Writing an Internet business plan for a website or online business is very similar to how to write a business plan for a traditional small business. An Internet business plan should include all basic business plan elements, and the primary differences between an Internet business plan and a traditional business plan will be in the details. Here are the primary components of an Internet business plan:

1. Executive Summary – Just like with traditional business plans, Internet business plans need an executive summary. The executive summary is usually the first section of an Internet business plan, although it should be the last section written. An executive summary simply serves as an overview or summary of everything else in the Internet business plan, and would include a very general company description, the company / site mission, and a summary of projected financials.

2. Website / Business Summary – The business summary or website summary of an Internet business plan will offer the reader a glimpse of who company is and what they do. It should describe the website or online business in detail, as well as some general information about the market or niche (for example, if running a niche social networking website, it should explain social networking). Answer the basic questions here of who?, what?, when?, where?, and why? – mention who owns or manages the website or online business, what the site is about or trying to offer, when the site was launched, where the site is located, and why the site or online business was launched in the first place. When updating an Internet business plan beyond the startup phase, this is also the section of the business plan which should contain past results and developments of the website or online business. (more…)

With several countries’ anti-spam laws requiring that email list subscribers be given the option to unsubscribe from each message, email list retention is just as important as email list building. Email marketing lists can shrink just as quickly, if not more quickly, than they can grow under an opt-in model. There are several things email marketers can do to improve their email list retention, and avoid having readers unsubscribe. Here are a few tips for better email list retention:

1. Don’t spam subscribers. Be sure to avoid violating anti-spam laws, by keeping email titles clear and honest, and always providing the unsubscribe option. The less there is to hide, the less likely subscribers are going to rush to leave.

2. Offer constant value. If everything sent to subscribers is a commercial message trying to sell or promote something, it will turn off a lot of readers, risking that they’ll unsubscribe. Provide articles, research, or other valuable information only available in newsletters to give subscribers a reason to keep reading, and looking forward to, those messages. (more…)

Email marketing may be a form of Internet marketing, but that doesn’t mean an email list can only be build online. There are many offline tactics for email list building, especially for offline businesses wanting to improve their email marketing efforts. Here are ten ways to help build an opt-in email marketing list offline:

1. Offline businesses can place a book or simple sheet of paper near their checkout area for buyers to add their name and email address for updates, news, or special offers. Bands and other entertainers often do this too, when selling their CDs or merchandise.

2. A line for an optional email address and simple check box to confirm email list subscriptions can be added to customer satisfaction surveys.

3. Postcards for easy email list subscriptions can be included in other direct mail campaigns to customers or a company’s target market.

4. Add a newsletter subscription option to bill or invoice tear-offs that are sent back to the company with payment.

5. Add a newsletter subscription notice to any letters or correspondence sent to customers, clients, or others in the industry. (more…)

The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 was the first federal legislation passed in the US regarding email marketing. Enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the CAN-SPAM act applies to commercial email messages with minimal exceptions, and mandates heavy fines for violations. The CAN-SPAM Act directly affects email list building options, with the following rules and limitations:

1. Email addresses for mailing lists cannot be harvested from websites.

2. The person or company running the email marketing campaign is legally liable if they hire a contractor who harvests email addresses on their behalf, even if they don’t personally participate in list building efforts.

3. Members of an email marketing list must have the option to opt-out of future mailings, or essentially remove themselves from the email marketing list.

4. Email marketers can’t simply say “I didn’t know,” if they purchase or rent a cheap email list, or join “safe lists,” that later prove to be a list of non-opt-in subscribers. Email marketers have the responsibility to know who they’re buying from, and understand standard rates of legal email lists to avoid “too good to be true” deals that are often illegal email collections. (more…)

Using opt-in email marketing lists isn’t only the law in many countries, but it also offers several benefits to email marketers. Here are some of the benefits of using an opt-in email list in your email marketing efforts:

Improved Conversions / Response Rates – When readers of commercial email messages have independently signed up for an email list, they generally have a direct interest in the subject matter or offers. That makes it more likely that those subscribers will convert to buyers, will convert to ad clicks, or will respond to email campaigns needing a reader response (such as surveys).

Targeted Readers – Those improved conversions and response rates are a direct result of the fact that opt-in email lists allow marketers to reach a highly targeted market or reader base, including readers with an interest in the niche or industry all the way to a list so targeted that it only includes past customers or clients. (more…)

One of the easiest ways to quickly grow a targeted, opt-in email list for email marketing campaigns is to offer some kind of incentive to convince subscribers to sign up. The basic process is this: the list builder will offer something for free, but it’s only available to email list subscribers. Anyone wanting the free item or information would then opt-in to the email list to receive the incentive. There are many things that can be used as email list building incentives. Here are a few examples:

E-books – If the email list builder is an expert in an industry or niche, it’s likely that people will want to learn from him or her. By offering a broad collection of basic information to readers in an e-book for free, subscriptions can be built easily.

Reports – Generally shorter than e-books, reports can also be effective email list building incentives. Reports can be anything from an abbreviated e-book to original research and results in an industry. (more…)