The Internet is full of service providers that promises "guaranteed traffic" but many of these offers have been proven to be nothing but elaborate scams. It is however far better to start generating your own opt-in list as early as possible, and thus establish yourself as a genuine online marketer.

Successful e-mail marketing does not comprise of just simply renting a list and blasting out an ad to everyone that happens to be on it. The basis of successful e-mail marketing is undoubtedly the development of your very own database of names. Your own e-mail list allows you to develop a long-term relationship with your online audience and to communicate with them over a period of time. This can eventually become very lucrative as you can present them with multiple offers.

There are certain fundamentals to consider when building your own e-mail or opt-in list, and this could include;

- Setting goals and sticking to a specific plan - How long will your messages be? How often do you plan to mail and how many addresses do you want on your list within the first six months?

- What kind of relationship do you want with the recipients of your e-mailings? - Decide on your target audience and what you will offer them.

- Determine what format your e-mailings will take i.e. advertisements, newsletters, e-zines, press releases, or discussion forums.

- Will you handle the creative aspects of your mailings like the actual writing, copy writing and editing or will this be outsourced to a professional?

- Is there a specific technical requirement based on the volume of e- mails you'll be sending over the long run? Considerations could include bandwidth, e-mail server software, list management software like auto-responders.

Always make absolutely sure that all your lists are opt-in, and that all recipients have explicitly given you permission to mail to them. Make it very easy for list members to unsubscribe at any time. In e-mail marketing, trust is the key element, and you should never abuse your relationship with your list members. Ensure that the e-mail you send them is relevant and offers real value.