Posted by Ray White on November 24, 2009 Comments (1)

You want to spread the word about your products and services. But you can’t build a business from your friends and neighbors. You need to reach people who don’t know you, and those people must trust you with their email address. How can you instill confidence in people who don’t know you?

• Explicitly tell your subscribers that their email address is safe with you. Prominently display on your web site a statement to the effect that you will not sell, rent, or share your email list, period. Tell them when they opt-in to your list, tell them again in your email messages, tell them as often as you can.

• Demonstrate your expertise. Offer your subscribers a free report to show them that you know what you are talking about. Provide them with helpful hints and guidelines that pertain to your products and services. Talk about the latest developments in your area of expertise. If your customers see you as someone who knows what he is doing and saying, they will learn to trust you.

• Overdeliver on your promises. Give your subscribers what you promise to them, and then some on top of that. Be consistent in the service you provide.

• Provide easy opt-out. Enable your list members to unsubscribe anytime they want. Tell them when they opt-in that they may unsubscribe at any time. Provide a link in every email message you send that allows them to get off of your list with one click of the mouse.

It is a privilege to send email to prospective clients. Once you are granted permission to send email to someone, don’t abuse that privilege. Respect the privacy of your list members, and they will learn to trust you and your products and services. Heck, they might even buy something.