Link Requests that Work

Don't want to be deleted? Here are some tips...

[Teshka]

I received a pleasantly refreshing link exchange request today, one that actually inspired me to open my editor and add the person's site. (I tend to delete about 90% of the requests I get) For those of you wondering how to get read, I'm posting a much paraphrased and non-specific version of the email (ie this is an example and not the real note):

---------------------------------
Greetings,

I have a widget site and think my visitors would find your site useful and motiviating (I liked the humorous widget comment "blah blah" on your front page). I also liked your article on how to buy widgets.

I've placed a link to your site on my site widgetworld.com. The description I created for your site was: "Great widget review site with buying and usage tips" Let me know if you'd prefer a different description.

Would you consider adding a link back to my page?
URL: widgetworld.com
Title: Widget World
Description: blah blah

Please e-mail me any comments. Thank you for your time!

Signed real name
---------------------------

This worked on me because:
a) He had actually browsed my site and let me know what parts he liked.
b) He had already linked to me but never indicated my link would be removed if I didn't respond in blah-blah hours/days.
c) Correct use of the English language
d) Email was not pushy, annoying, or an obvious carbon copy.

Anyway, does anyone else have tips on how to get your link exchange requests read instead of deleted?

Please share....

[Dominic_X]

I've acted on two emails lately from sites which I'm not sure now I had linked to.

The approach was... we have moved, please update your link, your link is here (does it need updating), please update your link to our site to 'x, y, and z.'

It didn't say 'the old site was x.' So I gave up trying to work out what the old site was and just added the link.

It worked on me (if it was a trick and I had not previously linked to them) because I worked off the assumption that I had already determined that the exchange was worthwhile and I want to stay in the good books of those partners I have acquired.

The other email was 'our contact details have changed - please update your records.' They listed the webmaster's email with a comment - please send any updates to your listing to our webmaster, if you haven't already recieved a link from our site please email... which no doubt would have been met with a reply 'your site has been added, here is how to return the favour.'

Being polite and professional is important. I find I get a good response when I use language which places power in the potential partner's hands...
'please stipulate your requirements'
'please inform us of any changes you require'

I also find people more responsive if you get their attention immediately with something like this:

I recently visited exact-url.com about 'their topic' etc.

Attaching a value (real or percieved) also works well. I mention we charge $47 for one way links, but will exchange links with on topic sites free.

[martinibuster]

$47 is expensive for a one-way (depends on the site I guess).

Does anybody bite or is it just for encouragement?

[Dominic_X]

I've sold three in the past 6 months, but that's amongst highly related sites.

Good point though, don't make it $47 if it's not worth $47, you don't want people laughing their guts out at your email.

I would make it at least $10 - $20 though as the main point is (for me anyway) not to actually sell text links but to create a sense of value, so you get more IBLs / encourage webmasters to exchange...

I call it a premium listing (includes linked screen shot with alt text, promenence, second text link, total of three links).