A newsletter is a
great way for you to stay in regular contact with your contacts.
If you can get web site visitors to subscribe to a newsletter, they become
your prospects. Through a newsletter your regular contact will build trust
and give you the opportunity to turn them into paying customers.
Golden Rule: Never, never, never
send spam to people. Spam is unsolicited - unwanted - emails. Operate an Opt-in
newsletter that your readers have full control over, i.e. they are able to
subscribe or unsubscribe at any time.
How do you start a newsletter? Follow these
steps:
Step 1: Planning
Decide on the title, topic and frequency of your new
newsletter. Will you produce it in text format, or HTML, or both? If you
decide to use a professional service like Topica
Email Publisher, you can write your newsletter once and Topica will
automatically take care of the different formats.
Step 2: Select a List Management Service
You could try and manage all the subscribe and unsubscribe requests
manually, but you will probably go insane within a month or two.
Check out Topica
- I highly recommend their professional service if you can afford it right
away, but if not you can start with their free service and it won't cost
you a dime.
Step 3: Add Sign Up Forms To Your Web Site
Get a subscription box on every page of your web site inviting
people to sign up for your newsletter.
Step 4: Plan Your
Content
What will you include in each issue? Articles? News? Tips?
Advice? Reader feedback? Certainly some advertisements for your eBook and
other products.
Step 5: Format it
Neatly & Professionally
This is especially important if you are not using a professional email
service. Everyone uses different email software and what looks good for
one person using Eudora may look very different for someone using Yahoo.
here's a few pointers:
==============================
If preparing a text version, include spaces
and lines like I have here.
==============================
Keep each line to 65 characters with a
hard return at the end of each line and
you will prevent
your
newsletter looking like
this.
If preparing your newsletter in HTML be
sure to test it by sending some sample emails and viewing them in your own
email program, Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL etc.
Step 6: Prepare
Templates
This step is for those not using a professional newsletter service. Once
you have decided on your regular content and format prepare a template (or
use your first issue as a template) so you can produce it in the same
consistent format each time. this will help to build an identifiable brand
and 'look'.
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Additional
Resources
Topica Email Publisher
Topica makes it easy for a business of any size to build and manage
effective email campaigns. Manage your list and newsletter professionally.
MailerMailer
For professional email newsletters and campaigns.
Site
Build It!
When you consider the cost of separate email and web host management
services, Site Build It!s all-in-one package really does make good sense.
They give you so much for your money I can't list it all here.
Autoresponders
GetResponse
Get unlimited autoresponders and send a series to your customers.
Unlimited
Autoresponders
With AWeber's unlimited autoresponders your prospects will automatically
receive your message.
Expert Advice
Ezine
Queen
Let Alexandria Brown show you step
by step - how to write, publish, and promote a dynamic e-zine that BOOSTS
your business!
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