Beginning the List/expansion

So once you are ready to expand, how do you go about it? Well before I share the way I approach someone business wise (and there are many ways that work, especially if you are nice, honest, respectful, and don't pressure), I need to address the idea of your list.
Your list of contacts is one of the biggest assets you bring to the business. Most people have no idea how to properly make a list. I remember when I first got started in the home based industry, and I was told to make a list. I wasn't told HOW to make a list, I was just told to make one.
So of course, I interpret this the way my no experience brain will interpret this...and my first thought is...I don't know many people. This of course is because I had no clue as to what the definition of "know" was for this purpose. At the time, I was working in a bank during the day, working in a nightclub as a bartender 3-4 nights a week, and was 6 years removed from college..so it's obvious that I "knew" plenty of people...the problem is I didn't "know" them.
So my first list had 28 people and my dog on it. Now I was determined to make my business work because I absolutely despised, loathed, hated, abhored, detested and kinda sorta didn't like working in a banking job.
Now my "training" and I use the word loosely, was to focus only on signing up people for the business opportunity because this was the quick way to a lifetime of riches. I did not know any better, so I did as I was told. I took my immense credibility as a broke bartending/banker who had never really accomplished anything of note in my life and I marched to my close friends and family to tell them about the amazing business opportunity I had to offer (you know, cause I was an expert on business opportunities:-) and can you believe it? They weren't interested. Not only were they not interested...it was interesting what someof the repsonses were. I can say they were interesting now because I am looking back 21 years and the pain and embarrassment are gone! Even my dog didn't want to sign up!
So then after I exhausted my list, I was told to advertise...I'll share a little about that next time I write...