safe lists and the like

[thealexangroup]

hi all,

i would like an opinion (pro or con) regarding the use of safe-lists as a means of building traffic.

thanx,

t.a.g.

[vartov]

Hi thealexangroup,

To tell you the truth I don't like safe lists. It is a system where all members can send messages to everybody in the system and it means it is not targeted. Maybe your target market is IM and you are sending messages to people interested in how to play golf.

On the other hand, most people don't open this kind of message. Think about this, if you receive tons of messages from those in the safe list system would you open them? I suppose your answer is: I don't. Then almost everybody do the same, Cancel the messages...

[Jim Hutchinson]

Safe lists had their moments in the sun where people flocked to them for advertising. Almost as fast as those systems came online, methods to avoid receiving an overabundance of email were disclosed.

Some people, although very few, still use safe lists to get subscribers to their ezines. It depends on which service you use and the way you write your ad, especially the subject. Even still, only a small percentage of members will see it.

To get your message out to an larger audience and have it actually seen join a traffic exchange that rewards their members for viewing those ads. Some allow you to submit solo ads that have links to visit your page and include a timer, just like they do when you are surfing.

The solo ads are even better than surfing though, since people will read your sales page while waiting for the timer, since they are not trying to get to the next traffic exchange page. One such program is Top Surfer. Do a search for them or visit www.affref.com

Hope that helps.

Jim