More and more business people tell me they've gotten religious about building their permission-based mail lists. They've been doing e-mail marketing for years, and they've come to realize that if they get serious about building their lists, they can bring in more business. It really works!

Building your list is even more important in a tough economic environment. Your list is your pre-qualified target audience. They know you and your products and services, and they've bought from you in the past. They're an easier sell and a source of referrals. That's why e-mail marketing is still the most effective tool in your marketing mix. For fractions of a penny per person, you can stay in touch with your best customers. So when they're ready to buy--even in a down economy--they'll think of your business first.

List-Building Essentials
Before you get started seeking out new subscribers, review these three e-mail marketing "commandments."

• Ask permission. E-mail marketing is different from other direct marketing. You need to ask before you add someone to your e-mail list. Only permission-based e-mail marketing works. We no longer trust or even open e-mail from people we don't know. And only permission-based e-mails get past the spam filters and into the inbox.
• Permission is perishable. If someone shares his or her e-mail address with you--whether on your website, at your store or when you meet at a business mixer--that person is now expecting to get something from you. Don't wait six months to send the first e-mail. He or she won't remember you and will delete your e-mail or unsubscribe immediately. Send a welcome e-mail and a copy of your most recent newsletter while the connection is still fresh in his or her mind.
• Provide an opt-out link. All e-mail campaigns must include a working unsubscribe link or instructions on how to be removed from the list. Purge those names from your list promptly--within 10 days. It's not just polite; it's the law.