s a great example of leverage through other people’s efforts.

I’ve just provided you 22 ways to build your opt-in list above, as it’s obvious that your email list will be the lifeblood of your email marketing…