Killer Email Tactics and List Building presented at Affiliate Summit West by Hunter Boyle features ways to get your list building going on steroids. He uses Social Media Examiner as the case study because the founder used other experts to build his site and he didn't monetize the list until it reached 10,000 subscribers.
Boyle points out list builders don't need to wait till 10,000 subscribers to monetize the list, but should get some kind of a start first before beginning to sell to the list.
Surprisingly, 70% of opt ins from social media examiner come from the Pop-Up form. Use it because it works even though some people may think it's annoying. You should consider using the Pop-Up form on your site even though you may think it's annoying. If your readers aren't willing to sign up, you have to ask yourself if the reader is worth it.
Boyle points out that bonus incentives lift response. I use this with the opportunity to win a personal blog in a drawing that I'm doing every month. This has helped my subscription rate and I'm looking for other opportunities to drive sign-ups.
Some list builders will let readers sign up without reinforcing their decision to subscribe to your list. Smart marketers know that the list is worth more, even though being smaller because they are able to reinforce the subscribers decision to join the list. This is called Double Opt-In. They say they want to subscribe twice, back-to-back ensuring a quality subscriber.
Boyle talks about the importance of using Social Proof through testimonials from credible people or sources supporting your reason for having the reader sign up.
Testing landing pages are another way to increase your response. Testing your subject lines and copy change is a great idea as well. Two sites that are great for testing pages, Marketing Sherpa and WhichTestWon.com.
Always be testing your list building strategy to ensure the results that you are looking for. AWeber is a great program and people like Hunter Boyle are working hard to help you do well in list building.