When I first started publishing, I ran not only my newsletter, but classifieds and solos, too.

At some point it did occur to me that not everyone on my primary, or better put "sole," list fully appreciated, nor wanted, every mailing I was sending.

Just because they subscribed didn't give me full reign to send and send and send.

I opted at that time for a solo opt-out list. I contacted my existing list so all existing readers could make their choice, and included this option in my welcome letter for all newly arriving readers.

My surprise was only a handful of readers chose to take me up on it. And a handful of the handful thanked me.

I WORKED A TAD HARDER BUT IT WAS WORTH IT

The benefit...? Now I knew when I sent a solo it was because the person receiving it truly expressed their interest in reading it.

This increased the value of my offered advertising both to my readers and my paying advertisers. And, while not going overboard, I was also able to adjust the cost of advertising upward because the list had increased value for the advertiser.

Yes, it did require a tad more work - only because way back then I wasn't using autoresponders and automated mailing lists. I updated, moved, deleted, mailed, etc., manually from my desktop.

"Nowadays," automating sublists is a breeze! :)

FAST FORWARD A FEW YEARS...

I no longer offer solos directly via my newsletter website - I operate two co-ops for that purpose allowing those looking for special advertising (along with classified advertising) the opportunity to pick and choose from a wide variety of quality ezines.

My true feeling is my co-op works at its' best offering 6 line classified advertising and top sponsor ads. I believe it is much better to shop around and contact and purchase solo ads directly from publishers. Consider, if you are reading that ezine, chances are others are, too :)

"Bulk" solo purchases work, but "targeted" solo purchases work even better.

A FEW MONTHS AGO

A while back I wrote an article which, months and months later, I can frankly say was a plea to those with mailing lists to narrow them down - target their lists. My inbox runneth over :)

My aim was two-fold:

1. Increase the quality of one's mailings

2. Eliminate the "spam" aura that taints any list

when contacted too frequently (or unwantedly).

And, above and beyond all of that, if you have a list you've got a primary objective in mind to make money (or the equivalent) with that list.

PUT MY MONEY WHERE MY MOUTH IS :)

I'm one of the lucky ones who have a copy of Jimmy D. Brown's Sublist Secrets Revealed: http://www.mywizardads.com/revealed/

Whether you are a follower of Jimmy's or not isn't the point. The point is Jimmy makes money online - big money.

How? Because he has fine-tuned the art of list management and uses it to his, and his readers, advantage.

How many lists do you have? Mr. Brown manages 90 - yes 90 - separate lists. I do believe when he finds something noteworthy he knows exactly who to contact. And he makes sales.

MAKING SALES TAKES WORK

Anyone serious about earning a living online needs to start at the source - their list. If you have only one mailing list chances are that list will degrade over time - if it hasn't already.

You need people willing to open and read. Action comes when people receive what they want and need.

Yes, time and effort are required. I've yet to find any job that doesn't require both :)

In the long run (actually a much shorter run then you expect), the extra work pays off.

Having extremely tight, targeted mailing lists ups your odds to make money. It also shows you are conscientious and truly interested in providing the right thing to the right receiver.

Increase the pull of your mailings a hundred fold. More... more lists, finely tuned, are better!