Should You Upgrade Your E-zine From Text to HTML?

A few years ago, when I first started seeing HTML e-zines in my inbox, I admit I was jealous. They were attractive, attention getting, snazzy. They made my text e-zines look boring.

But my mind fought the idea of upgrading my own. "My readers appreciate my e-zine for its content," I told myself. "They don't need some slick design to get their attention. They just want my information, straight up. Publishing in HTML won't make a difference."

I was wrong.

Well, I was right that my readers receive my e-zine for its content. After all, that's why they subscribed - for my concise, how-to articles.

But I was mistaken that a better "presentation" wouldn't make a difference.

After much deliberation, I decided to give HTML a whirl. I had my e-zine professionally designed in HTML, featuring my logo, colors, and photo.

First off, let's all agree that it's ridiculously easy to publish in text. That's a good thing.

If you're just beginning your e-zine and are a bit overwhelmed, text is a great place to start. You can then focus on developing great content and publishing on a regular basis, without worrying about HTML design and coding snafus.

Text also gives you complete freedom and flexibility - you can add new sections and delete others any time you feel like it, without having to redesign your entire e-zine.

But let's face it: There are hundreds of thousands of text e-zines out there that all look the same. I subscribe to 30+ text e-zines, and they all seem to lump together in my e-mail inbox.

The ones that catch my eye and make me read on - they're HTML.

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"Okay, okay," you say. "I know HTML e-zines look great. But do they get better results?"

I'll let these statistics answer that question:

HTML e-zines are read MORE OFTEN than plain text e-zines.



HTML e-zines have a higher CLICK-THROUGH rate. (That is, people are more likely to click on any links you provide to your site or sales offers.)



HTML e-zines reinforce your BRAND by carrying the same look as your Web site and other marketing materials with your logo, colors, etc.



HTML e-zines allow you to TRACK your readership by showing how many people on your list actually open each e-zine you send.



It's also nice if you can offer your readers a choice in what they want to receive. Why? While I got dozens of compliments and thank-yous after switching to HTML, I also got a few people asking if they could still receive my e-zine in TEXT! Go figure... ;


By Alexandria K. Brown

Are Your E-Mails Bouncing? Hard Bounces, Soft Bounces, and Everything in Between

Are you doing "the bounce"?

No, it's not a new hip-hop dance.

A bounce, or bounce-back, is an e-mail that is returned to you because it cannot be delivered for some reason. You've probably gotten bounces on your own personal e-mail program, when you send an e-mail and then receive a response saying it was undeliverable.

These get to be more of a headache, however, when you publish an e-zine. Sending e-mail to more people means more bounce-backs. And too many bounce-backs can cause your mailings to be blocked with certain Internet service providers, meaning many of your e-mails won't reach your readers.

What You Need to Know

There are two kinds of e-mail bounces:

A hard bounce is an e-mail message that has been returned to you because the recipient's address is invalid. A hard bounce might occur because the domain name doesn't exist, the recipient is unknown, or there's some type of network problem on the recipient's end.

A soft bounce is an e-mail message that gets as far as the recipient's mail server, but is bounced back before it reaches the recipient. One of the most common causes for a soft bounce is a full mailbox. This will happen A LOT with your subscribers who use free e-mail services like Yahoo and HotMail, because they allow for very little e-mail storage.

What You Need to Do

Ask your current list service how they handle your bounces.

Some of them have a hands-off policy and don't do anything. If so, ask them how you can go in yourself and see how many names are bouncing and who they are. Then you can decide to keep them on your list or delete them.

One factor to consider here is your listserve's "retry" policy. That is, how many times do they try to send out your e-zine to the soft-bounce people? Some only try once, others try several times, waiting a few hours in between.

Sometimes you'll also see a few e-mail addresses that are obviously misspelled (e.g. "nancy123@aolcom" -- note the missing dot) and you can fix them yourself manually.

If your listserve is hands-off, you'll want to go in and look at your bounce situation at least once a month to check things out and delete names if necessary.

The other extreme is list services that automatically delete people after only one hard bounce, which isn't good because it could be caused by a temporary problem like a network outage. If this is your listserve's policy, find out if you can change it.

Then some list services take the middle road by automatically deleting anyone who has had a certain number of bounces in a row. Ideally you want them to wait longer on soft bounces to make sure that the problem isn't resolved over the next few issues you send out.

You can often instruct the listserve to unsubscribe soft bounces after a specific time, say, five bounces over a two-week period.

Whatever your case, be sure you get a handle on your bounces this month!

(c) 2003 Alexandria K. Brown

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

By Alexandria K. Brown

The Sticky Issue of E-zine Schedules

While many new e-zine publishers are anxious about developing good content for their e-zines, many of them seem to have more trouble simply deciding on a schedule and sticking to it!

It's smart to tame the schedule beast right from the start. Here are a few tips to help you.

Realistically consider how much time you want to spend on your e-zine.

For your beginning stages, plan on at least five hours to develop each issue if you're developing your own content. This includes time for researching, writing, formatting, proofreading, and publishing. And this estimate is for an e-zine featuring only one article. If you're going to feature more than one article, plan on making more time, or publish articles by guest authors.



Start with a conservative schedule.

When you're planning your e-zine, you'll probably be so excited and brimming with ideas that you want to publish as frequently as possible. Stop! Your enthusiasm is admirable, but start off monthly for now. You can always increase the frequency later, when you're sure you can handle it.

I excitedly began my first e-zine several years ago as a weekly gig, then immediately dropped back to monthly once I caught myself moaning and groaning whenever I was scheduled to write it. Now that I have support staff, I've increased my schedule to biweekly (every two weeks).



Even if you can stand it, don't publish daily.

Yep, that's right. You want to be on your prospects' minds, but not in their faces every day. We all get SO much e-mail as it is! Even if you write a phenomenal missive, it's best to leave your readers wanting a bit more.

I was recently on the list of a very good daily e-zine, but I just couldn't keep up with reading it every day. I felt extremely guilty watching the issues build up unread in my e-mail inbox, so I finally canceled my subscription. If you want your e-zine to be joyfully anticipated and well read, I recommend publishing no more than once or twice a week.



Pick the best day for your readers ... and you

Many sales experts say that people are most receptive to hearing from marketers on Tuesdays. So why not have your e-zine arrive in your readers' e-mail inboxes then? Other good days are Wednesdays and Thursdays, according to other sales pros. However, I ignore all this and publish on Fridays, simply because it's my favorite day. ; )



Once you've set your schedule, stick to it!

Setting a schedule suggests to your readers that you're organized and can meet deadlines. No matter how busy you are, sending out your e-zine at random looks flaky and unprofessional.

Now, we're all human and take vacations, get sick, and get plain busy. So what do you do when you just CAN'T get that new issue out? Do a rerun. Choose a past issue from more than six months ago that you got great feedback on. Republish it with a little intro that says something like, "Hey folks, right now I'm sipping drinks on the beach in Bali, so by popular request, here's a rerun of one of our best articles. We'll be back next week with fresh, insightful content!" Of course, only say something like that if you are actually on vacation - people do understand that you take time off.

Otherwise, never share that you're behind schedule or too busy to write your next issue - that would tell your readers that they come last on your list. If you must, stretch the truth a bit, and say you're at a conference, traveling, etc.



Try to have one or two issues completed in advance that can be sent out at a moment's notice.

This is great for those times when an emergency strikes or you're too swamped to write a new issue. The next time you get a few ideas at once (and don't they seem to come in multiples?), get psyched up and whip out a few at once. You can always edit them later - just get the ideas out of your head and onto your screen.

(E-zine Queen Secret Tip: Need a little extra inspiration? Try whipping up a fresh margarita - works for me, every time! Just be sure to do an extra proofread later on. ; ))



For a low-maintenance e-zine, tip well!

Who says you need to write in-depth articles? Everyone's time is short, so readers LOVE quick tips. Tips are easy to put together when you're close to deadline, also meaning you'll be more likely to stay on schedule. So if you're tight on time, publish simple monthly or weekly tips instead of detailed articles.

By Alexandria K. Brown

How to Get E-zine Subscribers From In-Person Events

While I run my business completely online, I really enjoy attending in-person events and seminars here in Los Angeles and around the country. I'm sure you find these events valuable too. The problem most of us have with networking, however, is following up with the people we meet.

An easy way to follow-up powerfully and automatically is to turn these folks into e-zine subscribers. This ensures that you'll have the chance to repeatedly teach them how great your products/services are while building their trust in you.

But how do you "capture" people in person? Remember, you can NEVER sign someone up unless they specifically ask you to be signed up - it's unethical.

So you need to encourage people you meet in person to join your list, and make it easy for them. And I have three successful strategies to share with you.

Advertise Your E-zine on Your Business Card (or Brochure)

Nothing gets passed around at a networking event more than the good old business card. But what's on the BACK of your cards?

Nothing?

Well, from now on you're going to use that valuable real estate. Next time you print new cards, use the flip side! Create a brief message that promotes your e-zine and gives information on how to subscribe. When someone you meet looks at your business card again when she's back at the office, she'll be much more likely to subscribe when she sees the reminder on your card.

As an example, here's what I have on the back of my new cards:

"Promote your business with an e-zine! Sign up for FREE biweekly tips at www.EzineQueen.com."

BONUS: This strategy also gets these people to visit your Web site, which they may not have done otherwise.

If you aren't ready to print new cards for a while, use your computer to print your message onto labels, and affix them to the backs of your cards. Cheap and easy!



Follow Up With Each Person You Meet Via E-Mail

After each event I go to, I aim to follow up with every person I met with via e-mail within three days. In that e-mail, I remind the person that she can sign up for my FREE tips at my Web site. Here's an example of a note I sent out recently:

"Dear Margaret,

It was a pleasure to chat with you at [EVENT NAME HERE] last Thursday. I'd like to learn more about your business and how we can help each other. Perhaps we can meet for coffee next week?

In the meantime, you may enjoy my FREE weekly e-zine "Straight Shooter Marketing" that gives tips on how to market yourself online. I write it for small business owners just like you! You can learn more and sign up at www.EzineQueen.com

Take care and let's stay in touch.

Best, Alexandria K. Brown, 'The E-zine Queen'"

Once again, this strategy also gets these people to visit your Web site, which they may not have done otherwise. (Very cool, yes?)



Are you the Speaker? Pass Around a Signup Sheet or Collect Cards

Whenever I'm the featured speaker at an event, I make sure to give the audience members an easy way to sign up for my e-zine. I either pass around a signup sheet to collect their names and e-mail addresses, OR I collect business cards when I draw a winner for a free book.

If you use the business card method, tell the audience to write an "E" for e-zine on their card - this lets you know they want to be signed up for your newsletter. Some speakers do the opposite, and tell the audience that if they do NOT want to be subscribed to their e-zine, to put a "NO" on their card, but I'm more comfortable with the former method.

Remember, Your List Is Your Goldmine!

People you meet in person will be very valuable subscribers, because they've already met you. And we're all more likely to buy from others whom we know, like, and trust.

Your in-person meeting will start that process, and your e-zine will follow-through for you, automatically!

By Alexandria K. Brown

Putting the YOU in Your E-zine

I get many e-zines in my inbox every week, and they all offer useful information. But there are some I enjoy more than others.

What do the ones I love have in common?

They feel like they come from a REAL person. These publishers put some heart-and-soul into their e-zines. They share information about themselves. And because I feel like I know them personally, I'm more likely to buy from them at some point.

I can also share with you that once I began sharing a bit about ME in my e-zine, my response rates increased dramatically. More readers wrote me back, more clicked on my links, and more bought my products and services.

So, how can YOU put more you in your e-zine? Very easily. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

What's Going on With YOU?

Quick: Think of three things going on in your life right now that you could share with your readers. Have you won an award? Were you mentioned in a national newspaper? Did you pull a hamstring doing Tae Bo? Are you teary-eyed because your daughter's wedding is right around the corner? These are all events your readers can relate to and will appreciate you sharing.

One e-zine I used to get a real chuckle out of was Dave Balch's "Big Bucks in a Bathrobe." (Unfortunately, his business has changed so he no longer publishes it.) In each issue, Dave not only shared useful information on running a profitable business, but also hysterical stories about "life on the ranch." Dave and his wife own many animals, including horses, dogs, and "the parrot that just won't die." Whenever I saw Dave's e-zine in my mailbox, I read it right away because I knew it would brighten my mood.

Reach Out for Help

Have a question you'd like answered? Why not ask your readers for help? Example: I recently began shopping around for a convertible, and I mentioned it in my e-zine a few weeks ago. To help me with my decision, I asked my readers who owned convertibles to share their experiences with me.

You wouldn't believe how many people wrote me back, telling me about their own cars, how much they love them, and what new convertibles they recommend! I was delighted with the response.

Readers also love quick polls that allow them to give you their opinion. For a fun survey mechanism, try www.SurveyMonkey.com.

Give Us the Picture

Photos help your visitors and your e-zine readers feel closer to you instantly -- it's as if they know you better than before.

In one issue I mentioned to my readers that I had a new headshot taken and would love their opinion of it. Hundreds of people clicked through to see the photo, and many of them wrote me to say they thought it was great!

Unless you're ugly as a toad, a decent photo will only help your business. If you publish an HTML e-zine, put your photo in your top banner if you have room.

Also don't be afraid of sharing photos of your family, pets, business associates, etc. You'll be surprised how often your readers will click-through to see them. Example: "Click here to see me in action at my first swing dancing competition!"

Don't Be Afraid to Have Opinions

Real people have real opinions. So voice yours, and people will perk up. I've found that my readers often respond best when they're provoked and encouraged to see things in a new light.

If some don't agree with you (and some won't), their response can lead to a brand new discussion or article topic. Remember, if someone takes the time to write you back to disagree with anything you've said, be happy. It means they're actually reading your e-zine!

Where, and How Much?

A great place to put this personal information is at the beginning of your e-zine in an "editor's note" or "welcome message." This welcomes the reader with a warm greeting from you and is the perfect spot to share these positive, personal tidbits.

Once you get the hang of giving more YOU to your readers, you'll come to enjoy the art of sharing and the increased reader-interaction it brings. Just make sure that it doesn't take over your e-zine. The bulk of your content should still be your main article, list of tips, etc. Think of your personal information as the introduction that leads up to the main event!

By Alexandria K. Brown

21 Questions to Ask Any List Service Before You Sign on With Them

If you publish an e-mail newsletter, or "e-zine," you'll need to sign on with a list service (or "listserve") to manage your subscriber list. There are many types of listserves out there, so here are some guidelines to help you choose one that's right for you.

Do they use MULTI-PART MIME technology?

You'll need this if you want to publish an HTML newsletter. Otherwise you'll have to send out multiple versions for users who can read HTML, users who can't read HTML, and users on AOL.



Do they offer some type of ORIENTATION OR TUTORIAL?

If you're new to the game and/or technologically challenged then you'll appreciate any type of help they offer for new clients.



What's their CUSTOMER SERVICE like?

Are they prompt to get back to you via e-mail? Can you call them if you have a problem? Are they available more than standard business hours? What about weekends? Contact them and see how long they take to get back to you -- if it's longer than 24 hours, definitely keep looking.



Do they NOTIFY list owners if there's a PROBLEM with their service?

If so, how, and how quickly?



Do they have CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS to share with you?

Or even better, client references? Contact some of these folks to see how their experiences have been.



Do other BUSINESSES LIKE YOURS use their service?

If most of their clients are large corporations, small businesses like yours may not get the attention they deserve.



Is their interface EASY TO USE?

Meaning is it easy for you to setup and launch each issue of your e-zine. They should offer a demo or let you access the 'mission control' area that you'll be using to test it out.



Can you MANUALLY ADD AND REMOVE people to and from your list if you want to?

Sometimes you'll need to do this, so you'll want the answer to be "yes" -- especially if you're moving over a list you've already collected.



Can you access SUBSCRIBER REPORTS?

How and how often? You'll want to know on a regular basis how many subscribes and unsubscribes you've had since the last issue.



What appears in the "FROM" field when subscribers get your e-zine?

You want it to be YOUR name if possible. Some spam filters screen out e-mail that does not appear to come from an individual person.



What appears in the "TO" field when a subscriber gets your e-zine?

You want it to be the person's name if possible. Along the same lines, some spam filters screen out e-mail that does not appear to be addressed to the individual person.



Who has ACCESS to their servers and your list?

Anytime you hand over your customer list, you're taking a risk. You don't want your service or anyone else using your list for spamming purposes.



What happens if some addresses are UNDELIVERABLE?

These are also called "bounces" or "bounce-backs." You don't want them to automatically remove names for "soft bounces," which are due to temporary conditions like full mailboxes.



How do users SUBSCRIBE AND UNSUBSCRIBE?

Do they have to visit a Web page or can they do it via e-mail (best if both options are available). Is the process single or double opt-in? (Double is better for more security - the user has to respond to a confirmation e-mail before she's added to your list.) Is the process kept simple?



Can you customize your LIST SERVER DOCUMENTS?

This means messages like your subscriber welcome and goodbye messages. (You'll definitely want to be able to do this, since the prewritten messages many list services use are horribly cold and confusing.)



Can your e-zine give PERSONALIZED GREETINGS AND MESSAGES?

Not necessary, but a very nice feature. For example, if your e-zine came to me, it would start off with something like, "Hello Alexandria!"



How often do they BACK UP their servers?

It should be at least once every day. Also ask if you can download your lists to back them up on your own, as a backup to their backup!



Can you send a TEST MESSAGE out to yourself or another person before you send out each issue for real?

You'll definitely want this because it's the best way to see how your e-zine looks on the recipient's end, do a proofread, and check all your hyperlinks.



Can you see stats on your CLICK-THROUGH rates?

If you publish in HTML, you should be able to see how many people - and even exactly who - opens your messages.



Can they AUTOMATICALLY ARCHIVE your issues if you'd like them to?

Some services will archive your e-zines at their site, others can configure it so they're archived at your own site (which is better).



Are they currently BLOCKED anywhere on the Web?

If so, it may mean they've been reported for allowing spammers to use their network. You don't want to work with any list service that's been blocked anywhere, because it means that your e-zine won't reach all of your readers.

By Alexandria K. Brown

7 Ways to Self-Promote Within Your E-zine

We all know that an e-zine won't attract and keep subscribers without offering insightful, practical content. If you only drone on and on about how wonderful you and your services/products are, your readers won't stick around for long.

But let's think about WHY you began your e-zine in the first place. It was likely to use it as a vehicle to promote you and your services/products, right?

You have every right to toot your own horn in your e-zine, as long as you don't drown out the useful content your readers are looking for. You work hard on your e-zine, so let's make your e-zine work foryou!

Here are 7 simple ideas on how to accomplish this:

Make sure your MAIN ARTICLE always provides information that your readers will find valuable.

By having a main article as the foundation of your issue, readers will feel they got what they came for - helpful information. Try a list of top 10 tips, a "how-to" article, a list of resources, a review of a trend in the industry - that sort of thing.

So remember, if your e-zine is tonight's meal, your main article should be the entree. Any promotional info should be your side dishes!



Begin each issue with an EDITOR'S NOTE or PUBLISHER'S NOTE.

I began doing this during the fall of 2001, and have found it's the perfect place to let readers know about what's happening with me and my business, give them a taste of my personality, and announce any upcoming events or workshops. Because this is a personal message from you to them, and because it's NOT your main content, you have more leeway in being direct and self-promotional.



In your article, throw in LINKS to related articles you've written or been featured in, when appropriate.

Your readers will appreciate the additional information and resources, and it's one more chance for you to demonstrate your expertise and credibility.



Directly after your article, give a quick PROMO BLURB, mentioning your e-books, reports, or workshops, if you offer them.

Why right after the article and before anything else? If someone reads your article and says to themselves, "Gee, that was great information!" They'll be ready to hear what else you have to share on that subject.

A great lead-in for your blurb is: "Did You Like Today's Article? If you did, you'll LOVE my [e-book, report, upcoming workshop, etc.]..."



In each issue, offer a TESTIMONIAL from one of your clients or customers.

I saw another e-zine publisher doing this last year and thought, "What a great idea! She's giving her readers further reason to try her services."

I now also do this by featuring a short testimonial in each issue from someone who has bought my book and loves it.



Tell us what YOU'RE all about!

At the end of your ezine, take at least 10 lines and give a concise description of YOU and what you have to offer your readers.

For example, here's what I put at the bottom of every "E-zine Queen" newsletter:

By Alexandria K. Brown

5 Ways to Make More Money With Your E-zine

Have you been publishing an e-mail newsletter for at least six months but still aren't seeing real results (read: revenue) from it? Don't fret - you may just need a tune up. Here are five ways to kick your e-zine income into gear this year:

TOOT YOUR OWN HORN MORE

The adage goes, "If you don't blow your own horn, someone else will use it as a spittoon." If your focus is providing your readers with useful information that enriches their lives and businesses, bravo! That SHOULD be your focus. But now I want you to look out for yourself as well: Take at least 25 percent of your e-zine space and make it all about YOU.

Give promos for your services, products, books, workshops, etc. List raving testimonials from clients and customers who LOVE you. Weave your business success stories into your articles and tips. Share something funny about your weekend that makes me feel closer to knowing you personally. (For more self-promotion tips, see my article at http://www.ezinequeen.com/7ways.htm)



MAKE ME AN OFFER I CAN'T REFUSE

Let's suppose I'm one of your subscribers. Even if I realize you offer wonderful products and services, I may need a kick in the pants to make a move. To entice me, offer me a special, l1mited-time deal. Examples: three months' of consultation for the price of two, a 20% discount on your latest book or newest service, or one of your usual offers with a few exciting bonuses thrown in. Make the offer obsolete within a few days or by next week. By putting a time limit on it, I'll be more apt to act now instead of later.

Don't overlook how powerful this tactic can be. Some of my most profitable weeks have resulted from running a limited time, special pr0motion of this type in my e-zine.



PACKAGE IT AT A LOWER PRICE POINT

This is a super strategy for service professionals such as consultants and coaches. As your subscriber, I know the way to get the BEST service from you would be to hire you one-on-one, but perhaps I can't afford that right now. BUT consider that I may likely be interested in lower-priced options such as group coaching, teleclasses, online seminars, or a manual/e-book.

This is exactly how I became an e-book author. When I started my first e-zine, my main business was writing for corporate communications. After I gained a few thousand subscribers, I realized that my readers were mostly small business owners and entrepreneurs. So I began creating products and services geared toward them. And now I profit more from those each month than from my corporate work.



PROMOTE A PRODUCT/SERVICE THAT COMPLEMENTS YOURS

Do your readers and clients often ask you about a certain topic that's related to - but not exactly - what you offer? Then resell a resource that you heartily recommend and would put your reputation behind.

For example, while my specialty is e-zines, I get many questions about creating and selling information products online. So I continually research credible resources on this topic to share with my readers. Many of the creators of these products offer a handsome commission on any sales I refer to them. (I do this myself by paying out up to 25% commission on any referred sale. http://www.ezinequeen.com/affiliate.htm)

NEVER recommend any service or product to your readers that you haven't personally tried and wouldn't back 100 percent. Otherwise you'll blow the trust that you've worked so hard to build up in your readership.



SELL AD SPACE AS IT SUITS YOU

E-zine ads won't make you wealthy, but they can make for some handy extra c^sh. (I call it my "margarita money.") Most e-zines offer one sponsor ad at the top and several "classified" ads at the bottom. Sponsor ads typically cost three to five times more than the classified ad, but you'll see the ranges vary greatly.

Start by offering ad specials to your own readers. Then also list your e-zine in the many e-zine advertising directories on the Web. These services help match advertisers with appropriate publishers just like you. (Need help? My manual gives step-by-step instructions on how to accept and profit from ads in your e-zine.)

Remember that you have every right to be selective about the type of ads you accept. While your readers know these ads don't represent YOUR business, their quality will indirectly influence their perception of you.

REMEMBER THE *SILENT* BENEFITS OF YOUR E-ZINE

Keep in mind that even if you aren't getting direct business from your e-zine at this time, it's still delivering many benefits that may be less obvious. Your e-zine is helping to establish you as an expert in your field. It's giving you massive online exposure. You're gaining further credibility with your current clients and customers. And it's forcing you to package your knowledge into concise articles on a regular basis, which you can recycle for many other marketing uses.


By Alexandria K. Brown

The Nitty-Gritty Of Ezine Publishing

I sat here this morning, and decided to work out exactly how much time I use on creating my weekly ezine, and I almost kinda shocked myself. I`m not the ONLY publisher who refuses to automate, so please, after reading my hours, spare a kind thought for all those other publishers out there that do everything manually, and who really take the time to get down to a personal level with their subscribers.

Typical daily hours for me as an ezine publisher

- Reading other ezines/newsletters: About 4 hours per day.
- Looking for the right content: 5-6 hours per day
- Checking email other than newsletters: 5 hours per day
- Getting rid of junkmail: 3 hours per day
- Staying in touch with other publishers, website owners etc.: 3 hours per day
- Working on learning html: 2-3 hours pr day
- Updating ezine, ads and slot-ads with Rich, my programmer: 6 hours per day (with about 10 hours "allsorts" chat too)
- Looking in forums for things of interest: 1-2 hours per day
- Reviewing articles for possible publication: 3-4 hours per day
- Chatting on msn and yahoo messengers, whilst looking for more ideas and helping people: 12 hours per day
- Promoting ezine: At LEAST 4 hours per day (including submitting my own articles)


That 53 hours per day. Thank my lucky starts I`m great at mutli-tasking...hehehe

Remember, a lot of us do this to bring you information that we hope will help you in some way or other, and I know how much it brightens up my day when I get a mail saying "Great issue, Anna, Keep up the good work!" So I`m guessing a lot of other ezine owners would really appreciate something like that.

Putting out an ezine is a LOT more than just slapping together a couple of articles and a bunch of ads in an email, or on a website. I know there`s a lot of that going around too (I DO actually get tons of those ones in my mailbax daily too), so if you`re subscribed to a great ezine, take the time to let the publisher know, vote for them, recommend them to your friends, most importantly: Give Them Your Feedback!!

At the same time, if there`s something you DON`T like, let them know that too. Without subscriber feedback, we`re basically just poking around in the dark, hoping that we are giving people what they want. We are there for you, please be there for us.

Writing, Publishing, Self Publishing, Website Promotion, Blogging, Internet Marketing

Are You Ready For The Publishing Revolution?

Writing has traditionally been considered a solitary craft. You wrote you article or book in seclusion. You submitted it to an editor or publisher and prayed it would be published.

Along comes the Internet and the monsters out of the cage. You now have the ability to self publish your work. You can throw up a Blog, hook up to an RSS feed and syndicate your writing.

You can form online communities with other writers. Readers can give immediate feedback on your work. You can promote your work in the virtual book stores such as Amazon.

The Internet has become a writer's paradise.

With the advent of the Internet, you no longer are limited as a writer,. With a little research you can become a writer/publisher. Think of the possibilities.

Every word you write can travel the globe in the blink of an eye.

Why would you want to be a publisher?

* You can make money before your book is even written.

Before the Internet, writers had to find ways to support themselves while working on their novels or stories. Now if you've got a book that will take any length of time to complete, you can still make money by joining affiliate programs for books by other authors.

* You can start an online newsletter.

What an advantage you have over writers of the past. With your newsletter, your readers get to know you and your work. You have a waiting audience for the day your book is released.

* You can start your own Blog.

You can plug your Blog into an RSS feed and your work can be accessed on the entire network.

* You can start your own affiliate program.

Sites such as Clickbank take the hassle out of having an affiliate program. They process the orders and pay commissions to your affiliates. It's a turnkey system for under $50. Your affiliates are an army of salesmen ready to promote your work around the globe. They can reach more markets than you could on your own. It's leverage in action.

* You can build a theme oriented site drawing readers and writers from around the world. It's like having your own Disneyland for writers.

* You can set up your own autoresponder course geared to your market. Educating and selling on autopilot.

* You can create free ebooks. Take a few of your chapters and create the book as a preview. You're giving readers enough information to decide whether they want to buy your book.

You can also add links to your website, Blog and other books in the free book. .

* You can write for the online newsletters in your target market.

As an ezine writer there are times I've had an article circulated to millions of readers in a single week.

* You can allow webmasters to host your articles on their site.

Imagine thousands of websites promoting your work.

Think it can't happen. Think again.

Without even realizing it was happening, my articles are published on 4000 websites at any given time. Most of those articles are there for the duration.

Imagine what you could accomplish if you put some effort into self promotion.

I've just scratched the surface of the possibilities.

The difference between being a writer or a writer/publisher is just a shift in mindset. If you're willing to get out of your comfort zone, the skies the limit.

There's a cartoon that illustrates the mindset of a winner.

There's a little boy throwing the football with his father. His father looks at him and says, "Son, with a little practice, you can be making the big money they're paying professional football players."

The little boy smiles and looks at his father and says, "Dad, I don't want to be a football player. I want to be the man who can afford to pay all those salaries."

From the mouth of babes.

It's in your hands. Do you want to stay in your comfort zone and limit your possibilities, or do you want to expand your thinking and build a publishing empire?

In the immortal words of Shakespeare,

"Why, then the world's mine oyster, Which I with sword will open."

Is the world your oyster? If not maybe it's time you expanded your thinking.

Wishing You Success,

By John Colanzi

Who Is Your E-zine Really FROM?

One morning this past fall, I was going through my e-mail inbox, relentlessly deleting junk mail. As you're likely well aware, many spam messages are made to look like they're from a real person.

One name briefly caught my eye: "Jeff Bezos." But because I was in furious deletion mode, I didn't recognize it. Also, it had a salesy subject line: "New Apparel Store Now Open." So I hit the delete key.

A few minutes later, it occurred to me that I knew that name -- Jeff Bezos is the CEO of Amazon.com. I rescued the message from my delete folder and opened it. Turns out it was an announcement to all Amazon Associates (affiliates) about the opening of Amazon's new online apparel store.

What was wrong with this promotion? (Which was unusual for Amazon, by the way.)

This e-mail should have been sent FROM an address that included the name "Amazon" in it, because as an Amazon affiliate, I'd never before received an e-mail that was from a personal name. Also, the subject line made no indication the message was from Amazon. So it was a prime target for that delete key!

So ... whom should YOUR e-zine be from? You, or your company name?

The answer depends on whom your readers are familiar with and whom they're expecting to hear from.

SOLO PROFESSIONALS

If you are a solo professional and work on your own (e.g. coach, consultant, freelancer, practitioner), then your clients and prospects are familiar with YOU. You ARE your brand. So make sure YOUR name is in the "FROM" field of your e-zine when it's sent out.

BRANDS and LARGER COMPANIES

If you're the marketing person at a larger company who's sending out the e-zine, make sure the FROM field of the e-mail message has your COMPANY NAME.

Like in my Amazon example, your customers/clients are familiar with your company's name and not you personally.

Another example: Say your name is Suzy Q and you're the marketing manager at Clinique's corporate office. If you send out your e-zine from "Suzy Q", many of your recipients may delete your message without blinking, since they'll have no idea who you are.

However they WILL instantly recognize your e-zine if it comes from "Clinique" and also includes a related subject line.

Now, if you're a solo professional who's trying to build a brand name that's not your own personal name, you should do this as well. For example, my e-zines are from "E-zine Queen."

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CONTENT?

Whether you represent yourself or a larger company, it's still best to make your e-zine FEEL like it's from an individual when it comes to the content itself.

So think about who you want this person to be -- it may be you, it may be someone else in your company. Having the content be written from a real person will make your e-zine a more personal (and therefore effective) communication.

By Alexandria K. Brown

Your E-zine 13 - A Formatting Checklist

While sending out a text e-zine may seem like a piece of cake, there's more to it than you may think. *Good formatting* is the name of the game. Here's a handy checklist I use to make sure each of my issues is in great shape BEFORE I send it out. Please be my guest and use it for yourself!

Are all lines 65 characters or less?
More than that and your missive may come through looking messy to many subscribers. End each line with a hard return by pressing the "enter" key.



Have you made sure there's no auto-formatting, such as bolding, italics, or underlining?
These features don't translate well in e-mail and can come out looking mighty strange on the other end. Instead, emphasize words or phrases with *asterisks,* "quotation marks," or ALL CAPS ... sparingly.



Are all sections neatly separated?
Use underscores (_____), asterisks (******), another nifty symbol ($$$$$, %%%%, @@@@), or a combination thereof () to help define each area and help your readers skim your issue more easily.



Do all Web links include 'http://' before them?
Some e-mail programs won't automatically hyperlink a URL in your text without this prefix. So don't take a chance - make it easy for your readers to click and link, especially to YOUR site!



Do all e-mail links include "mailto:" before them?
Same idea here: Some e-mail programs won't automatically hyperlink an e-mail address in your text without it. Be sure to leave no space between the colon and the first character of the address.



Is your masthead at the very top?
The masthead, or "nameplate," typically features your e-zine name, your name, your e-mail address, your Web address, and the correct date, volume number, and issue number. Make it the FIRST thing your readers see.



Have you reminded your readers right away that this is a *subscription* publication?
Don't let them forget that they *asked* to receive this! Something like this right under your masthead will do: "You've received this e-zine because you subscribed to it! If you wish to unsubscribe, please scroll to the end for more information."



If you have a table of contents (TOC), do its listings match this issue's articles and features?
For example, if your TOC says your second feature in this issue is an article on Web site marketing, make sure it's right!



Have you included a copyright notice?
At the end of your content, before your contact info, post '(c)' immediately followed by the year and your name or your company's name. You should know that a copyright notice does not protect your ideas - instead, it protects the way you express them.



Are the correct advertisements in place?
Keep track of all your ad swaps and purchases in one main document to make this easy to look up each time. I use an Excel spreadsheet, which works great for me.



Do you give clear subscribe and unsubscribe instructions at the bottom?
Include subscribe instructions, because your e-zine will likely get passed on to others who'd like to sign up. The unsubscribe instructions are just BECAUSE - it's plain courtesy, and the law of the land. : )



Does your subject line include both the name of your e-zine and the issue topic?
By seeing your e-zine title, your recipients will know the e-mail is not spam. And by seeing the issue topic, they will know what's in store for this issue. Example: "Sara's Cash Flow Tips: Increase Your Income Today!"



Have you sent a test of the issue to yourself or an associate?
Make sure it comes through reading well and looking great! (Check for any strange symbols that magically appear, odd breaks in the copy, inactive links, etc.) And this is a GREAT time to give it a final proofread.

By Alexandria K. Brown.

Are We Dating or Married?

You've convinced me that I want to sign up for your
newsletter. Now that I'm ready, what do I do? I go to the
signup box on the current web page and complete the form.
But wait... what are you asking for? If you're asking for
more than my name and email address, I will hesitate.
After all, if you're going to send me an email newsletter,
why do you even need my name, much less my street address,
city, state, zip, telephone number, number of people in my
household, etc. My email address should be enough. Now I'll
give you my name, because I understand that you'll want to
personalize my email messages. But unless you show me very
good reasons, I'll forget about signing up and go on to
another site that doesn't want a lot of information in
exchange for their complimentary report or newsletter.
It's like dating. When you first meet you get only the
necessary information - name and phone number. As you agree
to date, you'll get the address. Later, as you get to know
one another better, you'll start to add more details.
Moving a visitor from lead to customer involves a courting
process. You want them to get to know you. They need to
learn to trust you. You need to establish a relationship.
That's the purpose of your newsletter. You offer them good
information and in return they give you the right to market
to them. As they become more interested and more loyal,
they'll move from just a lead to a steady prospect.
Eventually you'll "marry" some of your prospects and they'll
become customers.
So what's your courting pattern? How do you get to know your
prospects? When do you ask for more information -- more
commitment?
By Dr. Jeanette Cates

Write an Ezine? But I Dont Know HOW!

If you've been promoting your business on the internet you've probably heard how important it is to have a list. And that it's also important to publish an ezine.

So are you publishing and ezine? If not, why? Is it because you are too nervous or lack confidence?

I can understand how you feel. I've been there, even though I'm a journalist and published my own niche, non-profit newsletter for a year.

But when I started a home business and realized I needed to write about internet marketing - a subject I was still unfamiliar with - I froze up.

I simply could not think of anything to write about. I felt like I just did not have the experience and the knowledge I needed, because I was still learning.

I started my ezine only when things were really starting to take off and I had learned a good deal of what really worked for me in my business.

In retrospect, I don't think I'd have done it any differently, but I did learn a few things from my own experience that might make it less painful to start your new ezine.

1. Start With a Script

Writing the first few issues of your ezine is like starting a conversation with a new date.

You're nervous... you want to make a good impression. Most people will use a few tried and tested formulas to break the ice.

Similarly, when you want to start sending out your ezine, there are a lot of resources out there - tested formulas that experts have used with their own subscribers.

It could be a sales letter, an article, a tip, a template or anything else that you think could get you started with that first issue.

As on a first date, the conversation might be a bit awkward, your sentences may sound stilted. It could be a disaster as far as you're concerned. So what!

The first few articles I ever wrote make me cringe when I read them today. But I know I needed to write them to start building my own confidence.

Disastrous first dates leave much the same impression on people. But the similarity to dating ends there.

Because in writing an ezine you DO get a second (and third, and fourth...) chance to make an impression.

Your date may never call back, but with your subscribers, you can try again and again till you get it right.

If you do make a mistake (like sending out multiple copies by mistake), admit your mistake and apologize. You'll find that subscribers, unlike dates, can be quite forgiving.

When new network marketers approach a new prospect, they are always advised to use a script the first few times.

As they gain confidence, the words begin to flow more naturally and they are able to discard the scripts and become better at selling.

It takes time, and more importantly, practice, to get it right. But if you never start, how will you ever find out if you can do it?

2. Write Like You Speak

As you gain confidence in your ability to write and publish an ezine, you'll begin to get more comfortable with the process of publishing.

Now you might want to start writing your own editorials or tips, to make your ezine more personal and share your expertise in your subject.

To do this, imagine you're sitting in front of an old friend (or that your subscribers are your friends) and that you're bringing them up-to-date with what's been happening in your life.

If you had an experience, good or bad, while promoting your business, that taught you something new, share it with them in the most conversational tone.

Avoid rambling on interminably and leave out boring details that aren't crucial to what you learnt.

And always go back, read what you've written and edit it before you send it out to your list.

3. Keep Learning

There's no bigger turn off than an editor who knows less than her subscribers. So if you plan to write on a certain topic, make sure you do your homework.

If you're writing about eBook publishing, subscribe to all the ezines and article lists on that subject and read them to find out what's happening in that field. Then share the news with your readers.

You could also take some initiative and conduct a survey or two, find out something new about your field and write your own original articles or reports.

4. Speak Your Mind

Once you have established a publishing schedule and have developed a comfortable rapport with your subscribers, don't be afraid to share your opinion on new developments in your field.

If you have a strong opinion on something, its alright to say so. People feel more comfortable when they know where you're coming from, even if they don't always agree.

So what are you waiting for? Send out that first issue and take your business to a whole new level.

Make a date with your list now.


By Priya Shah

What Makes An Ezine Worth Reading?

What makes your ezine hot stuff? With literally thousands of ezines online today, how can yours stand out or is it doomed to stay in the junk mail folders??

The first thing to think about is, what is your ezine about? Do you have a clue? If you don't know then you can bet a million dollars that your readers haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about.

Define what your purpose is in the first place.

Information, Advertising, Current Events, Reviews.

The choice is yours and the possibilities are endless..

One of the biggest mistakes I see a lot of people do is to mirror another ezine. We all have ezines that we love to read and learn from but that doesn't mean that you need to duplicate the exact same type of ezine. Many of us get sucked into this online world completely forgetting our original goals and end up just jumping on the band wagon instead of being unique.

What works for one may not work for you.

Don't get fooled into that "If I can do it so you can you" Syndrome.

It is not just about copying and pasting anymore...

> Put some flair into your words. You don't have to sound like a robot. Develop your own style of writing so that everyone knows your style and will come to appreciate it even more.

> You don't need to reveil your entire life story but stories that are relevant to the topics are great openers.

> If you use advertising in your ezine, try to compliment the advertising according to your topics. Targeted advertising means a more increased chance of someone purchasing your products and services.

> Ask and you shall find out.

Poll Your Readers and find out what interests them. You may be surprised at the responses. Publishers have to think in three ways.

As A Publisher

This is my name on this ezine. Do I care what I publish or will I just keep this ezine the same way? Do I care what my readers think, will paid advertisers want to pay to advertise with me?

Am I committed to helping people through the power of email advertising or do I just care of making a fast buck telling people about every fly-by-night program that comes along?

As A Reader

What keeps you subscribed? Is it because of the good information. Do you find yourself waiting for another exciting issue to come out. If the issue doesn't arrive do you contact the publisher to find out if an issue is coming out.

Do you read the issue and feel you have learned something new? Something that will help make your life better, easier, more helpful?

As An Advertiser

If I want to advertise in this ezine, why should I? Is it because of the low prices or is it because the ezine has a responsive list of people who WANT to read what the publisher has to say. If the publisher doesn't care what they put in their ezine, then why should I bother pulling out my credit card?

Many publishers new and old all go through this problem. That is when you need to sit down and view yourself from those three perspectives and then you can understand where you, your ezine, and your reputation is headed.

By Donesia Muhammad

Email Filters Catch Dolphins Along With Sharks

What's the point in spending hours preparing a newsletter, message or report if it's automatically filtered into the junk folder before the recipient even sees it?

Spam threatens to choke the communication channels promising global freedom of expression.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs), corporate server administrators and end users are increasingly using new anti-spam technology to try to stem the relentless tide of junk email flooding the Net.

The problem is: how can we prevent the dolphins from being caught along with the sharks?

The origin of 'spam'

SPAM is a pink canned luncheon meat immortalised in Monty Python's spam-loving Vikings sketch.

In an Internet context, lowercase spam refers to unsolicited commercial or bulk email (such as get-rich-quick schemes, miracle cures, weight loss, Viagra, lotteries, loans, pornography and Nigerian sob stories) and allegedly originated in a MUD/MUSH community.

Of more practical use is the origin of the actual spam mail itself.

Where does all the junk come from?

In the mid-90s, Usenet newsgroups (also called "discussion groups" or "bulletin boards") were the number one source of email addresses for spammers.

Today, the most common origin is web pages, especially if they're listed in a search engine or directory.

Some people have tried foiling address-seeking spambots by inserting the word "UNSPAM" in capitals in the middle of all email addresses on their sites. This stops auto spammers working but enables human beings to work out what to do.

Spammers also harvest addresses from headers of messages you send to friends who forward them to their friends (a good reason for using BCC -- blind carbon copy rather than simple CC which displays all recipients - although some people filter out mail sent using BCC as many spammers also use it).

Other sources include open e-mail discussion lists and web pages that invite you to "insert your address here to be on a 'do not mail' list".

Spammers can simply guess addresses by generating lists of popular names and random words attached to common domains (bob@aol.com, john@hotmail.com).

Once on a spam list, the only way to get off is to change addresses.

If you reply or respond to instructions to "remove", your message will simply confirm your address is valid and you'll get even more junk.

Depending on your email client, you can try tracing junk back to its owner by contacting the server listed in the full message header information (the From address is generally fake - check your Help files to find out how to "reveal full headers").

How to stop spam

Despite legislation against unsolicited commercial email, the volume of junk is increasing alarmingly.

The simplistic oft-cited fix -- "just hit delete" -- is only a bandaid solution and fails to discourage the junk merchants.

Self-regulation and industry codes are difficult to enforce. ISPs face problems if they disconnect service to spammers under some countries' telecommunications laws.

Technical solutions have centred on filtering technology.

Types of filters

Many corporations and ISPs filter incoming mail on or after delivery.

Server-side filtering software typically looks at the headers, subject line and/or contents of the message.

Some filters -- and their users -- are smarter than others.

SpamAssassin is an open-source, collaborative, community anti-spam effort based on filtering rules to analyse email content.

The software gives each message a score based on how many rules it breaks.

Any programmer can suggest rules for new releases of the software which spots, not blocks, spam.

ISPs and server administrators then decide whether to send suspect mail to junk folders, automatically delete mail tagged as spam, or bounce it back to sender.

Unfortunately for email publishers, some of the filter rules are too broad or the threshold is set too low.

Many innocent messages are being lumped in with the guilty.

One of my newsletter readers notified me that his ISP had tagged a recent issue as spam -

Are You Getting The Most Out Of Your Ezine?

There are two reasons to publish an ezine.
1.) Give people information about your site, your product, or your industry.
2.) Keep your website information in front of people for as long as you can without having to spend more money to do it.
Really, when you sit right down to think about it... that's why we do it.
But, are you getting the most out of your ezine? Is your ezine living up to it's full potential?
Before Anything Else Your Ezine IS Your Business.
When someone comes to me to for an advertising plan for their online marketing campaign, one of the first questions I will ask them is, "Do you have an ezine?"
It's imperative that any online business, no matter what it is, has a tool, or avenue, to keep your website, and your knowledge of the topic of your site, in front of your visitors for as long as you can. Here's why.
Each and every time you can send a visitor, or even a previous customer, something that they actually want to see, you are minimizing your advertising budget while maximizing return visits, repeat sales, and profits.
Ezines are essential to a prosperous, healthy, stable, strong, vibrant, and growing business.
Squeezing The Full Potential (or profits) Out Of Your Ezine With Every Issue.
That's your goal for each and every issue of your ezine that you send to your subscribers. And why not? Subscribers want the best or they will go somewhere else, and spend their money there.
With that in mind, here are three powerful ways you can get the most out of your ezine with every issue.
Give The Subscriber What He/She Wants The backbone of your ezine is information. That's the whole premise behind actually publishing something. To give people information they can use.
When someone signs up for your ezine it's not because they want to be hit with an endless assault of ads. They want to learn. They want to find out ways of doing things that will help them. Articles are the best way to get your subscribers to stick around long enough for the next thing you should do.
Use Just One Great Offer! Follow me with this one. While you're giving the subscriber what they want, you're also in the business of getting what you want. But, you can't do that by shoving offer after offer after offer at them in each issue.
You need a plan. Sit down and think of products you can offer, specials you can offer, or one time deals. The thing you want to do is make sure it's timely, original, and something that people can actually use.
One offer, combined with great information, can create a powerful emotional feeling in the reader that will always be converted to action... clicking on the link to visit your site.
Offering an ebook that the entire Internet already has isn't going to make you any money.
Make it a great offer.
Keep Things Original In order to give the subscriber what they want, and make available great offers, it all comes down to planning ahead of time. A responsive, and profitable, ezine is not created the same day it is sent to the mailing list.
Planning what you want your ezine to accomplish, what type of information you're going to be publishing each week, the products you're going to offer, and what you're going to do to keep your subscribers coming back.
The major problem the majority of ezines today is that they have nothing to keep subscribers wanting to keep receiving them. There is no outlook. No vision.
A great copywriter told me to always be thinking ahead in writing copy. To keep the reader wanting to read further down the sales letter. The same thing goes with ezine publishing. Create original content, developing 8 to 10 part series is a method you can use, to give the reader a reason to want to read your ezine.
Putting It Into Action Here's your chance to transform your ezine. Follow these simple steps and you're assured of a tremendous boost in profits and squeezing out every last drop of potential from your ezine with each issue.
Go ahead and sit down and begin planning out each issue. A good way to do this is with a calendar, or planner, dedicated to your ezine. Plan the coming week's and month's contents. What article series can you do? Who can you get to write guest articles? What special offers can you put together?
Transformation can sometimes be a life changing experience. Transforming your ezine can be a very profitable experience.
By Tim Bossie

How To Write Powerful Newsletters, Offline And Online

The theory of writing for newsletters is very similar to that of writing for press releases and other media work, but with newsletters there is one crucial difference. Whereas with an external publication you're quality-controlled by someone outside your organization (the publication's editor) who is therefore independent and autonomous, the equivalent person connected with an internally produced newsletter is either you, or someone else who gets paid by your organization.

Consequently newsletters have a sad habit of falling prey to the same self-indulgent and boring content as the misguided, subjective, self-congratulatory press releases so many organizations issue. Only this time, it's worse.

It's not just a few paragraphs of self-indulgent drivel, it's two, four or even eight pages of stuff that's of tremendous interest to the writers and instigators, but usually of no interest to the readers. This problem is often swept under the rug with a comment like "ah well, they're staff so they're getting paid to read it/they're our suppliers so they have to read it because we're their best customer" etc.

Of course, if the newsletter is directed only to staff or another purely internal group, the fact that there is a certain degree of family indulgence, will help. Staff certainly don't expect anything other than heavily cushioned bad news in articles written by the CEO or the Financial Director/VP, even if the company's not doing quite so well this quarter. And although they might not like to admit it, internal people actually do like to see silly pictures of the Christmas staff party, the summer Family Day, and the annual Spring Ball. So compilers of internal newsletters can approach the exercise with a bit of poetic licence if they want to.

Where you do have to pull yourselves up by the bootlaces is with newsletters that go outside the organization - particularly customer newsletters. Here there is no external editor to run his/her "blue pencil" through all the self-congratulatory BS. So you need to place yourself firmly in the shoes of the audience and ensure that your content is of interest to them.

In exactly the same way as online e-zines and e-newsletters, printed external newsletters are of much greater value to the reader if they contain information that is of genuine, generic use to them - information that helps them do their jobs better, or in some other way improves their daily life.

If the newsletters are generically useful then people will take them more seriously, will keep them handy rather than throw them away, and so will pay far more attention to your messages that accompany the generic information. Very few people these days are stupid enough to be fooled by the thinly disguised advertising blurb masquerading as "useful" editorial. Yet all too often I see companies spending quite large sums of money on customer newsletters that really do put the "junk" into junk mail.

All it takes to turn a boring, totally subjective newsletter into a useful, interesting one is a little imagination, not big bucks.

A car dealership can send out a quarterly newsletter than not only announces the latest new model launches and new staff appointments, but also includes a seasonal maintenance checklist for readers ... how to drive safely in winter conditions ... ideas on how to keep the kids entertained on long car trips in the summer ... security and anti-theft tips ... dates of future roadworks/construction that may cause congestion (available from local government sources) ... etc.

An accountancy firm can send out information on how new legislation affects local or regional businesses, how new tax laws should be interpreted, tips and advice on how to fill out personal tax returns, tips for small businesses and self-employed people on how to record their expenses more efficiently, etc.

An investment company can send out information to business customers that updates them on the latest corporate issues and how those apply to individual companies, and also include advice on personal investments, pension plans, even advice for readers' families, e.g. saving for college/university loans and the best savings plans to set up for children, trust funds, etc.

All of the information I've described above would not cost much to procure - probably just a matter of a few phone calls, a couple of hours surfing the net, and a day or two of someone's time putting it all together. Obviously you need to be careful not to use other organizations' copyright material without permission, but in my experience organizations aren't all that possessive about their stuff and will cheerfully grant you permission provided that you credit them appropriately. After all, their material isn't much use if no-one's allowed to see it.

What a difference this type of content makes to an organization's external newsletter! You instantly gain the respect or your readers, because you're giving them something tangible without asking them for anything in return. And this can only reflect in one way on your business relationship with them.


Online tips

I'm not quite sure what the difference is between e-zines and online newsletters. I think it could be one of those instances whereby everyone has a slightly different idea of what this particular type of communication should do and be called. If you ask that question of three different online comms experts you'll get three very plausible and totally different answers.

As usual I try to find the common denominator and in this case, it's this; in much the same way as its paper-based ancestor, the onlinezine (how about that for a new word) is a regular piece of one-way communication that supplies its audience with news and updates about you, your organization and your activities.

The online version will be taken much more seriously by its readers if in addition to the necessary reminders about your products and services, you also include some genuinely useful and interesting information. However the online version, in keeping with most other online descendants of offline media, must be much shorter and far more condensed.

One of the primary uses of onlinezines is to "drive traffic to the website." Now in itself this is relatively harmless and provided that everything is done right, it usually works. And then once you've got visitors hooked into all your superb content on the website you have a captive audience to whom you can sell your own stuff if it's a company-only site or your advertisers' stuff if it's a more open-ended one. Or at least that's the theory.

However as you would expect some organizations get this hideously wrong, and in my view the most vivid example of it is the online newsletter that comprises little more than a list of URLs with filepaths the length of a several soccer pitches. Nothing, but nothing is more irritating to someone like me than an enticing e-newsletter with grabby headlines plus a few words leading into the topic and then ... nothing. Just a fancy URL which even if you do click on it usually doesn't connect with the page you want on the website anyway.

If you're in a position to choose how an online newsletter is put together and you want to get the best possible results from it, please, please remember to put enough into it so there's something "in it for them." Of course if you have a website you'll want to drive traffic to it. But create a realistic balance - don't be so naïve as to think you can force people to click on to your website by dangling a carrot just out of their reach. If they're anything like me they'll feel resentful and antagonized by it and will resolve never to visit your site even if dragged there by wild horses.

My own personal preference is the standalone variety of online newsletter that makes clicking through to the website merely an optional extra. But I know that in a business context this is not as commercially attractive. So probably the next best thing is online newsletters that supply the audience with a summary or shortened version of the content so they get the key points, and refer them to the website for further details.

That's an acceptable balance that will encourage people to click through to the site if they have a genuine interest plus the time to spare, and if they haven't time at least they'll remember you and your summaries fondly and be more inclined to click through to the site next time.

BY Suzan St Maur