Newsletters: "Are Spam Filters Crippling Ezines?"

"Are Spam Filters Crippling Ezines?"

Written by Bob McElwain

A whole bunch of ezines you send to your subscribers are being trashed. Filtering software has been spreading like wildfire from ISP to ISP. The decisions these programs make are beyond your control. The question is, "Are you out of business?" 1049 words; 6.2K Autoresponder: mailto:spamfilters@sitetipsandtricks.com URL:

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Thanks for listening!

Bob _______________________________

SPAM FILTERS ARE CRIPPLING EZINES By Bob McElwain

The growing use of software to filter incoming email to an ISP has added an unanswerable question: How many subscribers receive your ezine? For several years now, I've ignored subscriber list totals. The data is fuzzy when you look at numbers held, numbers not delivered, and so forth. I track only repparttar number of successful deliveries. However, this number is now much less meaningful.

Many (most?) ISPs have installed email filters to block spam and that other stuff I can't mention for fear of being blocked. If those filters bounced back to repparttar 124300 mailing service, repparttar 124301 addresses could be eliminated. Most are only trashed into repparttar 124302 big black hole of cyberspace. So there's no telling how many don't get through.

Some are bounced back to me personally. Unfortunately, no email address is provided, so I can't remove it from my list. I get a particular hoot out of this, when they've blocked my newsletter, calling it spam. I wonder what they're calling repparttar 124303 stuff they send to me.

Moral Irresponsibility In Action

Such software is a great example of irresponsibility in action. And repparttar 124304 lack of ethics and morality of which we see far too much. The 'gods' (programmers?) have decreed we're at repparttar 124305 mercy of computer algorithms which are primitive at best.

Analyzing repparttar 124306 meaning of a statement in English with a computer is still in its infancy, even though many powerful minds have been working at it for many years. Current software assumes related problems have been resolved, which is absurd.

Here's What Has Happened To Me

Beginning in November in 2001, I began to notice a fall off in responses to "STAT News." Both to ads, and comments emailed to me. I didn't pay much attention at first, for things like this fluctuate.

But I did check seriously in December. Definitely down in both areas. During January and February, I was pretty much out of things due to some heavy surgery. I didn't really get back up to speed until March. By then, repparttar 124307 downtrend in repparttar 124308 response rate over November last year was very noticeable. Certainly in excess of 15% by any measure.

Blocking Software To The Rescue?

By March, it was also clear spam blocking software was repparttar 124309 current rage. I believe this accounts for repparttar 124310 drop in response I have seen. Here's why.

Email response to repparttar 124311 newsletter dropped by repparttar 124312 same percentage as ad response. I track ad response accurately with software. So repparttar 124313 only place for error in making this statement is in misjudging email response. My answer to that was to check trash and count. The percentages were almost identical, although there's not enough data to be certain.

If only ad response had dropped off, I'd have decided I needed new ads. But when both dropped by repparttar 124314 same percentage, I had to charge it off to repparttar 124315 spam filters.

Seven Top Ways to Promote your Ezine

Written by Judy Cullins

One. Network offline. Visit professional like-minded groups. These groups usually meet once a month, have speakers, and networking time for you to mix with other professionals. You will get valuable information at these meetings for low cost yearly memberships run around $25-$50 giving you free meeting attendance. Each meeting is around two hours including networking time and speaker. Usually at each meeting you are given a 30-second time to introduce yourself.

Two. Speak to groups about your expertise. You may be a guest speaker for a large association or group, or you may form your own seminars and workshops, where people come to hear your expertise. During each meeting, pass repparttar clipboard that asks your audience for their email addresses. In return, you will send them pertinent information. Be sure to put your Web URL in plain sight. You want these people to visit your Web site, first to see your expertise, then perhaps to buy products.

Three. Promote your eMag on your web site. Visit many sites and take from them what will make your pages zing.

I notice a pablum approach upon visiting many sites. One sign on repparttar 124299 "Home" page simply said, "Subscribe to my free ezine." Is that enough to make you buy?

Instead, use repparttar 124300 passion approach. For my new web site, I submitted this blurb to my Webmaster: Finish, publish, and sell your book fast! Receive free articles, tips and resources in repparttar 124301 FREE monthly eMag "The Book Coach Says."

Nearby in a box, I shared repparttar 124302 benefits of subscribing what repparttar 124303 reader will get. I shared how my service/products are unique remember repparttar 124304 "Fast" tag in my services and books? Write your eBook or Other Book Fast! Follow your lines with "click here." Your visitors need explicit directions.

Another "passion" approach includes a testimonial about your ezine from a top person in your subject area. Mine, "totally worth your time," is from Dan Poynter of www.parapublishing.com.

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