Email is, without question,
most popular and powerful marketing tool available to entrepreneurs today. Website are great, but without an effective email, your marketing efforts will be anemic.So how do you take advantage of email marketing? The best method is to begin your own opt-in periodic ezine--or an electronic magazine. There are over ten thousand ezines on internet addressing hundreds of subjects.
What is real power behind ezine marketing? It is RELATIONSHIPS. Those who have learned art of editing an ezine are developing relationships with readers that will (in many cases) be transformed into customers and business partnerships.
There are several skills that must be learned to become a effective ezine editor. Here they are:
FIND A FOCUS
In his best-selling marketing manual "Make Your Site Sell," Ken Evoy points out that any effective marketing strategy must remember that "if you try to sell to everybody you'll end up selling to nobody." That's why he points out haw important it is "target your audience" (learn more about Ken's book at http://allaboutsuccess.sitesell.com/).
This strategy is also important for newsletter editing and promotion. Think about it. The next time you pass magazine rack in your local grocery store look at each publication. Each has a theme that is specifically focused toward a particular segment of society. Your ezine should also be focused in that manner.
What should your focus be? That depends on you! What are your interests? What are your areas of expertise? With what segment of internet community do you hold a particular affinity? I've seen ezines that address e-commerce, web site development, comic book collecting, cat lovers (ugh),etc.
What's your niche? If you don't find it you'll only develop a nice safe-list--you won't be editor of an ezine! Do you know difference between two? It's relationships. An ezine helps you develop meaningful personal and professional relationships.
Got your focus. Great! Now you need to...
DEVELOP A FORMAT
Many editors overlook this aspects of their ezine development. Without a effective format, however, your ezine appears disorganized and frustrating to read.
Here are some things to consider as you develop your format.
1) When you open ezine email, does first page grab readers attention and make them want to keep reading? Items such as a "quote of week," a personal greeting, or a attractive table of contents will help keep subscribers reading.
2) Is you format geared toward advertisements or content? You've read those ezines that look like the classified ad section of your local newspaper, haven't you? Neither have I! They are annoying! Focus on content, not ads. Both your advertisers and subscribers will appreicate it. Your subscribers will appreciate your focus on content. Your advertisers will appreciate fact that their ad will probably be read.
3) Don't forget to provide clear and easy to follow subscription and unsubscription instructions.
Now that you've got your focus and format, what's next? Oh yes, you need to...
GET SUBSCRIBERS
How do you get subscribers? You ask them to subscribe!
Sure, that's common sense. But how many times have you found yourself subscribed to a list you've never heard about? I have made it a policy to NEVER manually add names to my list. To get on my list people must do one of two things: 1) send an email request, or 2) complete a subscription form on my website at http://allaboutsuccess.com or http://ezinesuccess.com
