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Today’s guest post is by Mike McMillan. Mike loves to create great free helpful content on his own blog, why not drop by and say hi.

You’ve heard it until you’re sick of it. I know, because I have too. In a sea of confusing, conflicting and sometimes downright incorrect information, one constant always seems to rise to the surface. So get ready to hear it one more time: To greatly increase your chances of building a successful Internet marketing business, YOU MUST BUILD A LIST.

When just starting out, it seems like a daunting task. You must start from zero and entice thousands of strangers to surrender the address of an inbox that is already besieged with email from friends, family, and SPAM servers. Every day billions of emails fly around the globe, bloating inboxes and junk email folders until mail servers groan and overheat. What can we possibly say in the subject line that would even prompt someone to pick ours out of the avalanche of email they receive on an hourly basis, open it, and then read the darned thing? Most people, and seemingly rightly so, just give up on this.

* But Isn’t Email Dead?

Another chant we’ve been hearing a lot lately is that EMAIL IS DEAD. After reading the description above, you might be inclined to believe that one. I mean, come on. We’re all suffering from a bad case of email fatigue. Some days we hit the delete key without even thinking about who the sender is or reading the entire subject line. Surely everyone else must be doing the same thing. Is it true? Could email really be dead?

I’m here to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth. Email is alive and well, but at the same time things have certainly changed. Because of the constant assault on inboxes everywhere, we have an incredibly small window to slip our message through. And due to many factors and outside distractions, such as MP3 players, and cell phones that can play games, send text messages and also access Facebook and Twitter, our email can really get lost in the noise.

* Separating Yourself From The Pack

So what will be the one thing that will make your email stand out from all the others? Why should anyone sign up for your list, and then open your emails once they start to flood in?

Incredible value, that’s what. You have to offer incredible value to get an email address, whether it’s a free report or a training series or some other enticement, and then continue to deliver even more value through outstanding content. Forget about saving your best stuff just for your blog. Yes, that has to be top notch as well, but all your emails need to contain your very best writing.

You must capture your reader’s attention and hold it, beginning with the subject line and not letting go until they read your signature at the bottom. You must test different subject lines and monitor open rates for various word combinations, culling those that don’t produce well. You should be using every possible method to capture an email address, including all forms of social media, web forms on your blog or site, list swaps, etc.

If you’re thinking that this sounds like a lot of work, believe me it is. But it’s absolutely one of the best investments you can make in your online business.

* Autoresponders Can Help

Additionally, the importance of a great autoresponder service cannot be overstated. Pick a reliable one and get to know it intimately. I use Aweber, but there are others out there that Internet marketers swear by. I mention Aweber because it’s where I started and I know it well, but whichever service you choose, be sure to exploit all the metrics they have to offer. The insight they provide is very valuable when it comes time to fine tune your campaigns. Learning everything there is to know about your autoresponder is well worth the time investment.

Opinions differ as to what your email should say, but the recent trend, which my testing bears out, points to the fact that longer emails seem to get a better response than short emails with a link to click through to your website. The less clicks a reader has to do, the better. Once you grab their attention, your enthralling content will keep them reading.

* Short And Sweet? Size Matters…

And what keeps people reading? Just be yourself. A few short introductory sentences about your day or what you’ve been up to recently can give people a sense of who you are and give them the feeling that you’re a real person. Hook them with your intro, then hit them with your best stuff in the body of the email. Wrap it up with a call to action, and you’ve got the makings of a great email and lots of very satisfied readers.

Remember, never miss an opportunity to capture an email address. No matter how folks find you, they should have the chance to sign up and receive your emails. Building a list will give you the best chance at growing a successful Internet marketing business.

This is a guest post written by Mike McMillan. If you’d like to find out more about Mike Feel free to check out Info Product Earnings Exposed.