Keep these ideas in mind as you create your first ezine
1. Either do it right or don't do it at all Don't create an ezine just because you're reading or seeing that others are creating them. While ezines can be a way to market your business, they are also time consuming. Remember to always market your business while keeping your integrity intact.
2. Tell them and then do it Create a schedule for your ezine and stick to it. If you'll be providing additional mailings - such as I do - for important Internet announcements, monthly specials, etc. tell people. On your web site, in any advertising, and then include the information in the welcome letters, too. At a minimum, send out a message to your readers at least monthly.
3. Don't use BCC In 1995 or so, most email programs added "BCC" as a way to send email. BCC is short for blind carbon copy or blind courtesy copy if you have never placed a piece of carbon paper between two sheets of regular paper. Using BCC, email is distributed to "undisclosed recipients" and you can see why it was the way to send out ezines. However, now if you use it for sending more than 20-40 emails at a time, you can get your email account closed. Why? BCC is the common email choice of s-pammers and your email company watches out for "batches" of BCCs.
4. Do use double opt-in Opt-in provides your ezine readers with the option of subscribing either at your web site or via email. The system also may send a subscriber an email letting them know that they subscribed (just in case someone else subscribed them). It is better is to use a double opt-in system sends an email to a subscriber requesting that they re-confirm their subscription.
5. Design It Your Way Of course, you want to reach your ideal clients, however, more isn't necessarily better. Create an ezine you can consistently produce and one your readers will consistently read.
6. Who is your ideal reader? Knowing who your ideal reader is, helps you determine the best places to market
your newsletter and process saves you time and money in the process. Use this Word 2000 document to assist you http://coachmaria.com/documents/idealclient.doc
7. Low cost ezine hosting If you have more than one ezine, you know how expensive monthly ezine hosting services can be. An inexpensive program I recommend for do it yourselfers is MOJO http://mojo.skazat.com/ It allows you (or your Virtual Assistant) to create as many ezines as you'd like, on your server, using one control panel. If you don't like touching your hosting server, ask me for my programmer recommendations.
8. The box vs. the link In an unscientific experiment I conducted last year my research showed that people prefer to add their email addresses to subscription boxes than to click a link to send you the same information. Create informative ezine subscription boxes and post them throughout your web site.
9. Don't bother using these Members of yahoogroups, smartgroups, topica, cool list and other no-cost (with ad) ezine hosting program, offer a large number of elists especially for ezine publishers. They are places you advertise your ezine and take it from me, are not worth the trouble signing up for or using.
10. Easy way to add ezine subscribers Gain ezine subscribers, in person, with permission based forms. Design postcards, index card or add an area to your evaluation sheet providing the name and content of your ezine, how often they'll receive it, and request at least their full name and email address.
About the Author
©2003 Elevating You. Maria Marsala, President. A former Wall Street trader, executive, and manager, uses her business and career knowledge to help people achieve goals and surpass their dreams. Ask us for a consultation or to subscribe to Elevating You ezine visit http://CoachMaria.com
Written by: Maria Marsala
