If done correctly, building your opt-in list can be profitable for your online business and the best use of your time. There are quite literally dozens of free and low cost how-to manuals available on the Internet for building an opt-in list and generating traffic for your website. However, there are also hundreds of unscrupulous marketers eager to get in your wallet, rob you blind and leave you with empty promises. This article will present 3 free yet highly-profitable opt-in list building methods you should master before purchasing over-priced push-button tools or traffic.

After reading countless articles and seeking expert advice, you come to realize that it's time to start building your own opt-in list and using it to market your wares. Besides, if you're interested in what you have to offer, certainly other people will be interested in learning about your opportunities, products or services as well. Right? Right!

So to get the ball rolling, you open up your browser and surf over to Elance or post an ad on CraigsList in hopes of finding a reliable ghostwriter to write content for your e-zine or newsletter. After your newsletter content has been written, you load your auto-responder with your newly-written content and upload your site to your web hosting account

Then, you rent a targeted opt-in list of subscribers or start an expensive pay-per-click campaign and start pushing traffic to your website. After a few days of marketing have gone by, you sorely come to realize that the only thing you're left with are empty pockets and zero opt-ins!

So what could have gone wrong?

How is it that others have succeeded where you've failed? The most common mistake is that you dove in with both feet first.

In other words, you made the mistake of assuming that others would be interested in learning about or buying your product or service based on your interest in it! This couldn't be farther from the truth. Just because you rented a targeted opt-in list or purchased pay-per-click ads doesn't mean they're going to opt-in or buy anything from you instantly.

Believe It Or Not...

Without your own large opt-in email contact list you will have to pay through the nose for any sort of targeted traffic to your website(s).

If yoo're someone who has attempted to build an opt-in list, have had some success but would like to revive your list, keep reading. On the other hand, if you're new to opt-in list building but want to learn how to build a profitable and responsive opt-in list fast, here are three quick and easy ways for you to do just that.

1) Get your customers to trust you and your products first.

Two of the easiest ways to start generating traffic for your website, building your opt-in list and your credibility is by writing articles and participating in related forums.

Writing and distributing well-written articles will allow you to establish credibility with your readers and pre-sell your wares. Participating in forums related to your interests will aid you in developing products or services your fellow forum members might be interested in buying.

Understand that people aren't going to buy something from you based on your recommendation alone if they don't know you. So when you've gotten a few articles under your belt and participated in helping people solve problems in forums related to your topic of interest, then expect to receive traffic for your website, subscribers to your opt-in list and sales.

2) Find a product or service that people want and need.

When your traffic and opt-in list begins to grow from writing and distributing articles and participating in related forums, your next step is to find products or services that people want and need. Make sure that you choose products and services based upon your new found information from the forums and from that you've gathered from your existing opt-in list of subscribers.

Again, never choose products or services to sell based on what you think your subscribers might like or profit potential. Instead, choose products and services based on research gathered in forums and responses to your distributed articles.

3) Make friends with other opt-in list builders.

This especially holds true if it's someone who has already launched a successful opt-in list. These are people who have the experience in opt-in list building and experience is still the best teacher. While there are countless articles and e-books available on the subject of opt-in list building online, there is nothing like getting a first hand account from someone you trust.

Experienced opt-in list builders will be able to tell you what to do and what not to do because they have gone through it. Even though most experienced opt-in list builders have a different slant on how to build a targeted and responsive opt-in list, you can almost always learn something new from their triumphs and failures and then take advantage of their experiences.

Building a profitable and responsive opt-in list doesn't just happen overnight. There's a lot of preparation and effort involved. Opt-in lists are built from scratch, as your list grows, Therefore, you must take time to maintain the quality of your list. Keep it organized and manageable and if necessary, hire someone else to do all of this for you. Just remember that happy subscribers will someday become buying customers if you follow these 3 simple steps.

So as you have just learned, it is not complicated at all to start building a profitable opt-in list. However the only way to witness true success online is by taking action. If you never take action, then you should never expect to be successful online. Take action today, follow the 3 free opt-in list building strategies as outlined above and avoid becoming a victim of greedy marketers, lead providers and expensive pay-per-click programs.