The following five mistakes are common among online businesses.? If any of these apply to your business they could account for limited success in list building.

1. Your subscribers don’t know what they are signing up for

It is not enough to tell your customers they will receive a newsletter.? What will the content be?? Will it announce new content on your website or will the content be totally original? Will it mainly promote your products or will it be information based?? How often will they receive the newsletter?

2. Your sign up process is too complicated

Remember the ten second rule.? If it takes your subscribers longer than this to complete your opt-in form the chances are they won?t bother.

3. You take a long time to follow up

Most customers want an immediate reward for their subscription.? Make sure a confirmation e-mail thanking them for their subscription arrives in their inbox within an hour, preferably with the latest edition of your newsletter.? This will begin to cement your relationship with your customers while their subscription to your business is still fresh in their minds.

4. You offer them too many options

One of the golden rules in internet marketing is you should never encourage your customer to think!? If you give them a choice of newsletters or products to sign up for, they may decide not to take any action at all.

5. You don?t sell the benefits of subscribing

While it’s great to have an opt-in form on every webpage and e-mail, you also need to explain to prospective subscribers what is in it for them.? Put yourself in your customers’ shoes, what would make you sign up for a newsletter?

A common phrase, one that you’ve likely heard, about list building is “The money is in the list.”? Now you know why.? Your list is your key to future sales.? It’s your connection to your customers, past, present, and future.? Your list is worth its weight in gold.? Treasure it, treat them well, and always remember that each and every name on that list has the power to spread the word, each and every name on your list has the power to tell others about your information and your outstanding business.