by Kevin Needham

I'm often asked, as the owner of MeMail.com with 70+ newsletters and delivering close to 1 million emails daily, just how we got so big.

The truth is, it started right here, with the AIM ezine.

AIM began in early 1996 when we noticed a real need for qualified, already tested information about ezine marketing.

We started AIM because of all the great questions and requests for information that we were receiving on a regular basis.  Whenever I responded to people's questions, I asked if they 
wanted a free subscription to keep informed on the subject and  our publishing careers began.

Shortly after, realizing that AIM readers were also online business professionals and were actively looking for venues to advertise, we began other newsletters and completed a few 
list acquisitions.

Here are the key components to building your subscriber base.

1. Keep your content fresh -- New content and     cutting edge information will keep your newsletter getting opened and read. Stale content or repetitive content is a sure, slow death.


2. Always ask for a referral -- In every MeMail publication we include a link to our Tell A friend script. Don't be shy,  Ask for the referral and if people like your newsletter, they will definitely tell others. You can get a CGI script 
for referrals here: At BigNoseBird.com


3. Run an Affiliate program -- We don't have one, and it is one of those million tasks I know I have to do. An affiliate  program is so valuable. It is a sales channel, a team of trusted partners that you can use to launch products and services and generate instant profits. To start, offer to pay a bounty for new subscribers. There are many off the shelf, and full service programs for the back end affiliate software:

Full Service:
Commission Junction: 

Run Your Own:
AssocTRAC Software:



4. List Acquisition -- Now a days few of us are publishing original content. Chances are if you look hard enough, you will find similar lists as your own out there. Guess what,  those lists could be perfect acquisition targets. Buying an existing list is a great way to grow your subscriber base instantly. Study the list closely, does it always have advertising in it? Maybe that is not the publisher's favorite 
task. Does it often go unpublished, or is delivery sporadic? Perhaps there are software delivery problems. Sometimes just being a subscriber to a list can be very revealing. One thing to make sure of is that the list was built by opt-in methods. Force subscribing or spam built lists hold little value.


5. Buy Members -- There are many sites that will sell you members. Make sure you buy qualified members. Buy them from a site that will have as targeted subscribers as you can. A few sites that will sell you members include:

EzineLists.com -- (Shameless plug) This site is targeted towards the online business professional. Their market is the web marketers. Subscribers start at 25 cents.


FreeRide.com -- A general audience site, high volume. Subscribers can be negotiated at 50 cents per subscriber. 


MeMail.com -- A general site with 25 unique categories. They will list you on their contest page www.memail.com/contest.html 
Subscribers can be negotiated for as low as 25 cents. 


These are just a few ways to build your mailing list. Momentum and new subscribers are the key to sustaining a good (profitable) 
newsletter.


Written by Kevin Needham
Visit www.ezinelists.com today to win the one marketing manual responsible for Kevin's success online. A $200 value. If you 
just can't wait to win, Click Here

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