So why do so many people cry and pull their hair out when it comes to building an email list? It's really simple - they don't know how to do it.

Before you start building an email list you need to know one thing.

What I'm about to tell you is so paramount you will want to stop reading this email and get a post-it note and pen ready so you can write it down.

What is this one thing that is so important?

If you have your post-it note and pen ready I will tell you!

Hmm, I sense someone is still looking for their post-it notes in their desk.

Ok, now we are ready...

The one thing you need to know before you start building an email list is:

****People like to be asked before you put them on a list****

I know it is not much of a novel concept but some people don't seem to understand why this is important. Here are a few reasons:

-People don't like getting emails unannounced (if a person does notask for something, then gets it, he/she won't expect it. The email will be a surprise. People don't like surprises unless it is a new car.)

-People will stay on an email list longer if they actually decided to go on the list in the first place.

So asking people to join is key. In the industry, it's called Permission Email Marketing or Opt-in Email Marketing.

Sounds pretty simple.

When you start building your email list you have to ask people to join (or rather, you would be wise to ask people to join). It's up to you.

Author: Joan Pasay