Use this 9-step checklist to ensure your email sign-up process not only lures in users, but also keeps them subscribed -- and happy.

My biggest beef with email marketers is that they design and manage their programs based on marketing goals and internal objectives rather than their end users. Since my company keeps the lights on by working with marketers to create, optimize and manage their email campaigns, I need to be careful where I tread, but let's face it: Email programs that come across as created and delivered specifically for the email subscriber's benefit are few and far between.

Therefore, as we head into 2008 shining from the glow of the latest report telling us that email budgets are surging, let's use this as a chance to rethink our overall email program's value to our subscribers.

Your email program's (and often your brand's) first impression starts with offering up a value proposition to your website visitor (or maybe a catalog or in-store browser if you are a lucky retailer that collects email addresses via call center or in-store). Be relevant, and deliver real valuable and unique information, offers or something that is compelling enough to give your users a reason to read and respond -- and subscribe.

It all starts with the sign-up process, which is the permission email agreement you make with your opt-in database subscribers. This is a contract and, like with any contract, if you violate it any time during the email marketing process, there can be a penalty. In this case, it can be disengagement (or as some call it being unemotionally subscribed), actually unsubscribing or the dreaded THIS IS SPAM label, whether you received their permission or not.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to ensure you treat your email sign-up form/preference center like a binding contract:

What did you say you do?
Make it clear what the email will consist of. Don't just offer up "Sign up for our newsletter." That doesn't tell your potential subscribers anything. Offer up the benefits and a general overview of what they would be receiving.

Can you show me what you are talking about?
Samples, much like the snacks at gourmet retailers, can lead to a bigger purchase and convert browsers into buyers. In email, it can help seal the subscription deal or alleviate any fears of potential subscribers that they may just be receiving "a bunch of emails" with little value.

The Email Experience Council's RetailEmail.Blogspot, in its "2007 Retail Email Subscription Benchmark Study" found that only 12 percent of major online retailers offer a sample of their newsletter(s) during the email subscription process.

How often will we be talking?
Spell out how often a subscriber will receive your emails. Daily or monthly can make a big impact on whether a user signs up or not. Don't mislead users. Signing up for a quarterly newsletter and receiving it three times a week constitutes a violation of trust and, in this case, the subscription agreement.

Most companies do a poor job in this area. Notably, retailers are missing the mark. RetailEmail.Blogspot's findings revealed that not even 7 percent of retailers give subscribers any kind of idea how many emails to expect.

What's in it for me?
An enticing reward can often help create the email relationship and convert many would-be email subscribers. It also provides an early indicator that there is real value in being an email subscriber. Remember, anyone can go to your website if all you are doing is cutting and pasting your home page and putting in an email template.

May I make a suggestion?
Let your new email subscribers choose some content and have some control over their subscription, whether it is HTML vs. text, the frequency, the language or just a nice menu of newsletter and email offerings.

How well do you want to get to know me?
The amount of information collected can often be the reason why (or why not) people sign up for your email program. KnowledgeStorm in a 2007 study found that 72 percent of buyers felt the "amount of detail in the overview" was a major factor in deciding to register for emails. Remember the general rule is that with more than four to five fields of information you may start to lose potential subscribers. If you are not using the information for segmenting, than just ask for a first name and email address.

Why should I trust you?
Every company should have a privacy policy. Make sure you make it accessible for your future subscribers with just a simple link as it can do the trick in confirming you are a legitimate company with respectable privacy practices. RetailEmail.Blogspot's study found that almost 50 percent of major online retailers address privacy concerns during the email subscription process.

How easy is it for me?
Finding your email sign up and ensuring the process isn't a laborious one is key to your strong first impression and foreshadows what kind of experience you should expect. Ensure your sign up form can be found (and completed for most) on the home page. Silverpop's 2007 study found that 80 percent of companies offered email sign-ups on their home pages.

Can you please confirm that with me?
A frustrating experience off the bat can be signing up for an email and not receiving a web-based or email confirmation -- or worse, not receiving an email for a lengthy period. Tying in with the incentive aspect, your confirmation email/page is a great spot to receive the actual coupon/white paper and engage the new subscriber right away. Twenty-seven percent of companies in Silverpop's survey failed to send emails to new subscribers confirming their registrations.

Use this guide to kick start your email sign-up process and list-building efforts for 2008 and ensure the value is going to be delivered in your future email campaigns.

G. Simms Jenkins is founder and CEO of BrightWave Marketing, an Atlanta-based email marketing and customer relationship services firm.