How ‘clean‘ is your email list? Do you get a lot of unsubscribes? If you do then good job! A clean and responsive list is the only list worth having – no matter how big it is. You would much rather have a thousand subscribers that read what you send than fifty thousand emails that are never noticed.

An unresponsive list will lower both your open and click rates and even get you into spam reporting troubles. When you are paying a list management company more for a large list and very few even bother opening the email you have essentially failed at list building. You are throwing money away and wasting valuable time.

Inexperienced email marketers may feel the urge to let such a problem slide because the numbers look good but quickly learn a valuable lesson. A clean and active list is the only list worth having. Many marketers boasting their huge list sizes are the ones that didn’t learn. Hint: If a newsletter or ezine’s primary source of income comes from selling email ads be very cautious. If they are selling solo ads then run away as quickly as possible. Oh yeah, that’s going to upset a lot of people – lol. Angry solo-ad selling email marketers feel free to state your case below if you dare. (I’m referring to email lists here, not safelists and such).

1. First, don’t be afraid of unsubscribes and make this step easy and safe for your subscribers. The last thing you want are for subscribers to unsubscribe by hitting the ‘spam’ button or changing their email to a ‘trash’ email.
   “Unsubscribe Please – It’s Truly Safe“

Did you know many subscribers are afraid to unsubscribe? It’s true. Look what peewhy said on WebmasterWorld, “I’m convinced that the moment you click on the fatal ‘unsubscribe’ link, they simply sell your email address on to others“.

See: How to Know When Unsubscribing Isn’t Safe[over 950 diggs]

2. Don’t be in such a hurry - Take your time and built it right. Build a strong and legitimate list. Never ever buy a list.
3. Free bribes - One effective method of building a list is by offering something free to subscribers. This can be a good practice but it shouldn’t be your only or even primary list building tactic, especially if you plan on selling anything using your list.
4. Be honest - We see a lot of ‘tricks’ to build a list but we want to be careful. Tricking people to subscribe to your list is non-productive and will hurt your reputation and overall objective. Have you ever signed up for an email course just to learn you are now on every list that marketer has? Have you ever made an online purchase and somehow magically become a newsletter subscriber?

   If you want to offer a free ebook, for example, to build your list then just be honest. Let subscribers know they will receive your newsletter or future offers. Better yet, give them a choice from the start. We do run such list building campaigns at the Extreme Ezine but we always include a statement such as this:

   * By submitting this form you will be subscribed to the Extreme Ezine. You will receive our newsletter and emails from ExtremeEzine.com including important updates, tips and occasional special offers. Your email address and other information is confidential and will never be shared or sold. You can SAFELY unsubscribe at anytime.

5. Good content - Here’s something that we see being abused by many mega-marketers or email marketing gurus. Everything you get from them is a offer of theirs or one of their partners or affiliates. Nothing of substance. They are far too busy working on the next big send to worry about offering any real content with substance. That’s fine if that’s what your list is about but if it’s a newsletter your subscribers are expecting more.
6. Sample - One way to help new subscribers make an informed decision is by showing past issues. Making archives available for potential subscribers is a sure fire way to build a relevant and responsive list.
7. Respect - Show respect to your subscribers. Don’t assume they are interested in every offer you have or that comes to your inbox. Limit your mailing to once a day, once a week, several times a week – whatever you have established. Don’t send three a day because you ran across some article you like. Save that for your friends and treat your subscribers with a little respect. Your subscribers have other interests and tasks other than your continuos emails.
8. Assurance - Assure your subscribers by including a simple statement at your opt-in form like:
   

   “Your email is safe with us. We respect your privacy and do not share your information with anyone – even if you unsubscribe!”

9. Relevancy - Are your E-mail marketing messages relevant to your list? If your newsletter in about woodworking then stick to woodworking related issues. Expanding too far beyond your main niche’s interests are going to hurt your list’s effectiveness.

10. List Management - This is a big one and most of us figure this out after we have already invested time and money into the wrong solution. By the time we figure it out we find ourselves starting at the beginning again. There are many reasons to use a reputable list management and autoresponder service. You gain instant trust by many because they know the list management company is going to keep you honest.

Important - Compliance – Last but certainly not least is staying in compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act and all laws dealing with email marketing.

Related Posts:

• Top 10+ Email Marketing Tips
• The Battle For Email Deliverability
• List Size Doesn’t Matter
• New Study On The Unsubscribe Experience
• 16 Easy As Pie Ways To Grow Your List

In this issue:
-= Site News =-
-= In The Spotlight =-
-= Featured Articles =-
1. Don’t Get Hung-Up On Buying Links
2. Getting Your Site Indexed By Google
3. Who Are These People Anyway?
4. AWeber Gets Our Vote
-= Great Reads =-
-= Great Lines =-
-= Marketing Tip =-
-= Advertising Slogan Trivia
-= WIN WIN WIN =-
-= Very Funny Video =-
-= This Issue’s Joke =-
-= In a word – Defined =-
-= Famous Quotes to Ponder =-

-= Site News =-

- New Ezine Features -
I’m going to try a couple of new ideas for our ezine beginning with this issue. New to the ezine, we have seen these on other sites before. In fact, I have used them on our blog, I just decided to implement them into our ezine.

1. Great Lines – Here’s where I add subject lines in my email inbox that impressed me enough that I opened the message.
2. Great Reads – Like you, I visit many sites and blogs daily. Some of the posts and articles are just so great we want to share them. That’s just what I’ll do here.

- New Site Feature -
I have added a new section/page on our blog. It’s just a trial and I’m hoping it takes off. It is the Just Ask section. I’ve Added a contact form and even an 800 number with voice mail for U.S. visitors. The idea is to give subscribers and site visitors a way to ask and answer questions. Some Q&As will make it to blog posts and everyone that participates will get full credit including a one-way do-follow link to their site.

- Another site? -
I need it like I need another hole in my head but I have started another site. It’s eZinePress.com and there is a method to my madness. I simply do not have time to tackle a project that big. The reason I started eZinePress.com is to give it away. That’s right, I am going to hand over the complete site and domain. See ‘Extreme Marketing’ Contest In The Works.

-= In The Spotlight =-

- BackType.com –

Have you ever tried to find a two day old blog comment you left on someone’s blog? Ever wonder what other blogs your friends comment on? BackType can help you with that and more absolutely free. See my personal blog post at ‘Now Where Did You Put That Comment?‘.

-= Featured Articles =-

• Don’t Get Hung-Up On Buying Links
• Getting Your Site Indexed By Google
• Who Are These People Anyway? – Research Before You Buy
• AWeber Gets Our Vote

-= Great Reads =-

• 5 Naughty Tips To Boost Your Digg Profile – Part I
• OMG, I Got The Google Ban?
• Blogging! It’s All About Presentation
• 7 Deadly Sins of Highly Ineffective New Bloggers
• 17 Ways You Can Use Twitter: A Guide for Beginners, Marketers and Business Owners

-= Great Lines =-

GS:Brian, Here’s Your Chance To Win A Copy Of Atomic Blogging 3.0!
by Alvin Phang

** Are You Just Getting Started Online? **
by Rick Davies

… this has *never* failed.
by Michelle Hoffmann

Understanding Solo Ads & Classified Advertising in Ezines…
by Jullieanne Matheson

Make Money With Blogging – Perfect Guide For Newbies
by Michael Rasmussen

She Dipped Her Arm In Gasoline….And Lit The Match
by Deb Forssander

Want Free Private Label Articles Delivered to Your Inbox Each Day?
by Soren Jordansen

Download Your Extra Twitter Bonus Here Brian
by John Merrick and Soren Jordansen

-= Marketing Tip =-

Add A Public Comment To Your Site On Google Search With SearchWiki

Yahoo! local search has a nice feature that I’ve used a few times in the past that allows you to add a comment to business listings (example). Now Google has a similar feature on their search listings with SearchWiki. See my post at Add A Public Comment To Your Site On Google Search With SearchWiki

-= Advertising Slogan Trivia =-

Do you know your slogans? Answers at the end of this issue.

[1] “Good to the last drop.”

[2] “Snap! Crackle! Pop!”

[3] “Raise your hand if you’re sure.”

[4] “M’m! M’m! Good!”

-= WIN WIN WIN =-

We are planning a big contest related to ‘Extreme Marketing‘ and we’re looking for sponsors – could YOU be one? See our post ‘Extreme Marketing’ Contest In The Works

In the mean time can I suggest my new friend Suzanne’s contest? It’s a big one Blog Contest/Drawing Launches Today ~ Over $2,000 in Prizes!

-= Very Funny Video =-

My friend Dee from Dusty’s Magical Marketing sent this to me. Thanks Dee Comedian “Mrs Hughes”
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCouOSXSwCc

-= This Issue’s Joke =-

This issue’s joke is actually a riddle. Find the answer at the bottom of the ezine.

This is going to make you so MAD! There are three words in the English language that end in ‘gry’. ONE is angry and the other is hungry.
EveryONE knows what the third ONE means and what it stands for. EveryONE uses them everyday, and if you listened very carefully, I’ve given the third word away. What is it? _______gry?

My friend AJ from Healthiest Chocolate Ever sent this to me.

-= In a word – Defined =-

Drip Marketing

A direct marketing strategy that allows marketers to control the generation of sales leads. It involves sending out several promotional pieces over a period of time, so that the leads arrive at a rate the sales force can accommodate without the leads getting cold.

Credit goes to my friend Erin at NetLingo

-= Famous Quotes to Ponder =-

“Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.”
~ Bill Gates

“A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement.”
~ Bo Bennett

“I am where I am because I believe in all possibilities.”
~ Whoopi Goldberg

“It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.”
~ Tom Brokaw

Fun Fact: Tom Brokaw has been married to his wife wife Merideth since 1962.

- Riddle Answer -

I solved the riddle almost instantly.

“There are only three words in the English language.
What is the third word?

The third word is ‘language’.

1. the
2. English
3. language

Forget about the whole ‘GRY’ thing. That’s just misdirection.

- Advertising Slogan Trivia Answers -

[1] “Good to the last drop.”
[1]  Maxwell House 1915

[2]  “Snap! Crackle! Pop!”
[2]  Kellogg’s Rice Krispies 1932

[3] “Raise your hand if you’re sure.”
[3]   Sure deodorant 1984

[4] “SM’m! M’m! Good!”
[4]  Campbell’s Soup 1935

Fun Fact: Sure deodorant’s slogan “Raise your hand if you’re sure” is by ad agency Wells, Rich, Greene. The founders were Mary Wells, Dick Rich, and Stewart Greene. Mary Wells, The Queen of Advertising, sold the company in 1990 for $160 million. Mary Wells has written a tell-all book about
her life in big-time advertising called A Big Life In Advertising

Tell a friend – pass it on!
Recommend Extreme Ezine!
http://extremeezine.com/

In this issue:

-= Site News =-
-= In The Spotlight =-
-= Featured Articles =-
1. The Battle For Email Deliverability
2. Monetizing Each Other
3. Page Cloaking vs. Link Cloaking
-= Marketing Tip =-
-= Advertising Slogans, Mottos and Taglines Trivia =-
-= Very Funny Video =-
-= This Issue’s Joke =-
-= In a word – Defined =-
-= Famous Quote to Ponder =-

-= Site News =-
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
- Domains -

It’s not really site news but I’ve been spending a lot of time moving domains out of Yahoo!s price gouging hands. At  $34.95/year for domain renewals I won’t be doing much business with Yahoo. I’m down to 105 domain so at least it’s not as bad as it would have been a few years ago. See my blog post at Yahoo Price Gouging @ $34.95/year

-= In The Spotlight =-
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
- Web 2.0 Name Generator –

A little over a year ago I was messing around on this site and found the perfect social bookmarking domain name. Like any good procrastinator I bought it (them) and did nothing with it. They are: linksorb.com and linkzorb.com

-= Featured Articles =-
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The Battle For Email Deliverability

Monetizing Each Other

Page Cloaking vs. Link Cloaking

-= Marketing Tip =-
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
- One Way Back Links From eBay -

Back links are important for your SEO and it doesn’t get much butter than eBay when it comes a free search engine friendly back link…
One Way Back Links From eBay

-= Advertising Slogans, Mottos and Taglines TRIVIA =-
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Do you know your slogans? Answers at the end of this issue.

[1] “We sell more cars than Ford, Chrysler, Chevrolet, and Buick combined”
[2] “The milk chocolate melts in your mouth – not in your hand”
[3] “America’s storyteller”
[4] “Splash it all over”

-= Very Funny Video =-
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Finding these funny videos has to be one of the best parts of writing for the Extreme Ezine. The only problem is that it sets me so far back because it’s so hard to pull away from YouTube. Here’s what I have for this issue…

Weird and Strange News: Online Marketing
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p79-CtDSHZw

-= This Issue’s Joke =-
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
This one’s from MakesYouLaugh

Helpful wife

JOKE: A male driver is pulled over by a cop and the following conversation takes place:
Man: What’s the problem officer?
Cop: You were going at least 75 in a 55 zone.
Man: No sir, I was going 65.
Wife: Oh Harry. You were going 80.
(Man gives his wife a dirty look.)
Cop: I’m also going to give you a ticket for your broken tail light.
Man: Broken tail light? I didn’t know about a broken tail light!
Wife: Oh Harry, you’ve known about that tail light for weeks.
(Man gives his wife a dirty look.)
Cop: I’m also going to give you a citation for not wearing your seat belt.
Man: Oh, I just took it off when you were walking up to the car.
Wife: Oh Harry, you never wear your seat belt.
Man: Shut your mouth, woman!
Cop: Ma’am, does your husband always talk to you this way?
Wife: No, only when he’s drunk.

-= In a word – Defined =-
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Permission Marketing

Permission based marketing, if not developed by, was at least popularized by Seth Godin. Author of Permission Marketing, Seth Godin speaks at events on many marketing topics including permission based marketing. Here’s a nice YouTube video worth watching: “All Marketers are Liars” – Seth Godin speaks at Google

-= Famous Quotes to Ponder =-
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
“Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.”
~ Napoleon Hill

“We’re obviously going to spend a lot in marketing because we think the product sells itself.”
~ Jim Allchin

“Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success.”
~ Henry Ford

“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”
~ Henry Ford

Fun Fact: 1914 Henry Ford cut the work hour from nine to eight hours in order to convert the factory to a three-shift workday.

– Trivia Answers -

[1] “We sell more cars than Ford, Chrysler, Chevrolet, and Buick combined”
[1]  Matchbox

[2]  “The milk chocolate melts in your mouth – not in your hand”
[2]  M&Ms Candy

[3] “America’s storyteller”
[3]   Kodak Cameras

[4] “Splash it all over”
[4]  Brut Aftershave

Fun Facts:

- According to Wikipedia, Matchbox toys were so named because the original models were packed in boxes similar in size and style to boxes of matches.

Tell a friend – pass it on!
Recommend Extreme Ezine!

Sincerely,
Your online Marketing Advisor,
Brian Hawkins
ExtremeEzine.com