Your website should be no different in welcoming and assisting your visitors with the information they need or the products they are looking to purchase. Customer service is even more important on your website since your visitors are unable to physically see and talk to you.

As a young teenager, my first job was as a sack boy at a local grocery store. The owner of the store taught me that one of the most important lessons to learn in succeeding in business was to provide good customer service.

I can remember he would make sure when a customer needed assistance that someone was made available to help them immediately. Also, though the customer may have taken their leisurely time at shopping, when they arrived at the cash register meant they were ready to leave and should be checked out as soon as possible.

To be sure his customers were aware of his current specials and any new services or products he was offering, he would have ad flyers at the front door as the customers entered. He would also have the employees place a flyer in their grocery bags when they were leaving to remind them of his weekly specials later in the week.

In the online world you can provide customer service plus keep your visitors informed of your products and services in much the same way by using an opt-in list.

There are some rules in using an opt-in list that should be followed if you want to receive the best results for your business.

When a visitor to your website offers to give their name and email address to you in exchange for staying informed about your products and services, you should first respond with a welcome message that reflects your appreciation to them opting in to your list.

A visitor to your website is a potential customer but until they become familiar with you and feel they can trust you to be honest with them then they are only a visitor. Never abuse the trust you build with your opt-in list and never product spam them.

By building a trust relationship with your visitors and providing them with valuable information and services that benefit them then they will soon become a valuable and loyal customer. They will become excited when they see your next email in their inbox knowing it will have great information and/or a recommendation of valuable new products.

Opt-in marketing is one of the best ways to build your online business. Auto-Responders can put your business on auto pilot and keep your list of subscribers growing with no additional work on your part. After setting up your series of emails one time, all your subscribers will receive timely emails filled with valuable information along with your special product offers.

These emails are sent automatically for you. You can be on vacation or taking care of other personal or business adventures and still provide the service your subscribers have come to expect from a professional ran business.

If you do not have your own products to market then you can use these emails to promote affiliate products that earn you commissions 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

Remember to provide valuable information to your subscribers along with quality product offers and your subscribers will remain your loyal customer for years to come.