Newsletter Publishing Resources

A guide to Newsletter Publishing

Introduction to Newsletter Publishing

You may be more familiar with the terms eMail Publishing and eZinePublishing, but whatever name you use, eMail Publishing is rapidly becoming a "must do" for Internet businesses.

The speed and ease of eZine publishing allows a wonderful diversityof subject matter, format and style. eMail newsletters are delivered to subscribed readers and can function as a magazine, discussion list, or theymay be advisory, providing website or product updates to customers or visitors. Basically a newsletter can be whatever you and your subscribers need it to be!

Why is newsletter publishing a "must do" for your online business? Simplyput, publishing a newsletter will keep you in touch with your customers and prospects on a regular basis (the squeaky wheel syndrome). Secondly, a newsletter will instantly position you as an expert in your field and simultaneously promote your products and services in a subtle and crediblemanner. Most importantly, publishing your own newsletter will allow you to gather eMail addresses of visitors to your site providing you with an opportunity for future sales.

So how do you distribute your newsletter? Your choice of distributionwill most likely depend on your technical expertise and your pocketbook! Methods of distribution range from free online services, fee based professional list hosting services, and software programs. If you are a newbie or not technicallyproficient, software programs can be complicated and difficult to use. Free services such as Topica, Zinester, and Yahoo!Groups, are efficient and easy to use, but your newsletters will contain advertisementsof the host service. Professional services do not carry unwanted advertisingbut range greatly in price so be sure to compare services and read contractscarefully. Some services to check out are:Sparklist,Lyris,List Host,Topica andZinester.

After you decide on your newsletter format and method of distribution you will need to build your mailing list. There are several approaches to building a subscriber list including advertising, website sign-up forms, directory listings and ad-swapping. Most newsletter publishers use all ofthese methods but the most important factor in building your list is to provide good content that people really want to read.

To be a successful newsletter publisher you should also learn about spam and opt-in subscriptions. For instance, adding subscribers to your list withouttheir permission is spam. Spamming has always been strictly forbidden byupstanding business owners and is now also illegal, Sending your newsletterto people or businesses that have not subscribed will cause them to avoidyour newsletter and your website plus you will even loose your ISP provider. As a newsletter owner you should make it easy for people to subscribe (opt-in) and unsubscribe (opt-out) from your newsletter.

So let's begin: After setting up your newsletter packed with good content,you should place sign-up forms on your website (preferably on every page). Once done, another cost effective way to get subscribers is to list yournewsletter in directories. From there you can move on to ad-swapping and advertising programs. Most of the directories will note whether or not listed newsletters use ad-swapping or have paid or free advertising.

It's very important that you understand your options, such as theservices that are available for newsletter publishing, marketing techniques useful for growing your subscriber list, spamming and opt-insubsciptions. Research, research, research! For more information check outthe resources listed below - and best of luck to you.

Newsletter Publishing Resources

Internet News Bureau
Press release distribution

eMail Marketing
eMail marketing resources that show you how to take full advantage of the tremendous opportunities provided by this powerful communication medium.

Handbook of eZine Publishing
A free online tutorial full of practical information to help you write and publish your E-zine.

Aweber Autoresponder
Top autoresponder service. for sending email newsletters & autoresponder messages. Provides step-by-step instruction, tools and templates.

eMail Universe
Large collection of articles about newsletter publishing.

E-Newsletters That Work
E-Newsletters That Work is the small business owners guide to creating, writing and publishing aneffective newsletter. This 80 page eBook is written in a clear, "question and answer" format, making it easy to get through, and easy to use as a reference again and again, as you develop and refine your E-Newsletter over time. It comes with an exclusive E-Newsletter launch template and checklist,a special section on eMail vendor outsourcing and a lifetime 100% money back guarantee.

New-List.com
A notification service for new email newsletters.

List Building Tips

The key to Newsletter publishing is the ability to capture eMail addresses of targeted readers (buyers) as quickly as possible. Here are 10 tips to build a successful list:

Write good content on your website so your visitors want to learn more.

Place a sign-up-form on every page of your website.

On the sign-up page promote the benefits of signing on - with a strong call to action.

Offer sign-up incentives, such as a book or other item that your site visitors would want to possess.

Include your opt-in message on your product thank you pages.

Promote your newsletter with link to the sign-up page in the resource box of articles you write.

Clearly state your privacy/eMail policies.

Implement these tips and you'll have an effective Mailing List in no time.

Newsletter Directories

Here are a few newsletter directories that you can submit to and promote your onlinenewsletter in the most appropriate categories.

eMail Universe.com
eZine Directory
eZine Hub
eZine Listing
Ezine Search
eZine-Universe
List City
New List
Newsletter Access
Newsletter Directory International