Generate Leads. An email newsletter containing worthwhile content, or a promotional offer with a high-perceived value can be used as incentives to convince prospects to provide their email addresses. Once you have their addresses, you can initiate dialogue that results in acquiring and retaining right kinds of customers. Profitable customers.

Build Loyalty. In our opinion, building loyalty is most important feature of an email program. Permission-based communication allows you to build customer loyalty, and customer loyalty kicks off a series of positive events including:

* market share increases because acquisition costs are amortized, allowing you to realize lifetime value of a customer

* Some studies show that it costs six times more to acquire a customer as to retain one

* The Harvard Business Review reports that cutting customer defections by just five percent can result in profitability increases of as much as 35 percent

* sustainable growth continues because you have a solid base of customers who will refer others

* attract better employees who in turn deliver better value to customers

You no longer have a good reason for not using permission-based email marketing to unleash power of customer relationships.

On your thank you page (or redirect page) they are taken to after they fill out form you need to provide information on verifying. Verified opt-in allows you to ensure that person subscribing did so with his or her own email address and didn't provide a fake or malicious email. Let visitor know that they should check their email inbox. Tell them what subject line of email says so they know what to look for. Convey that they must click on link inside to verify and receive download link to your product.

In autoresponder they receive after verifying, give them download link. Since they are subscribed to your list and have confirmed that address they provided is valid you can effectively follow up providing more information about using free or trial software, training tips, and further benefits or features earned by becoming a customer.

Using these techniques you are sure to increase your sales when converting free downloads to paid customers.

Sean Cohen, Director of Client Relations & Development of Newtown, PA based AWeber Communications, Inc. an opt-in email service provider. With 7 years managing opt-in follow up and newsletters for small businesses.