The Top 10 Ways to Tweak Your Ezine
| Category: E-zines: Promotion | Date: 2003-07-09 |
My ezine has an exceptionally high click-throughrate and has brought me many clients. Here are some things you can do to make sure yours is working for you.
1. Make a decision about aol.com. Or get a program that allows both html version and text version to be sent. Graphics are a large part of mine, but my aol.com subscribers don't complain. I guess they don't know what they’re missing!
2. The Presentation. The first presentation is the Message Header. Make sure it’s catchy and don't 'cry wolf,' i.e., the subject has to match what’s advertised. People don't like to be lied to! The presentation in the layout is important for enticing the reader to read the words. You have about 2 seconds to draw them in. If you’re in doubt, or getting a low click-through rate, have an expert review your ezine and get some coaching.
3. Graphics. To do or not to do? Personally I won't read a straight text ezine. My own ezine looks like a magazine and a picture is worth a thousand words.
4. EVERYONE is an impulse buyer. You have opportunities on your ezine for links. Use them. If you’re advertising a course, have a link where they can sign up and pay immediately. Capture the moment! Make it easy for them to buy something from you.
5. Give the Reader a break. For you, your ezine is educational and promotional. For the reader, too much 'promotion' is a turnoff. If all you’re doing is selling, they'll stop reading it. And don't forget that 50% of 'education' is 'entertainment.'
6. Opt In Opt Out. Give them the opportunity in every ezine. It’s common courtesy and you don't want to be spamming.
7. Go Forth, Be Fruitful and Multiple. Your greatest hope is that someone will forward your ezine to someone else. Make this possible and easy. Put a 'send this to a friend' email link on there.
8. When is Too Often? There’s no rule. It depends. In my many years in marketing I've seen every successful rule broken. The marketing piece that had the greatest response rate at USAA was a 5 page mailer, straight text, letter format. That’s way too much. That should never have happened. Experiment. If it’s interesting and attractive enough, they'll love it. I send mine out 3 times a week.
9. But I Need Parameters!! Start with once or twice a month. It depends on how much valuable information you have to impart, how much time you have to devote to it, and how much of a draw it is. Wednesday mid-morning is supposed to be the best time to send them out. It turns out my Distance Learning students preferred Monday morning of all things. (If all else fails, ask your readers.) Experiment! Check the statistics and see which days are working. The most important thing is to be predictable and reliable. Keep relatively the same format. Deliver it when you say you will. It builds credibility. Assure your readers that you won't trade their email addresses and don't.
10. Last Tips. It’s the single best way to bond with your clients and customers, but if you don't like doing one, don't do it. It'll show. Hire someone else or leave it alone. What program? I use Constant Contact with great results. Go to http://www.roving.com. I am not an affiliate; I just like the service. There are plenty of others. And last but not least, list your ezine on ezine sites. Here’s one. There are many. http://www.netterweb.com/. While you’re there, look over the list and trade ads with ezines complimentary to yours, but not competitive. For instance, I'm not a financial coach, so I trade ads and referrals with one. Works well.
Susan Dunn
The Perfect Coach For You
About the Author
Susan Dunn is a personal and professional development coach, writer, speaker and teacher with an international clientele. Visit her on the web at susandunn.cc for FREE distance learning course and see why she has students all over the world. mailto:susandunn.cc for FREE ezine, also global.
sdunn@susandunn.cc
http://www.susandunn.cc
1. Make a decision about aol.com. Or get a program that allows both html version and text version to be sent. Graphics are a large part of mine, but my aol.com subscribers don't complain. I guess they don't know what they’re missing!
2. The Presentation. The first presentation is the Message Header. Make sure it’s catchy and don't 'cry wolf,' i.e., the subject has to match what’s advertised. People don't like to be lied to! The presentation in the layout is important for enticing the reader to read the words. You have about 2 seconds to draw them in. If you’re in doubt, or getting a low click-through rate, have an expert review your ezine and get some coaching.
3. Graphics. To do or not to do? Personally I won't read a straight text ezine. My own ezine looks like a magazine and a picture is worth a thousand words.
4. EVERYONE is an impulse buyer. You have opportunities on your ezine for links. Use them. If you’re advertising a course, have a link where they can sign up and pay immediately. Capture the moment! Make it easy for them to buy something from you.
5. Give the Reader a break. For you, your ezine is educational and promotional. For the reader, too much 'promotion' is a turnoff. If all you’re doing is selling, they'll stop reading it. And don't forget that 50% of 'education' is 'entertainment.'
6. Opt In Opt Out. Give them the opportunity in every ezine. It’s common courtesy and you don't want to be spamming.
7. Go Forth, Be Fruitful and Multiple. Your greatest hope is that someone will forward your ezine to someone else. Make this possible and easy. Put a 'send this to a friend' email link on there.
8. When is Too Often? There’s no rule. It depends. In my many years in marketing I've seen every successful rule broken. The marketing piece that had the greatest response rate at USAA was a 5 page mailer, straight text, letter format. That’s way too much. That should never have happened. Experiment. If it’s interesting and attractive enough, they'll love it. I send mine out 3 times a week.
9. But I Need Parameters!! Start with once or twice a month. It depends on how much valuable information you have to impart, how much time you have to devote to it, and how much of a draw it is. Wednesday mid-morning is supposed to be the best time to send them out. It turns out my Distance Learning students preferred Monday morning of all things. (If all else fails, ask your readers.) Experiment! Check the statistics and see which days are working. The most important thing is to be predictable and reliable. Keep relatively the same format. Deliver it when you say you will. It builds credibility. Assure your readers that you won't trade their email addresses and don't.
10. Last Tips. It’s the single best way to bond with your clients and customers, but if you don't like doing one, don't do it. It'll show. Hire someone else or leave it alone. What program? I use Constant Contact with great results. Go to http://www.roving.com. I am not an affiliate; I just like the service. There are plenty of others. And last but not least, list your ezine on ezine sites. Here’s one. There are many. http://www.netterweb.com/. While you’re there, look over the list and trade ads with ezines complimentary to yours, but not competitive. For instance, I'm not a financial coach, so I trade ads and referrals with one. Works well.
Susan Dunn
The Perfect Coach For You
About the Author
Susan Dunn is a personal and professional development coach, writer, speaker and teacher with an international clientele. Visit her on the web at susandunn.cc for FREE distance learning course and see why she has students all over the world. mailto:susandunn.cc for FREE ezine, also global.
sdunn@susandunn.cc
http://www.susandunn.cc
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