To put this into practice, deliver value aspect of your ezine in form of word pictures. Tell a story drawing on your personal experience and show how you were awakened to a solution. Paint a picture with words to describe benefits or pitfalls you found by following a particular path.

Publishers who do this are regarded as trustworthy experts. Consequently, they create a following of subscribers who buy products and services based solely on a recommendation.

It is noteworthy, and should come as no surprise, that affiliate commissions are highest among those who use products they recommend. They are in a position to comment first-hand on benefits and solutions available in owning product.

3. Let Your Readers Interact With Your Ezine.

You engage people more fully by allowing them to participate and interact with your ezine. Plus, this interaction lets you take pulse of readers and find out what's important to them. You can then tailor your content and marketing efforts accordingly.

Here are some ideas to get your readers involved:

> Take a poll. Invite your readers to respond to a short survey question. Provide a set of two or three responses from which they can choose by clicking on appropriate link.

> Reserve a section of your ezine for reader feedback and invite people to email you with their comments. Personally respond to all email and reprint those which you feel are most beneficial for your readers.

> Have a section of your ezine devoted to reader's questions. Respond in your ezine with thoughtful and insightful answers. This establishes you as an expert in your field, thereby enhancing worth of your ezine as a source of credible information.

Put above three principles to work for you and see if you notice a difference. Just keep in mind your reader's desire for goal-based solutions, and let your must-read ezine be a source of must-have value and must-get benefits. You can't lose!

Things to avoid in all humor:

Never point your humor toward a specific group. What might be funny in a "one-to-one" situation where you know person, could be highly offensive to someone else.

Never use vulgarity - especially seven dirty words that George Carlin used in his comedy sketch - they are anathema! While adult jokes may indeed be humorous, they have no place in an online publication where you have no control over who sees it.

While vulgarity offends good taste or propriety, crudity, which shows a lack of tact or refinement, runs a close second. A word or phrase having a double meaning, especially when second meaning is risqué, should also be avoided. A double entendre can actually spell double trouble.

So what kind of "humor" can you use?

This will, for most part, be a judgement call on your part. A good criteria that could be useful, is to make believe your are talking to your local PTA, and want to tell a joke to put everyone at ease. The teachers are there as well as parents and children of your child's classmates. If you can tell it there without embarrassing anyone, it is probably a good bet for you publication.

The best advice about selection of humor, is that if there is any doubt in your mind at all, don't use it.