Opt-In mailing list: are they worth their price?

you should just build your own list...opt-in list are mostly junk email

 

Give away something and use that first list as an autoreponder to sell something. Upsell those buyers to the next higher priced product and so on. That's one strategy, there are many.

 

The problem with mailing lists is as follows - If you give something away for free providing they opt in, then these people are only targeted on free products, getting them to convert is a major obstacle to overcome. If you say conversions range from 0-3% for free opt in's and 7-8% for targeted "buyers" or "investors" then you can understand that having a targeted list of buyers is much more valuable than one twice it's size where the members have never paid anything.

Of course this is not always the case. You may procure a list which converts at 50% for dog related products but that doesn't mean they will convert for you, they may even convert at less than the non-buyers because at least the non-buyers are interested in your niche.

In my opinion building a list of free members is a breeze, I simply make a script which, when they opt in, they are given an incentive to invite their address book contacts, this way your list can go viral (if the quality is good)

To get a targeted list I wouldn't even bother, there are too many scams around and when you finally find one you are reliant on the list being convertable and interested in your niche.

I would do one of two things if you are aiming to get a targeted list. First you could consider buying a website with a proven memberlist that is already paying a subscription or have already bought a product related to yours.

Secondly (and my ideal choice) would be to borrow someone elses. By this I mean an affiliate. You have seen the kind, where an authority on the subject sends you an email recommending a different product or site on behalf of somebody else. It can be difficult and unless you have some very decent backend products you may not make any money at first. Pay these super-affiliates anything upto 100% of the product and you might get anything upto 100k ultra-targeted visitors to your site, even better if half of them opt in to your list, you have 50,000 members instantly, people you know are interested and who spend money.

 

Good post

+ rep added