Ezines and Newsletters

Copyright 2006 Donna Gunter

I’ve been publishing an email newsletter since 2000, and
have to admit I wasn’t very attentive to the whole process
at the beginning.  Hindsight is 20/20, and I could kick
myself for not taking this strategy very seriously, as my
email newsletter list is my gold mine because it’s filled
with subscribers who already know something about me.

Each week after I send out my ezine, I receive several
emails that begin, “Hi Donna!  My name is …, and I know
you don’t know me, but I know you, as I’ve been reading
your newsletter for a couple of years now.”  I love those
emails, as I know that my reader has begun to like, trust
and respect me — all the characteristics that need to be
in place for them to decide to buy something from me.

Many of you may be asking, “Well, Donna, isn’t the email
newsletter dead?  Everyone is blogging now.”  True,
blogging is quite an effective way to publicize your
business. However, I believe in the power of doing both.
There are people who don’t have the time/energy/desire to
read a blog and would rather have the info delivered
directly to them in their inbox, with no additional
clicking required.

How can you grow your own list?  Or, if you’re just
starting an email newsletter, how can you get subscribers
to the list?  Here are 15 strategies I’ve used over the
past 5 years to get subscribers to my email newsletter list:

1.  Tell your clients, colleagues, friends and family.
Just like a birth announcement, tell everyone you know
about your new “baby” — your email newsletter.  Because
you want a list in which subscribers have opted in, don’t
add people directly to the list.  In fact, many ezine
distribution services don’t permit you to do that.
Instead, provide them with an email sign-up link, or send
them to the form on your web site where they can subscribe
to your newsletter.

2.  Have a sign-up box on every page of your web site.  You
never know on what page someone will land in your web site.
As I look at my web site statistics, I am amazed at some of
the search terms that visitors use that make them land on
an internal page of my web site.  Don’t take a chance that
you might lose them — offer them the option to sign up for
your newsletter on every single page of your web site.

3.  Make your sign-up box compelling.  Don’t have a simple
sign up box that says, “Join our mailing list.”  Yuck–who
wants to voluntarily receive more email?  Not me!  Give
your visitor a reason to sign up for your newsletter, i.e.
“Join over 2000 other solo business owners who receive
weekly advice on how to get more clients online.”

4.  Create one clear call to action.  If you have too many
options for action on your web site, your visitor will
become overwhelmed and leave.  Conversely, if you don’t ask
your visitor to take an action, you potentially lose that
person forever.  Make your primary call to action on your
web site a request to subscribe to your email newsletter.
It’s short, simple, to the point, and will help you build
your contact database gold mine.

5.  Ask for only 2 pieces of info:  a first name and
primary email address.  Many web surfers are want to
disclose as little personal info as they can, as they fear
receiving spam or phishing emails. Make it easy for people
to sign up for your list — require them to disclose only a
minimal amount of info to be added to your newsletter list.

6.  Create a free give-away for new subscribers.  If you
know your target market well, you know what problems they
struggle with daily.  Write a short report/article/ecourse
that provides the answer to a very overwhelming problem
that they have.  They can receive the answer to this
problem (your freebie) by giving your their name and email
address.

7.  Create a squeeze page for lead generation.  A squeeze
page is just what it sounds like — a web site page that
“squeezes” contact info out of a visitor.  I have a
content-rich ebook that I give away to new visitors.  One
of my promotional strategies is to list the domain for that
squeeze page and write very compelling copy about why they
would want this information. I get 10-15 new subscribers
per day with this technique.

8.  Make an offer in your signature file.  Don’t overlook
the power of an effective email signature.  Whether you use
it on a discussion list, online forum, online networking
site, or just in an email that gets forwarded to someone
else, ensure your signature file works for you.  In it,
make an offer for your free give-away and let the reader
know how they can receive that info. I’ve been hooked more
than once by a compelling email signature — they really
work!

9.  Create a visual icon for your newsletter.  Visitors
respond better to pictures than words.  If they can see a
visual representation of your newsletter or of your
give-away, they are more likely to see the value in what
you’re offering and part with their contact info.

10.  Use a pop-up or pop-over box on your web site. Yes,
pop-up boxes are annoying, but they’re quite effective.
There are many new varieties now available that look like
sticky notes or a paper list, or ones that seem to bounce
on your screen.  Most of these newer varieties are not
blocked by pop-up blocker software.  You’ll want to use one
that’s eye-catching, contains a very compelling offer to
subscribe, and won’t be blocked by your visitor’s browser.

11.  Make subscribing to your newsletter your #1 goal at
events.  Anytime I attend an in-person networking event or
speak at a meeting, my primary goal is to get people to
subscribe to my email newsletter.  I simply ask people to
indicate they want to receive my newsletter by placing an
“X” on the back of their business card, and then I add them
to my list and they are sent my opt-in message.  At one
event, I had to tell the women at my table what I needed in
the next 30 days, and I said I wanted subscribers to my
newsletter.  Every woman at the table gave me her card and
said, “Sign me up!”

12.  Offer a free sample or your archives for viewing.
Some visitors have to be shown before they bite, so show
them where you archive your prior issues and let them
experience first-hand all the value you offer in your
newsletter.  Once convinced, they’ll sign up!

13. Ask for referrals from your readers.  In your
newsletter or on your web site, ask your readers to “tell a
friend” about your newsletter.  There are both free and
paid services that offer this option, Bravenet.com being
one of the more popular ones.

14.  Get your articles published in other ezines.  Writing
articles and having them published online or in other
people’s newsletters or blogs has been a tremendous asset
in helping me grow my list.  Make sure that your article
resource box (the info that appears about you at the end of
your article) includes your compelling offer to get readers
to sign up for your newsletter and receive your free gift.

15.  Advertise on the back of your business card. The back
of my business card contains compelling copy about the free
give-away I offer for subscribing to my newsletter.  Don’t
let the back of your business card go to waste and stay
blank — make that space work for you by helping you add
subscribers to your newsletter list.

Growing your list takes time.  Better to have
well-qualified prospects on your list who are truly
interested in what you offer than a large list of people
who never read what you write.  Implement 1-2 of these
strategies each week to grow your well-qualified email
newsletter list.

About the Author:

Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Business Coach
Donna Gunter helps self-employed service professionals
learn how to get more clients online at
http://www.OnlineBizCoachingCompany.com . To sign up for
more FREE tips like these and claim your FREE gift,
TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site
at http://www.GetMoreClientsOnline.com . Read about running
an online biz at our blog,
http://www.getmoreclientsonlineblog.com

Copyright 2006 Vince Galbraith

How Much Should I Put into Building a List?

Questions like this always boil down to one factor: How
much is your mailing list worth to your business. Each
industry has its own use for a mailing list, and not all of
them will gain subscribers the same way.     Lets go
through a few different industries, how they use a mailing
list, and the best way for them to gain subscribers. Let’s
start with a group that relies very little on online
marketing. High priced products…let’s say some sort of
manufacturing equipment. We’ll even boil that down to
conveyers and conveyer systems.

Mailing Lists and High Priced Items (Business to Business)

A factory manager might consider buying a new conveyer
system for years before actually making a decision. During
that time, companies rely heavily on the continued efforts
of their salespeople. So they put very little consideration
into online marketing and mailing lists    Some would say
that this industry is very under-developed in the way of
e-commerce. And a mailing list could have a lot of
potential…mainly because so few companies use them.     I
t’s true that the salesperson will still have to sell
themselves before finalizing anything. But the client also
needs to perceive the company on a whole as trustworthy. No
matter how great a job the salesperson does, if the client
doesn’t see the company as a professional and competent
backdrop, the sale will not go through.     A newsletter
creates and strengthens this image…as long as the
newsletter delivers information that’s important to the
subscribers. If the newsletter is full of junk (or ads)
that’s how the prospect will see the company.     So each
subscriber could turn into a very profitable sale, and the
newsletter could (if properly executed) substantially
increase the salesperson’s chances for the sale. I would
say that such subscribers are pretty valuable. Be ready to
pay for them.     Offer a physical gift to subscribers…how
expensive the gift will depend on how much your product
costs…but offer something. This way you’ll get an actual
address (so you know you’re mailings or emails go to an
actual person), and the subscribers will remember who you
are when they see your newsletter.

Mailing Lists and Low Priced Items (Business to Consumer)

The business to consumer industries, however, use a very
different approach. Especially when the product line is
less expensive. They make more direct sales from their
mailing lists than high priced products. But then again,
they make less money on each sale.     Statistics show that
web surfers are NOT loyal customers. In fact, more of them
fall under the ‘impulsive buyers’ label. They need a
constant reminder that you’re there and that you have new
products that they can’t live without.    If you send it
too frequently, it’s quickly recognized as spam. If you
don’t send it often enough, they have no idea who you are.
Two or three times a month is usually sufficient.     But
how do you get subscribers to your mailing list? The first
place to start is with your customers. Have you been
offering them a subscription to your mailing list when they
buy products? Have you offered a subscription or gift
certificate for their subscription?     If not, then you
should send an email to every customer within the past two
years inviting them to your mailing list.    After that,
try advertising in someone else’s newsletter. A small gift
for subscription is sometimes appropriate…depending on your
profit margins. A street address to go along with the email
is something you can use if you decide to go with direct
mail.

Mailing Lists and Affiliates

Affiliate marketing is much different, and can make much
more money from a mailing list…provided there are enough
subscribers. Unlike product sales, affiliate markets don’t
always rely on conversions.     For this reason, you want
your mailing list subscribers to receive your newsletter in
HTML format. That way, your click through rate will come
directly from the newsletter. Otherwise, they would have to
take two steps (first going to your site and then clicking
on your links) before you begin to earn anything.
Again, affiliate marketing relies heavily on numbers. Big
mailings mean big profits in small increments. And the key
to this is networking. Swap advertisements with other
affiliate marketers. Both on their websites and in their
mailings.     Most affiliate sites offer a free
informational gift or some other kind of download in
exchange for mailing list subscribers. The profit you make
from each subscriber is small and doesn’t warrant a
physical gift. It’s much easier to automate a download.
On a side note, affiliate sites have a big reputation for
spam. So it’s best to break away from the ‘affiliate look’.
Stay away from Google ads when sending something to your
mailing list.

Mailing Lists and Service Providers

A service provider has a much harder time measuring the
effectiveness of their mailing lists. You wouldn’t use it
to make a direct sale, but to strengthen your image as an
expert in your field.     For example, an e-commerce
consultant might give weekly tips for website
administration. A plumber might give DIY tips for taking
care of common drainage problems. The focus is on
reinforcing the subscriber’s idea of them as the go-to man
in that particular industry.     Obviously, the first place
to find subscribers is through clients. Referrals can go a
long way. You might offer a percentage off your services to
anyone who refers ten or more subscribers. You aren’t as
reliant on mass mailings, so there’s nothing wrong with
refining your list and weeding out some of the email
addresses.     Actually, many service providers build
mailing lists by limiting the number of subscribers. If
people think that only a selected few will be allowed to
receive your newsletter, they’d be more inclined to
subscribe. It’s even more inviting when they realize that
you only accept referrals (the same way gmail is beginning
to take over yahoo’s email monopoly).

Mailing Lists and Information Sellers

If you sell information, you have a unique advantage when
trying to gain subscribers to your mailing list. The very
thing you’re selling is easy to give in portions. If you’re
selling an ebook, you attract subscribers with a ‘free
report’…just a condensed version of the book.     Like
affiliate marketers, you’ll benefit most from networking.
You’ll need to find people in related (but not competing)
industries. Offer to swap articles and ads with them.

In Closing

As you work through different mailing list strategies, take
note of what works and what doesn’t. No need to beat a dead
horse. Concentrate on whatever brings the highest return.
 And remember not to abuse your mailing list. Allow people
to easily unsubscribe, and never sell (or lend) their
addresses to anyone.

About the Author:

Author writes on subjects concerning business in both the
online and offline world.
http://InternationalWealthBuilding.com

Finally, after all the planning, you have got your content, your advertisers and your subscribers. Your E-Zine is off to the races. Slowly but surely, your subscriber list starts to grow. Along the way, you are going to have those who wish to be removed. No problem. You have got such a small list of email addresses that doing this manually is a piece of cake. Yeah, it’s tedious and boring but it is certainly not hard.

And then the unthinkable happens.

Your E-Zine begins to take off. Word of it is spreading like wildfire. Your once small email list of subscriber is now into the hundreds or thousands. Suddenly, trying to find somebody in that maze is not easy at all. Handling unsubscribe requests is becoming a nightmare. You’re starting to wonder why you ever began to do this in the first place.

Well, before you email everybody on your list and tell them that you’re about to shut down because you’re having a nervous breakdown, there is a solution to your problem, and a very simple solution. Yes, it’s going to cost you a few bucks each month, literally, but it will be more than worth it in the long run.

By automating your E-Zine with an autoresponder, you virtually take away all the work of maintaining one, other than just writing the content and getting sponsors for your advertising.

So exactly how does this process work?

Well, the first thing you have to do is find a good autoresponder service. There are some very good ones and some not so good ones. Do your research. Usually you get what you pay for. So if you find one for about $5 a month, most likely it isn’t going to be very good. A decent autoresponder service is probably going to run you about $20 plus a month.

After you find one that you’re happy with the next step is to get your subscribers into it. This means having them re-subscribe. Few autoresponders are going to just let you import names. That’s fine. You want to make sure that the people on your list still want your service anyway. This will only reaffirm it.

Once the confirmation emails go out, the subscriber will have to either have to click on a link or send back an email to be confirmed into the system. After that, handling unsubscribe requests is a piece of cake. Why? Because with each E-Zine that you send out, the autoresponder service will include an unsubscribe link. This way, if the person no longer wishes to receive your E-Zine, all they have to do is click on the link. Once they do this, they will be brought to a page that tells them they have been unsubscribed. At the same time, the autoresponder service itself will remove them from the system. No muss, no fuss.

In the future, to get new subscriber, all you need to do is include the subscribe email address or link in your E-Zine ad or directory listing. All subscription and opt-outs will be handled automatically at that point. All you need to do is load your E-Zine message into the autoresponder and broadcast it to your subscriber base. Most autoresponders will have this option.

By using autoresponders to automate your E-Zine you will save yourself a lot of headaches and a lot of sleepless nights.

PMCezine… Weekly up-to-date powerful strategies to outsmart, out market and outsell even your toughest competition. Learn how to drive traffic to your website and explode your sales. Receive your six free egifts when you subscribe! http://www.profitdot.net