How to create and distribute your e-zine or e-newsletter - By: Lou Bortone

An electronic newsletter or ezine delivered by email is a great way to connect with your customers, share information and deliver news, usually for a fraction of the cost of traditional direct mail. While many factors affect an e-newsletter's effectiveness, your newsletters must be:

1. Timely — don't send a newsletter unless you have news

2. Relevant — recipients are much more likely to open and read your newsletter if the content is valuable to them

3. Concise — e-newsletters should be brief and focused

Here are the top five tips for keeping in touch:

1. Select an e-newsletter service supplier

Several e-newsletter vendors make creating your newsletter quick and painless. Costs and features vary, but most provide user-friendly, turn-key solutions.

Resources: Constant Contact, Bronto and Exact Target are just a few of the services that offer everything from design templates to list management.

2. Build your list and get permission

Develop a database by putting a "subscribe" box on your Web site home page. Make it easy for subscribers by requesting only their email address. Ask their permission with a "double opt-in," which asks for an email address, then sends a confirmation email asking subscribers to click on a link to confirm their participation. Another way to grow your list: Include a "Forward to a Friend" button on your newsletter.

Resources: E-dialog is one company that provides database list management and comprehensive email list services. Most companies, such as eNewsletters Online, allow you to import existing mailing lists and databases. ListPower is another easy-to-use mailing list manager.

3. Develop and compose your content

Start with engaging, compelling subject lines to gain attention. Content should be relevant and useful to your target audience, and you should present it in a straightforward, honest tone. Avoid industry jargon or "sales speak." Also, design matters! It should facilitate scanning and skimming.

Resources: E-newsletter copy tips are available free from The Levinson Letter. Most newsletter services, like MyNewsletterBuilder, offer pre-built templates and design advice.

4. Make it interactive

Take advantage of the interactive and personal nature of email newsletters by starting a conversation with your customer. Keep you goals in mind. What do you want your reader to do? Provide info? Respond to an offer? Fill out a survey? Make sure you include a call to action.

Resources: For a good list of email tactics, visit MarketingSherpa.

5. Track results and evaluate

Once your newsletter is sent, you can track open rates and "click throughs" to evaluate your campaign. Use this info to improve your next newsletter.

Resources: Most email newsletter vendors, such as Vertical Response, offer extensive reporting and tracking tools. To learn the lingo, Azavar provides definitions of various email marketing analytics.

Additional Tips & Tactics:

- Make your privacy policy clear. Never rent or sell your list.

- Offer your readers both HTML and text version of the newsletter.

- Avoid sending your e-newsletter on or near holidays.

- At the risk of stating the obvious, link to your Web site!

- Make it easy to subscribe... and unsubscribe.

About the Author

Lou Bortone is an award-winning writer, marketer and television producer who spent over 20 years in the television industry, including several years as Senior Vice President of Marketing & Advertising for Fox Family Worldwide in L.A. Today, Lou specializes in helping entrepreneurs create breakthrough video for the Internet. Check out his new collection of marketing and promotion "how-to" reports at http://www.BizBoosterSeries.com .

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