Do You Really Need an Ezine? Only if You Want More Business

I haven’t sent out an ezine (email newsletter) in over a year. Why? I was immersed in several large projects and I didn’t really want more business. And I knew from experience that sending out a newsletter meant more business and I already had too much on my plate.

So if you already have more business than you know what to do with, stop reading. There are probably better things to do with your time then writing a newsletter. But if you don’t have a steady stream of business, an ezine is one of the best and most inexpensive ways to make it happen.

Does the idea of writing a long, “traditional” ezine stress you out? If that’s the case don’t do it.

There are non-traditional ways that work just as effectively. Over this last year I have been busy writing newsletters – for my clients – and I’ve been watching what works and what doesn’t. So let’s take a look at the difference between traditional versus non-traditional ezines and see what’s best for you – maybe it’s a mix of the two.

Traditional Ezine

If you want to learn about the traditional ezine the best person to learn from is the Ezine Queen, Ali Brown. She recently wrote an article on “7 Ways to Market Yourself Within an Ezine” with great suggestions. What Ali describes in her article is the ezine you’re probably used to seeing in your inbox – it includes a note from the editor, a main article, promo blurbs, special announcements etc.

The thing is these ezines take a lot of time to write and a lot of time to read. So if you’re short on time and your target market is short on time maybe it’s time to consider a non-traditional approach…

Non-traditional Ezine

Instead of a big, long ezine try sending a short tip with a link to your blog for more information. The beauty of this strategy is that it drives traffic to your blog. When we implemented this technique for one of my clients, she saw a dramatic increase in blog traffic and comments.

Let me give you an example of what I mean. Let’s say I want to send an email to my list about this blog post that you’re reading. I could say something like…

Hi XXX,

If you already have more business than you know what to do with, stop reading. There are probably better things to do with your time then writing a newsletter. But if you don’t have a steady stream of business, a newsletter is one of the best (and most inexpensive) ways to make it happen.

Maybe you feel like you’re too busy to write a newsletter? Check out my latest blog for a strategy that works and takes only five minutes to do!

All my best,

Jennifer

Do you see how quick and easy it can be? Regardless of its simplicity it still maintains the communication open between you and your target market. They continue to view you as someone who has valuable content to share. Once they land on your blog you can usually include something you want to promote at the end of the post, such as an upcoming event, product promotion etc.

Several of my clients send an entire blog post as the main article for their newsletter and include links to other recent blogs if their readers want to learn more. This requires hardly any additional writing but keeps them front and center with their newsletter list.

Now what if you’re saying, “This sounds great but I don’t have a blog or I don’t post regularly…”? That might mean you really hate writing or are just too busy with other aspects of your business. If that’s the case maybe it’s time to hire a copywriter that can help you maximize the content you already have or create new content. Contact me for a free consultation if you want to learn more.

Tags: Ali Brown, blog, ezine
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Tips to Inspire the Blogger Within

Are you stumped when it comes to picking a topic for your next blog? When I’m trying to figure out what I want my next blog or newsletter to be about, I think back on the conversations I’ve had that week – especially with my clients.

For example, I’ll have a week where it seems like everybody is asking me, “How do I get a good testimonial? What’s the formula for that?” Then I’ll have a week where everybody wants a press release. “How do I format my press release?” When I stop and think about these conversations I’ve had I end up with great ideas for my next blog or newsletter.

If you start thinking about the conversations you’re having on a regular basis, you’ll realize how much information you have to share that you may not even be aware of. Sometimes we’re just not conscious of how much information we’ve stored up over the years. By observing your conversation patterns, you’ll also get great insight on topics that others find interesting. What do you know that others want to know? That’s exactly what you want to be sharing in your blog.

In addition to being aware of what you already know, be a good observer. We make observations every day, but a lot of times we’re not actively observing. When you watch a commercial or read an article in the newspaper you probably have an opinion about it. I like to have a notebook with me at all times so I can jot down different observations that I make throughout the day. When it’s time to write a blog I can often relate those observations back to my own industry.

Another suggestion is to imitate those you admire. This doesn’t mean you should plagiarize. Never copy and paste someone else’s material. Not only is it unethical, it’s not authentic and ultimately defeats the purpose of blogging.

However, you can and should read other people’s blogs and newsletters. Get on your competitor’s websites. Start getting a feel for what you like. Are your favorite articles funny or inspirational? When you get a sales email, what gets you to buy, and what gets you to hit delete? You’ll start to see what appeals to you and what doesn’t. Many times reading other people’s information is what’s going to get you excited about sharing your own information.

Please share any tips that have helped you stay inspired as a blogger. Now if only I could find the time to blog – still working on the solution to that problem!

FYI - I talked more about the benefits of blogging and how to maximize their exposure in a recent interview with Kim DeYoung of Metromom.com, Leveraging Your Knowledge for Profit – How to Confidently & Quickly Create Compelling Content. Click here, scroll to the bottom of the page and choose the “Essentials Program” to learn how you can download individual interviews (like mine) and get a transcript of the entire call.

Tags: blog, blogger, conversations, observer
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