It's quite common knowledge
now that the only tried-and-true method of developing a relationship with
others online and if you have a business, of making sales online, is to
publish an e-zine or newsletter on a topic or topics that coincides with
the products and services highlighted by a publication, and the needs
and interests of readers of a publication. Engaging others with the written
word online has become imperative for any type of success, and therefore
it does become almost mandatory that everyone not only publish an e-zine
or newsletter, but that it is done well.
There are steps involved in
successful publication of an e-zine and newsletter that will ensure its
success, however, and following these steps will not only save time, but
also money and prevent many of the most common blunders and mistakes to
which both novice and seasoned publishers do fall prey.
In the world of publishing
the following directives or rules will indeed make the act of publishing
less stressful and more successful:
1. A knowledge of the targeted
audience, or "readership". In order to successfully gather and
maintain readers, any publication that is produced must speak directly
to its potential readers. EG: If a newsletter or e-zine is written on
gardening, then the articles and themes contained in such a publication
must highlight the common concerns and questions that those that enjoy
gardening do have.
Research must be done religiously
to either find articles of this nature, or write articles of this nature.
Any articles that do not pertain to the basic readership or subscribers
to a particular theme, do not belong in the publication. "Filler
articles" that are "off topic" will just discourage readers
from reading, and may lead to an overwhelming number of "unsubscribes".
2. A title that fits the theme of a publication, with conciseness and
clarity. This is a somewhat overlooked component of successful publishing.
The title must always speak to exactly the audience that is targeted by
the publication.
Variations may be used with
a title, but being "overly clever" is defeating. If an audience
that is sought does not realize that the publication is indeed one that
fits their interests, simply because of an "abstract" title,
then subscribers will be lost. As in the example above, of a gardening
publication, an appropriate title might be "The Gardener's Bible",
which speaks directly to the audience that it targets. An inappropriate
and abstract title would be, "Dig With Us".
Although the latter is "cute
and clever", it is too abstract to effectively define its intent
in the minds of possible readers immediately.
3. A marketing plan for the e-zine or newsletter which will have defined
goals. This should preferably be written down, and implemented within
a certain time frame. This plan should encompass a steady progression
of both numbers of readers and also a definite manner of marketing that
is consistent.
EG: Placing and listing the publication in specified locations each month,
as well as submission of the main newsletter or e-zine Web site religiously
to Search Engines, Pay-Per-Click submission services, and other less known
methods such as publication co-ops and reciprocal link campaigns.
4. A decision as to specified date of publication each month, number of
publications each month, and the overall length of each publication. Readers
enjoy and expect consistency, and a consistent look, feel, and arrival
date will do much to keep readers anticipating the next issue of all publications.
This is an important issue as well, as "too many" deliveries
and "too little" deliveries should be avoided. Readers can be
lost through "overuse" of a list just as easily as "underuse".
5. A decision on method of delivery and management. E-zine and newsletter
publication management systems abound, and care does need to be given
in the choice of management and delivery systems. In this particular area,
the delivery and management of your e-zine or newsletter, cost can sometimes
be a factor, but should not be the one and only determinant of a particular
choice, as delivery and management mistakes can be extremely deleterious
in the long run. Woe to the publisher that doesn't deliver a publication
on time, or worse yet, delivers multiple copies of the same publication
on the same day. A good delivery and management system should include,
at the very least:
a. A simple, automatic method of adding and removing subscribers
b. A simple, automatic method of backing up a database of subscribers
c. An auto-responder message feature to allow immediate contact with new
subscribers
d. A choice of single or double opt-in options
e. A method of tracking each publication, with features that allow knowledge
of "bounced" e-mails, undeliverable e-mails, and "opened"
e-mails, with perhaps a "click-through" count also. This does
allow awareness of active e-mail addresses and also awareness of the effectiveness
of any advertising
6. A decision or plan as to the number of advertisements allowed, their
cost, and the overall guidelines to determining their inclusion. This
needs to be done before submission to e-zine and newsletter publication
directories, as questions will be asked concerning ads and their submissions.
Care must be given not to include too many free ads, as well as to the
number of ads overall, as nothing hampers a good publication more than
the inclusion of an overwhelming number of ads. Make a determination as
to what is expected by advertisers, and then stick with it.
7. A determination as to the size of each e-zine or newsletter. While
naturally, it is fantastic to have thousands upon thousands of subscribers,
most money is made through e-zines and newsletters by the sales engendered
by the publication. One hundred subscribers that actively purchase is
indeed more lucrative than one thousand who just browse, or worse yet,
don't open the publication. Offering "free" "bonuses"
or other incentives to enhance subscriptions may work initially, but may
soon lead to a publication that is difficult to manage and yet generates
very few, if any sales. "Quality" in subscribers far outweighs
"quantity".
8. A well-thought-out source of materials that can be used to generate
articles, or a source of articles that are fresh and appealing to readers.
When writing unique content for articles, good sources of information
do need to be developed, and when using reprints, good sources for reprinted
articles do need to be maintained. Always keep in mind that the material
within any e-zine or newsletter does need to reflect the interests of
that particular audience and pertain directly to their specific needs.
9. A distinct plan for dealing with complaints or "flames".
No one can write or publish without directly becoming embroiled in issues
beyond their control. Publishing any type of work involves being exposed
to other's sometimes contrary views and opinions. This is part and parcel
of writing and publishing. How one deals with this issue can save serious
heartbreak in the long run, and a method of dealing with this rationally
does need to be employed before publishing for the first time.
10. A decision as to choice of publication creation software. This is
perhaps one of the most crucialdecisions when publishing, as good publication
creation software can make publishing easier and less time consuming than
one might think possible. Good quality publication creation software should
include:
a. Ease of usability: publications should be created quickly and easily
with easy-to-use features in the software.
b. A choice of delivery formats: text or HTML. Some readers will have
a definite preference for either one or the other.
c. Flexibility in the creation of publication: A different style and wide
variety of colors and fonts, as well as lay outs is imperative. Publications
that become boring to the reader are apt to lose subscribers at an alarming
rate.
d. Copy-and-paste, as well as FTP (File Transfer Protocol) features that
make it easy to insert, move and delete articles, as well as manage articles
and ads within several publications at once. Most publishers find that
once they publish their "initial" e-zine or newsletter, that
they expand and publish many more, so this feature is important in the
choice of publication creation software.
These ten simple steps will enhance publishing efforts and increase chances
of making and keeping subscribers, therefore increasing sales and revenue
in the long run. Although this list is by no way the complete guide to
publishing success, it will aid in the start-up and successful management
of a publication, and can lead to the enjoyment of publishing efforts,
with the avoidance of common problems.
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