Starting a Newsletter - Part 2
“It’s not what you know, but who you know that matters.”
My Dad used to tell me that line all the time - still does. And when it comes to internet marketing nothing is more true.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a rocket scientist or a high school dropout, everybody starts out on a level playing field in online marketing and has the opportunity to build a respectable reputation or a bad one. Everybody also has the same opportunity to contact the online world through blogging, posting on forums, and developing an eNewsletter.
Your opt-in list is everything when it comes to creating an online business. Without an opt-in list you have no audience, without an opt-in list you have no voice.
By creating an eNewsletter you’ll accomplish three main things:
- You’ll build your opt-in list through subscribers.
- You’ll develop relationships with your target market.
- You’re create credibility by positioning yourself as somebody your prospects know, like, and trust.
Here’s how to stop dreaming and start getting things done…
Content
You can write your own - which I recommend - or you can take it from content sites. Here’s a list of the more popular ones:
- Idea Marketers
- Article Announce
- Free Content
- Ezine Articles
- Article City
- Go Articles
- Article Central
Sign Ups
You sign up area should be very prevalent on your website so your visitors know what you’re offering and see the value. Sign-ups should probably be double opt-in to ensure the email that is given belongs to somebody that actually wants your newsletter.
Delivery
You’ll want to be able to send your newsletter to everybody that wants it in a personal way. That means having their first name used throughout the email (not overdone, but noticeable).
To send your newsletter out, you can choose to purchase a software or pay for a service. I’ve found aWeber to be the best around…but check out some of the options as well:
Service: QuickPayPro, List Universe, and EZezine.
Software: Gammadyne and MailLoop.
Marketing
You’ll need to do more than just write to get known online - you need to market yourself as well! Here are directories you’ll want to submit to: The BIG Ezine Directory, Ezine Universe, Ezine Directory, Amazines, and The Free Newsletter Directory.
Beyond that, you’ll want to stay active in blogs within your niche and post free articles on other websites, such as Advice Network. This won’t just create visibility, but it will also demonstrate expertise.
Regularity
You’ll want to consider how often you’re able to send out your newsletters. It’s always best to have consistent schedule. Too often and you’ll tick people off, too scattered and people will unsubscribe, too rare and people will forget about you. Make sure to choose a time frame that works for you and your reader. For starting out I’d recommend once a month or every two weeks.
Well…that’s it for now, but I’ll have more about this coming soon! Let me know if you have any eNewsletter tips that you’d like to share. And don’t forget to subscribe to our RSS Feed so you don’t miss any of our value packed posts.
