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I'm willing to bet many of the things you have purchased or signed-up for are products and services that have been endorsed by people you know, admire, and trust. And a majority of these endorsements have probably come through email communication.

But you don't follow the recommendations of just anyone who sends you an email, do you? Of course you don't.

You are probably in the habit of deleting several emails each day from people you have never met who want to sell you prescription drugs, discount software, and search engine submission services. But there are other emails you look forward to getting, and probably open as soon as you see them in your inbox.

Perhaps there are a couple of weekly newsletters you really enjoy. And maybe you are subscribed to a special announcement list that always delivers very exciting information.

You may respect the person who sends these emails because of their achievements as a marketer. Or it could be that you just plain like their personality and get a kick out of their writing style.

Either way, you are quite likely to at least have a look at something recommended in an email from someone whose work you appreciate. What's more, if it's something that peaks your interest, the endorsement from an individual you have grown to like and trust is often enough to encourage you to go ahead and buy.

This is human nature. We love to buy, but don't much care for the idea of being sold. A friendly suggestion made by a person we like carries tenfold the power of the world's slickest sales pitch.

Once you begin the process of building your own opt-in list, you can't just start blasting away with cheesy sales copy and expect positive results. Granted, there are people out there who will buy anything with a price tag, but you can't be certain those people will be on your list right away. You have to give your readers some quality information, and let them have the chance to get to know a little about who you are.

A big part of Internet marketing is building mutually beneficial relationships. If you have some valuable knowledge, share this with your readers and ask for nothing in return. If you have a way with words and funny antic dotes, make them laugh. The retail transactions take a back seat to personal interaction and honest communication. You want the people on your list to regard you as a friend, and you want them to see you as a leader.

It doesn't matter whether your list is built on the premise of a ten day automated training series, or weekly updates that you send manually. The relevant issue is how personal you make each message that you compose.

Provide your contact information in every email you send, and encourage people to use it. Let your subscribers know on a regular basis that you would be happy to hear from them.

Always respond as quickly as possible to any correspondence you receive from a member of your personal list. A subscriber who takes the time to contact you should be treated as your top priority.

Ultimately, you want to create more than just a list of people who are willing to receive your emails. You should be striving to build a dedicated audience who reads your messages as soon as they find them and looks forward to your next communication.

Every leader has a following, and by this token every successful Internet marketer has an audience. The way to achieve this is by giving your opt-in prospects more information than they need, and always taking the time to help them, or even just chat with them, when they ask for it. Become the person your readers go to when they have a question and your road to profit will become a lot shorter and much less bumpy.

Successful Internet marketing is not about blasting your ads to 1 million random email addresses or posting your text links on every site that will accept them. It's about stepping out of the crowd and being viewed as someone who has a purpose and a message.

You can't fake it. But you can do it if you are willing to put yourself out there.