If you are building your business online then you need to have an email list. An email list is simply a list of people who have given you their email in exchange for a free gift or to get onto your newsletter.
An email list is not a list that you can just send offer after offer after offer. Your email list is made up of real people who are looking for an answer or help to their problem. You want to treat this list of people very well. They are after all your potential customers and team members.
You can offer them tips and solutions that will make their lives easier. You can build an email list around anything. An important thing to remember is that they gave you their email to get information about a certain item. If you are offering information on make-up, let's say, then keep your emails centered around that. Don't start offering tips on candles. That won't make sense to your list. They gave you their information to learn about make-up not candles. If you wanted to start talking about candles you would start a new list for that.
People will only trade their email information if they feel that they are getting something valuable in return. Make your Freebie something that people are going to want.
Aweber, Get Response and Mail Chimp are well-known and respected email autoresponder services. Stick with one of those 3 (or another experienced and popular provider) to make the process as comfortable for you and your subscribers as possible.
I personally use Aweber and have had great service. They also have a phone number that you can call and get help.
Above the fold means that your opt-in should be at the top of your site. Your visitors should not have to scroll to see your opt-in form. By placing it at the top of your site more people will actually see it.
The sooner that you get started building your list the better! I'm sure that you have heard it before, “The money is in the list” and that is very true. The sooner you learn how to use your autoresponder the better. Don't let it scare you and become overwhelmed. Take your time and learn it. The number 1 thing that most online marketers regret is that they didn't start building their list soon enough.
I know you want to start making money from your list. However, your first 4 or 5 emails should all be quality content only, no sales pitches. Follow-up your opt-in bribe with a “Thank You” email that surprises your subscribers with another high-quality and free piece of content. Follow that email up with at least 1 or 2 more problem-solving, solution producing emails. Only then should you start thinking about trying to make a sales pitch.