f this works out, you can negotiate better terms in the next promotion.

It's best to have your whole promotion mapped out for your JV partner. All she has to do is send out an e-mail blast to her list. And this can work vice-versa because she may want to offer her products to your list.

6) Contests or subscriptions. Drop your business card in the jar to enter a drawing. Register to win a car or a cruise. Get weekly advice for hair care with specials for shampoo or gel. Or claim and redeem an instant coupon that expires on a given date.

Retailers don't do this enough. They're not creating customer addiction by giving their clients more reasons to return to their store. When customers visit your store eight times this month instead of four, it will begin feeling like a routine. And do you know how hard it is to break a routine?

7) Article submissions. If you write articles for niche markets, you can post them on online article directories. Even better if you include them in print publications. There's a

The fastest, easiest, and least expensive way to create long-term income is to acquire thousands of targeted prospects who buy from you: FOR LIFE.

Imagine sending out a direct mail package or an e-mail blast triggering an avalanche of orders. Picture a sold out conference room filled with familiar faces anticipating your presence. And feel the warm tingle running down your spine as you listen to prot?g?s and mentees making breakthroughs to success and earning lots more money.

You're the trusted expert whom they love, respect and champion. You have been where they are now—and you can help them get where they want to go. You continue to produce higher-end products that make you money whether or not you lift a finger.

This is the magic of building your client list...

But let's say you own a retail business instead. Building a client list is critical in keeping your customers coming back, buying more often, and purchasing larger orders. You assume more risk waiting for walk-in shoppers only. And I hope you're not thinking about hiring sign-twirlers. That would air on the side of desperation, and cheapens your products.

So if you build your client list, create special offers, and provide incentives to bring in new customers—you will increase revenue, remain solvent through down times, and outperform your competitors establishing your store as the number one retailer in your area.

Now let's roll up our sleeves to plan out how to do this:

1) Website giveaway or online subscription. This is by far the least expensive to implement. You offer a complimentary white paper, a problem-solving report, or an online course where they opt-in their name and e-mail address. They receive the gift and you've captured their contact information.

This can be accomplished with a pop-up box on your home page, an actual squeeze page separate from your website, and e-book promotions pointing back to your site. Other opt-in options could be flyer insertions with your orders, card-deck promotions, online surveys or exams, and through your signature file. Just about anything you send out should point back to your client-capturing device. Even if you're promoting through radio interviews, infomercials, and advertorials—always direct them back to you.

2) Host a no-cost teleseminar. A lot of Internet marketers are building massive lists through teleseminars. They usually interview an expert guest during the hour-long call. But to hear the call, you must register online with your name and e-mail address to receive the call-in details.

And of course these new leads receive more offers in the weeks and months ahead. If you have direct response strategies in place—this can become a cash cow.

3) Promote through seminars. If you are good at speaking and presenting, you're throwing money away if you don't capture contact information from your audience. The best way to do this is by passing out a form.

On the form, write one or two short paragraphs about your special offer. Is this a subscription for an e-zine, a drawing for free prizes, a survey, or attendee comments? Request their name, daytime phone, address, and e-mail. Even the hesitant ones will fill it out when they see others scribbling away.

4) Send a bounce back card. You can send out a business reply post card with a special offer. They reply by dropping it in the mail. It's cost-effective if you've tested your mailing list on a small scale before a massive rollout.

You can rent lists through list brokers or look up certain demographics and psychographics in the Standard Rate and Data Service. The SRDS can be found in the larger libraries or you can subscribe through their website.

5) Joint Venture partners. This is another lucrative moneymaker. It leverages the power of your business partner's endorsement.

Your JV partner has spent time and money building her list. Her subscribers like, trust, and have done business her. You get to tap into that powerful bond.

When starting out—be generous to your partner. It's great business sense. She's taking a chance on you. And if this works out, you can negotiate better terms in the next promotion.

It's best to have your whole promotion mapped out for your JV partner. All she has to do is send out an e-mail blast to her list. And this can work vice-versa because she may want to offer her products to your list.

6) Contests or subscriptions. Drop your business card in the jar to enter a drawing. Register to win a car or a cruise. Get weekly advice for hair care with specials for shampoo or gel. Or claim and redeem an instant coupon that expires on a given date.

Retailers don't do this enough. They're not creating customer addiction by giving their clients more reasons to return to their store. When customers visit your store eight times this month instead of four, it will begin feeling like a routine. And do you know how hard it is to break a routine?

7) Article submissions. If you write articles for niche markets, you can post them on online article directories. Even better if you include them in print publications. There's a s

're not thinking about hiring sign-twirlers. That would air on the side of desperation, and cheapens your products.

So if you build your client list, create special offers, and provide incentives to bring in new customers—you will increase revenue, remain solvent through down times, and outperform your competitors establishing your store as the number one retailer in your area.

Now let's roll up our sleeves to plan out how to do this:

1) Website giveaway or online subscription. This is by far the least expensive to implement. You offer a complimentary white paper, a problem-solving report, or an online course where they opt-in their name and e-mail address. They receive the gift and you've captured their contact information.

This can be accomplished with a pop-up box on your home page, an actual squeeze page separate from your website, and e-book promotions pointing back to your site. Other opt-in options could be flyer insertions with your orders, card-deck promotions, online surveys or exams, and through your signature file. Just about anything you send out should point back to your client-capturing device. Even if you're promoting through radio interviews, infomercials, and advertorials—always direct them back to you.

2) Host a no-cost teleseminar. A lot of Internet marketers are building massive lists through teleseminars. They usually interview an expert guest during the hour-long call. But to hear the call, you must register online with your name and e-mail address to receive the call-in details.

And of course these new leads receive more offers in the weeks and months ahead. If you have direct response strategies in place—this can become a cash cow.

3) Promote through seminars. If you are good at speaking and presenting, you're throwing money away if you don't capture contact information from your audience. The best way to do this is by passing out a form.

On the form, write one or two short paragraphs about your special offer. Is this a subscription for an e-zine, a drawing for free prizes, a survey, or attendee comments? Request their name, daytime phone, address, and e-mail. Even the hesitant ones will fill it out when they see others scribbling away.

4) Send a bounce back card. You can send out a business reply post card with a special offer. They reply by dropping it in the mail. It's cost-effective if you've tested your mailing list on a small scale before a massive rollout.

You can rent lists through list brokers or look up certain demographics and psychographics in the Standard Rate and Data Service. The SRDS can be found in the larger libraries or you can subscribe through their website.

5) Joint Venture partners. This is another lucrative moneymaker. It leverages the power of your business partner's endorsement.

Your JV partner has spent time and money building her list. Her subscribers like, trust, and have done business her. You get to tap into that powerful bond.

When starting out—be generous to your partner. It's great business sense. She's taking a chance on you. And if this works out, you can negotiate better terms in the next promotion.

It's best to have your whole promotion mapped out for your JV partner. All she has to do is send out an e-mail blast to her list. And this can work vice-versa because she may want to offer her products to your list.

6) Contests or subscriptions. Drop your business card in the jar to enter a drawing. Register to win a car or a cruise. Get weekly advice for hair care with specials for shampoo or gel. Or claim and redeem an instant coupon that expires on a given date.

Retailers don't do this enough. They're not creating customer addiction by giving their clients more reasons to return to their store. When customers visit your store eight times this month instead of four, it will begin feeling like a routine. And do you know how hard it is to break a routine?

7) Article submissions. If you write articles for niche markets, you can post them on online article directories. Even better if you include them in print publications. There's a

ough your signature file. Just about anything you send out should point back to your client-capturing device. Even if you're promoting through radio interviews, infomercials, and advertorials—always direct them back to you.

2) Host a no-cost teleseminar. A lot of Internet marketers are building massive lists through teleseminars. They usually interview an expert guest during the hour-long call. But to hear the call, you must register online with your name and e-mail address to receive the call-in details.

And of course these new leads receive more offers in the weeks and months ahead. If you have direct response strategies in place—this can become a cash cow.

3) Promote through seminars. If you are good at speaking and presenting, you're throwing money away if you don't capture contact information from your audience. The best way to do this is by passing out a form.

On the form, write one or two short paragraphs about your special offer. Is this a subscription for an e-zine, a drawing for free prizes, a survey, or attendee comments? Request their name, daytime phone, address, and e-mail. Even the hesitant ones will fill it out when they see others scribbling away.

4) Send a bounce back card. You can send out a business reply post card with a special offer. They reply by dropping it in the mail. It's cost-effective if you've tested your mailing list on a small scale before a massive rollout.

You can rent lists through list brokers or look up certain demographics and psychographics in the Standard Rate and Data Service. The SRDS can be found in the larger libraries or you can subscribe through their website.

5) Joint Venture partners. This is another lucrative moneymaker. It leverages the power of your business partner's endorsement.

Your JV partner has spent time and money building her list. Her subscribers like, trust, and have done business her. You get to tap into that powerful bond.

When starting out—be generous to your partner. It's great business sense. She's taking a chance on you. And if this works out, you can negotiate better terms in the next promotion.

It's best to have your whole promotion mapped out for your JV partner. All she has to do is send out an e-mail blast to her list. And this can work vice-versa because she may want to offer her products to your list.

6) Contests or subscriptions. Drop your business card in the jar to enter a drawing. Register to win a car or a cruise. Get weekly advice for hair care with specials for shampoo or gel. Or claim and redeem an instant coupon that expires on a given date.

Retailers don't do this enough. They're not creating customer addiction by giving their clients more reasons to return to their store. When customers visit your store eight times this month instead of four, it will begin feeling like a routine. And do you know how hard it is to break a routine?

7) Article submissions. If you write articles for niche markets, you can post them on online article directories. Even better if you include them in print publications. There's a

a survey, or attendee comments? Request their name, daytime phone, address, and e-mail. Even the hesitant ones will fill it out when they see others scribbling away.

4) Send a bounce back card. You can send out a business reply post card with a special offer. They reply by dropping it in the mail. It's cost-effective if you've tested your mailing list on a small scale before a massive rollout.

You can rent lists through list brokers or look up certain demographics and psychographics in the Standard Rate and Data Service. The SRDS can be found in the larger libraries or you can subscribe through their website.

5) Joint Venture partners. This is another lucrative moneymaker. It leverages the power of your business partner's endorsement.

Your JV partner has spent time and money building her list. Her subscribers like, trust, and have done business her. You get to tap into that powerful bond.

When starting out—be generous to your partner. It's great business sense. She's taking a chance on you. And if this works out, you can negotiate better terms in the next promotion.

It's best to have your whole promotion mapped out for your JV partner. All she has to do is send out an e-mail blast to her list. And this can work vice-versa because she may want to offer her products to your list.

6) Contests or subscriptions. Drop your business card in the jar to enter a drawing. Register to win a car or a cruise. Get weekly advice for hair care with specials for shampoo or gel. Or claim and redeem an instant coupon that expires on a given date.

Retailers don't do this enough. They're not creating customer addiction by giving their clients more reasons to return to their store. When customers visit your store eight times this month instead of four, it will begin feeling like a routine. And do you know how hard it is to break a routine?

7) Article submissions. If you write articles for niche markets, you can post them on online article directories. Even better if you include them in print publications. There's a

f this works out, you can negotiate better terms in the next promotion.

It's best to have your whole promotion mapped out for your JV partner. All she has to do is send out an e-mail blast to her list. And this can work vice-versa because she may want to offer her products to your list.

6) Contests or subscriptions. Drop your business card in the jar to enter a drawing. Register to win a car or a cruise. Get weekly advice for hair care with specials for shampoo or gel. Or claim and redeem an instant coupon that expires on a given date.

Retailers don't do this enough. They're not creating customer addiction by giving their clients more reasons to return to their store. When customers visit your store eight times this month instead of four, it will begin feeling like a routine. And do you know how hard it is to break a routine?

7) Article submissions. If you write articles for niche markets, you can post them on online article directories. Even better if you include them in print publications. There's a signature section with a short bio and a link back to your website, squeeze page, or product page.

More than just a good read articles can position you as an expert in your field. They allow readers to decide if you really know your stuff. And if you do, they will stay with you and see what else you have to offer.

Please remember...

When building your list, it's best to stay in touch at least twice a month. Any less than that and you're barely in their consciousness. Your message is jockeying against thousands of other messages for their attention. Offer unique, valuable, problem-solving information and you'll capture customers for life.

Tommy Yan helps business owners and entrepreneurs make more money through direct response marketing. He publishes Tommy's Tease weekly e-zine to inspire people to succeed in business and personal growth. Get your free subscription today at www.TommyYan.com.