We all know that an opt-in list is essential to any site or internet based company. Even for a small project such as a niche profit site, an opt-in list can increase traffic to your site and also inject some quick cash into your business. Rarely would you see an e-commerce site, big or small, that is without an opt-in list.

An opt-in list allows you to market your affiliate products and website via an e-mail message. With an opt-in list, a subscriber consents through an opt-in form to receiving a newsletter from you. This becomes a mechanism for you to keep your subscribers abreast of what is currently available on your site as well as hints about what may be launching in the future.

Because the subscribers consented via the form, mail sent to the list is not considered spam. The owner of the list should include an opt-out link in any email sent out. Marketing to your opt-in list can be compared to the great number of successfully read promotional materials such as catalogs, newsletters and such that are sent because the subscribers themselves have opted-in to get them.

Building a list is not the easiest thing to do, only a small percentage of the visitors to your opt-in page actually subscribe to your list. Many people find promotional mails annoying, but of you provide valuable content in your newsletter or promotional material, you will see your list expand. You can also achieve this by having relevant content on your website. If people like what they see and read on your site, then they surely would want more. Newsletters would be a way to attract them back to your site.

Other than marketing your main products and services, an opt-in list can also be used to earn extra profit. Of course, until you've built a successful list with a huge number of subscribers, your conversion volume will be small as well. The more subscribers you have, the more sales you will see.

Presented here are seven strategies for profit using nothing more than your list.

1) Sell advertising space. There are many companies who would be willing to pay to display their ezine ads on a newsletter with a large subscriber base. Rather than renting other's lists, many companies would just rather place ads in ezines. Your newsletter could feature two or three ads per issue and each one spells money.

2) Place YOUR affiliate links to other companies' sites with similar subject matter to your site. Here other companies will provide links and brief descriptions of what they offer, products and services. With every click made on the link that directs or leads a subscriber from your list to their site, the company will pay you. This P4P or pay for performance.

3) Make deals with other companies by asking for a small percentage of sales done through your list. This is commonly known as a joint venture. With every sale done by customers that have come from your list and have gone there because of your newsletter, the other company will pay you a small percentage of your sales. The more people who buys from them, the more earnings you get.

4) Consider getting products from other sites on a consignment basis and sell them to your list via your newsletter. Place descriptions, articles and photos of the product in your newsletter. There will be those who will buy from you and when that happens, you can order the product from the other site and sell it to your buyer.

5) Sell e-books or a compilation of your articles on your list. Manuals and how-to articles are in great demand. Many people will be willing to shell out money to gain knowledge about a certain topic and subject. With your existing list trusting your expertise in that area, an e-book could be offered and sold or used as an incentive.

6) Create a viral network out of your list. Get people to invite more people to view your site and subscribe to your list. The larger your list is, the more people will be able to click on your affiliate links as well as add value to your advertising space, commanding a higher rate.

7) Subscribers are willing to pay for information if they know that it can be trusted and relied upon. Use your list to get more and more people to subscribe to you as well as browse your site. Lastly, you can use your list to earn money by making them your partners, or affiliates. Your list will be key to the growth and prosperity of your business.