April 19, 2008

Guide to a Successful E-zine

by Jason Pearson

Staying in touch with customers has never been simpler with the advent of email newsletters. Otherwise known as e-zines, they don't consume a lot of resources to create and can be sent as often as consumers will read them. They provide one more outlet for you to reach a highly targeted audience. Consider the following suggestions when revamping your current newsletter.

Your twentieth issue is not likely to be as fresh and innovative as your first. Use every issue to inform readers about workshops, upcoming events, and industry surveys. You could also poll readers for their ideas about new products or reviews of current ones.

Use an e-zine as a way to build a stronger link with clients. If you have the space and a large enough readership, profile someone in each issue. This person could be a customer, an industry expert, or a star-performer in the office. Don't forget to include coupons or freebies in every issue as an added benefit to readers. Letting people feel like they are a part of a community will entice them to continue reading your newsletter.

This also means that you should only deliver your e-zine to those who have requested it. Dumping unwanted mail in people's inboxes can result in a bad business reputation. One way to widen your readership is to make sure your e-zine is part of a larger network of e-zines available through a directory service.

There are many ways to allow people to sign up for your e-zine. You can also list your publication with a directories specifically created for e-zines. These directories are also valuable tools when you are researching competitor's newsletters.

When deciding on what format to use, keep your budget in mind. Will you have the resources to devote to a glitzy ad-style newsletter with lots of graphics on a consistent and regular basis? Also consider your audience. Will they be more impressed with a text-only style newsletter heavy with content or do they need to be captivated with images?

To make sure they are noticed and read give them eye-catching titles. The first few sentences should also be as unique and interesting as possible. Keep the tone of email newsletters informal and connect with readers in a friendly, but professional manner.

Finally, make sure your work has been edited thoroughly for spelling, grammar and style. You may choose to take on this work yourself or to outsource various parts of your e-zine. Whether it is produced in-house or not, make sure that you deliver your readers useful and interesting content every time.

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