If you've been trying to make money on the Internet most likely you've been told many times over how important it is to build your "list."

Simply put, your list consists of anyone who has signed up via an opt-in box...either on your sales page, website or blog to receive valuable freebies and important information from you via email.

This list is a compilation of your prospective buyers and without this "list" you have no one to promote to...whether it be your own product or an affiliate product.

Typically the marketer or website owner will offer something of value for free to get you to opt-in to their list.

This can consist of:

1) a report
2) an ebook
3) a newsletter or ezine
4) tips and information
5) an ecourse
6) a teleseminar or podcast
7) any kind of insider secrets

Of course there are no hard core rules governing these give-a-ways, you can give anything you think would entice your prospective subscriber as long as it offers value to them.

When someone signs up to your list, you send out the free item...via email and in return you have gathered another valuable address.

But, there is a right way and a wrong way to treat this list. Building a relationship with your new prospect is the first thing you should do. You must earn their trust first before you start selling to them. If you start bombarding them with sales pitches from the get go the only thing you will achieve is mass exodus from your list.

Studies have proven that it takes a marketer on an average at least seven contacts with each subscriber before they will buy from them. Once you have established trust and recognition from your subscriber, only then should you begin your sales pitches. But, remember to continue to offer valuable free gifts to your list to keep them interested and coming back.

You must take your cold list...the one that comes from giving something valuable away for free and warm them up by building a relationship with them. Let your personality shine through...tap into their emotions and allow them to "see" and get to know the person behind these emails. Your efforts will pay off in the end.

Once you have turned your cold list into a warm list, you have primed them and they become eager to buy from you...because you have taken the time to befriend them. Don't get lazy and stop sending valuable free items and information. Even your "warm" list needs nurturing, so never abuse your list...warm or cold by only sending sales promotions.

Not only can you sell to your list, but you can get valuable feedback from them about what products or services they would like to see offered. You can use surveys or polls to accomplish this. Gather up the questions they've submitted to you and create a product based on that information. This allows you to target exactly what your subscribers want and create a product tailored to their exact wishes and issues, which in the end will produce more sales for you.

Your list is your best friend on the Internet. Remember to treat them like people and not sales targets. Put yourself in their shoes...only send out the kind of emails you would like to receive yourself.

Remember, your list is your future on the Internet, without them, success will be hard to come by.