However, for many, newsletter marketing has been more a source of frustration than sales. This is due to eight closely inter-related newsletter-marketing mistakes. By examining what hasn’t worked in past, we can come up with a new concept of newsletter marketing that is already working better for others. Following are three of eight biggest mistakes that newsletter marketers make.

1.Too much time between issues. The biggest problem of conventional newsletter marketing is amount of time that goes by between issues. Consistency is essence of success. Your goal is to maintain your firm’s constant visibility. You have to consistently publish, in order to be there when your market is ready to buy. Otherwise, “out of sight, out of mind.”

Think of oscilloscope on E.R., monitoring a patient’s heartbeat in Intensive Care. Every time patient’s heart beats, trace reaches a peak and oscilloscope “beeps.” But – almost immediately – trace begins to disappear.

A similar thing happens when you send out a newsletter. Your awareness peaks in days immediately following arrival of your message. Your firm will be one thought of should a purchase opportunity turn up. But, as more and more time passes, your visibility diminishes until you’re forgotten.

The more time that goes by between issues, less chance you’ll make a sale. The more time that goes by between issues, greater chance that your competitors will steal your customers.

Newsletters that come out every month, or – worse, quarterly – just don’t make it in today’s overcrowded and over-communicated marketplace where your competition is trying to make your customers forget about you.

2.Too many pages in each issue. Excessive length – i.e. too many pages – is primary reason that most newsletters cannot be published frequently enough to maintain constant visibility.

The more pages in a newsletter, more decisions that have to be made, and more words that have to be written. More pages also means more time producing and formatting each issue, plus higher printing costs.

1. Target media where you want to be seen Of three forms of traditional media print is best. Clients might not have seen you on TV or heard you on radio. But when you are in print you can send them a photocopy.

Be seen in publications read by your prospects and clients. Ask your clients what they read or check magazines in their lobby. Appearing in national dailies may feel glamourous but does that help your business.? All publicity helps but focus your time and effort on where you get biggest impact. That could be a community paper, association newsletter or an industry trade magazine. For example if you sell to hair dressers you should appear in "Hair Today".

2. Build a Database Start recording contact information about editors and reporters for publications in which you might appear. Watch for publications that might be able to use your expertise. Pick up a copy and read it. Search for articles on your industry or area of expertise. Take note of writers whose style you enjoy. If you like their style it is because you are like them or would like to be. There is a good chance that they will also like you, so start with them.

3. Make contact First contact; shall we dance? There is no right way but some work better than others. These worked best for me; call, introduce yourself and offer an article or interview, send a note of congratulations on an article they wrote or mail a post card from an exotic location, (sign your name clearly).