My Basic Safelist Mailing Tips… Please don’t copy these or claim them as your own. Thanks! J

1. Use a service that shortens and tracks your links.

Some safelist mailers allow you to use the actual link to whatever website you are promoting. Some do not. When you have to include a link directly in the body of the e-mail, it is always a good idea to use a URL shortening and tracking service instead of the actual link. Make sure you comply with each mailer’s message requirements – put links where they are supposed to go, and do not put links where they are restricted.

2. Use a catchy subject line, but…

…do not mislead! Promises of big income and fast results are everywhere, and they do not fool anyone. In some cases, making false promises or outlandish claims is not only unethical, it is illegal. And in all cases, it is ineffective. Also keep in mind that some spam filters and e-mail services will auto-block messages that contain certain key words (free, money, income) in the body or the subject line.

3. Keep things descriptive yet concise.

No one wants to read a novel. Give your recipients a brief but accurate rundown of the key points of your offer. Your e-mails will stand a better chance of actually getting read (and the links actually getting clicked) when they are shorter and to the point.

4. Tell your recipients how your offer will help them.

We are all online to get traffic, sign up leads, obtain referrals, make sales, and/or earn money. Tell your readers how your offer/website/service will help them accomplish at least one of these goals. No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care (a Zig Ziglar quote, I believe).

5. Safelist messages convert at a relatively high rate, but be realistic.

Compared to traffic exchanges, text ads, and banner ads, safelist messages have a much higher conversion rate. But this does not mean that everyone who reads your message will buy something, sign up, or even click a link. So just keep on trying, maintaining a positive attitude. And see if there is a certain combination of subject, content, and benefits that seem to work best for your particular offer.

6. You will receive fellow members’ e-mails.

It should come as no surprise that most safelist services work through a give-and-take process with an active membership base. In other words, the tradeoff for being able to send your messages to the subscriber list is your willingness to receive messages from other members in return (in most cases). You can usually earn the privilege of sending out your message by reading a certain number of other members’ offers. Fair enough. You’ll find that some of the offers you’ll come across will be quite compelling and beneficial to you. Use a web-based e-mail address that is separate from your main ISP inbox; GMail is a popular choice. (Some premium subscriber list mailer services do not have this requirement…but that is one reason why there is a small fee.)

7. Do not use a commercial e-mail blasting service.

This is called UCE (unsolicited commercial e-mail), or more commonly, spam. Stick with safelist services and proven subscriber lists, where the people on the list have put themselves there voluntarily. Not only do safelist subscribers know what to expect, they are often rewarded for reading other members’ messages…and they can unsubscribe at any time. This does not happen with bulk commercial mailers – please do not make the mistake of sending UCE (spam).

8. Have fun!

No one wants to read technical specs (at least, no one who uses safelists wants to). And no one wants to be hammered by the “hard sell.” Use everyday language and a friendly approach for best results.

9. Don’t just take my word for it.

Learn from others. Get tips and best practices from other resources. Take a look at the e-mails that appeal to you and emulate them…word choice, flow, message layout. The owners of safelist services are themselves experts, so pay attention to how they craft their “admin” messages. Every day you meet someone, make a new friend, or learn something new is a great day indeed!

Thanks for reading these tips. Good luck to you in all of your online endeavors!

J Denslow

find me on Twitter @ talktodens

or at ISMMagic @ http://www.ismmagic.com/764.html

See my list of FREE income programs: http://freeyesfree.homestead.com

See my list of FREE traffic resources: http://www.banneradsweeps.com