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I strongly believe this topic has been done to death in the internet marketing world. Everyone at some point have asked the question we hope to answer.

See, I will not bog you with unnecessary story nor will I take your time trying to make you understand why these question is been asked always. The truth is, the money is in the list! How many times have you heard this said by some self-acclaimed guru? How many times have you seen this in IM related videos? Could they all be wrong?

Social Media Vs Email Marketing

While pondering on that, do you remember the last time you received a message into your email box by some guru telling that social media was the next big thing and that email marketing isn’t exactly as important as it used to be? When I receive this kind of “guru” message, I quickly unsubscribe from the guru, fast!

If you are trying to convince me that email marketing was dead and that social media was the next big thing, why in the high heavens will you send me that kind of “very important message” into my email?! Why wouldn’t he send that kind of message to me on facebook, twitter, hubpages or anywhere else he calls “social media”? You see, the truth is, email marketing has come to stay. There are no two ways about it.

So is the money still in the list?

Remember the common mantra with the “the money is in the list”? Here is my twist, “the money has stopped been in the list years ago, it is now in the relationship with the list”. Do you grab the difference? Email marketing isn’t about blasting your subscribers with promotions upon promotion. It is about building a relationship with them. This is always the missing component in many people’s campaign strategy.

As an internet marketers, it is your responsibility to make sure that your subscribers look forward to receiving your email. Wonder why so many people even veterans complain about low open rates nowadays? It is because they have left their “first love”. They have tasted the success that comes with a responsive list but have forgotten how they got there. They have forgotten they got where they are because they first took the time necessary to become “friends” with their email list. This is a million dollar lesson. It is always about the basics. It is always about the relationship, no more, no less.

It has been said that a raw lead needs about 6 contact with your product before he/she finally makes a buying decision. That brings the old argument about directing traffic straight to a squeeze page or directing them to a product page straight off the bat. In my opinion, you are leaving so much money on the table if you go the direct linking route. You will be missing on the 5 other contact needed (assuming the 6 contact statistic is true). That could be a potential ten, twenty or hundred sales allow to go down the drain.

With this knowledge, it is about time you re-plan your email marketing and your promotion strategy. It is about time you packed all the remaining money on the table and put them where they belong – your pocket!

Recommended List Building Guide: Opt-in Profits