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If you're just starting out with Internet Marketing, you probably don't know where to begin when creating your first list building page. Tracking and testing of whatever page you create is important, and you should start doing those things right away. But before you begin, you really have no stats to base your business on, so you may find it useful to use the stats of others. MarketingExperiments.com is such a place.

In 2004, MarketingExperiments.com conducted a survey about subscription rates. Though the study isn't completely about list building, many of the ideas that the company presents are highly relevant. I'd like to share some of the results of the 2004 test and show you how they relate to list building. (You can see the ful report at http://tinyurl.com/2ymexr.

1) Be sure your value proposition is prominent.

When you tell customers or potential list members what's in it for them, you're letting them in on your value propsition. How will your special report that you're giving away in exchange for their name and email address solve their problem? For example, if your niche is computers and your report tells them minimum requirements they need to select a new laptop, people who don't know computers quite so well would be interested. You're going to show them what they need to make an informed decision before they buy. This value proposition should probably be your headline.

2) Make signing up quick and easy

Opt-in boxes should be kept simple. You only need the person's first name and email address. If you need more to deliver a product, for instance, then get it when the person actually buys what you're selling. Just getting them onto your list is the goal, the list building page simple, and you don't ask for too much information, you have a better chance of getting people onto your list.

3) Tell them you'll protect them

Just below the opt-in box on your list building page should be a statement of privacy, such as "We will never rent, sell, or otherwise distribute your information to anyone for any reason." Though it's true that everyone can put such a statements on their websites and not mean it, just having it there increases the public's security level and may help them to make the decision to opt-in to your list.

4) Provide a statement aout low-risk.

Letting people know that they can unsubscribe at any time often boosts your opt-in rate. Sometimes, they just realize how much mail they have coming in, and shy away. But if you let them know that they can always unsubscribe without issue, they'll be more likely to join your list.

5) Your list building page should be the beginning of your sales funnel.

Most list building has selling subsequent products to the customer over time. So, make your list building page the top of your sales funnel. Once someone signs in, your thank you page should be your sales letter for the product you want to sell. Even so, they may still not buy, and that's what autoresponder messages are for. Though you've advertised your product in your special report that people got for signing up, you want to continue to send a series of informational messages with the product in mind via your autoresponder. If you give them good content, a greater number will be willing to buy.

Though you have to track and test your own list building pages, these 5 hints will certainly help your opt-in rate and potentially, your conversion rate, as well. Always remember to answer the "What's in it for me?" question, and help people solve their problems. When you can do that, you'll build a customer base of loyal people that will last a lifetime.