Still the Number One Strategy for any Website That Seeks to Build Relationships?

What do you think is the single most important "start off" goal for any website? Here's some ideas. Perhaps to:

• Sell books, e-books, software or templates.
• Offer a range of products and services.
• Sell related items.
• Take orders.
• Interact with readers and visitors.
• Use the website as a kind of shop window, including c.v., and so on.

Although I would absolutely agree that all or any of the above can be important if you want to provide a superb website presence, nevertheless, I suggest that there's one multistage objective that is absolutely crucial to put into action as your prospects visit your website. The process to which I'm referring is: email address collection.

However, the days of just collecting email addresses are gone. Today, to protect yourself from unfounded Spam-related accusations and to have the opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism, rather than amateurism as soon as possible.

To meet today's more demanding requirements, your website email address capture system should

• Use a double-opt-in email management and subscriber system as outlined here.
• Prompt every new visitor to the site to register with your website.
• Include a "sign-up" box or web form, ideally on every page or most key pages.
• Should specifically state that your site does not send Spam. You can also include a link to a privacy policy pledge page on your website that proves and further outlines how you meet this goal.
• When a visitor "registers", your website administration should automatically send an email message to the address they provide containing a special link.
• Ask your visitor who just registered in Step 5 to click the special link that is unique to them contained in the email message they received.
• Automatically fully register only those visitors who have clicked the special link in Step 6. Visitors who arrive at Step 7 are now considered fully registered. The email addresses of visitors who do not click the special link should be automatically removed from your records since these are not double-opt-in.
• Send an email to the fully registered subscriber from Step 7, confirming that they are now fully registered (double-opt-in).
• Automatically record and provide access to documentary evidence to prove to you that for each email address received, and which has been fully registered, that you have the owner's express permission to record their email address and to communicate with them under the agreement you outlined on your website. Otherwise, In today's more chaotic Internet, you can be accused of sending Spam - delivering email messages without permission of the owner. Without documentary evidence, guilt is usually assumed. Spam accusations that are upheld can result in your website being swiftly closed and, in severe cases, can even result in loss or suspension of domain name.
• Allow you to regularly contact and interact with your prospects and customers by email. Ideally, send or make available an email newsletter once a week or certainly at least every two weeks. Then within your email newsletters, you can also promote and up-sell additional products and services that help your customers or solve a definite problem they have more cheaply and in a better way than they can find elsewhere.

Most of the steps above are fully automated at InternetTIPS.com and similar websites we create for customers.

Note: if you run a website from the UK, you may also need to register with the UK's Data Protection Registrar. At the time of writing, registration costs about £35 / year.

Key tip: so just why is the above strategy arguably more important than just seeking to sell products and services? Answer: without a double-opt-in email address, you may never have another cost-effective chance to contact a new visitor or prospect again.

If you don't connect soon with a new visitor, you may lose them forever. Why? If your prospect visits your site today and then goes away without making any firm connection, the general "busy-ness" of life can ensure that the likely-hood of them revisiting by chance again is slim.

Your key goal is to create a bridge or link to each prospect as soon as possible. Even though your current offer may not interest them today, your follow-up offer might be just what your prospect or customer is seeking. A double-opt-in email address provides the bridge that enables you to create win-win solutions for both your customers and your business.

However, you must take the initiative; take control. Don't leave email management to chance. Keep good email records of double-opt-in completion and maintain regular website backups as well.