11 Extraordinary Ways To Expand Your Subscriber List

Here are 11 ways to expand your subscriber list:

1. Use a conversational writing tone. It makes a connection. Yet, don't get lax on the grammar and spelling. Use personal pronouns (I, me, you and your). Limit the percentage of I's to half or less of the yous.

2. Spread the knowledge even further by asking your readership to forward a copy of your ezine to family members, friends, colleagues, or co-workers. Create a "please forward this ezine to" line or two. Give them an incentive, offer a free but-not-free item. This can be challenging to design.

3. Do you give presentations with slides or a projection system? Add a paragraph about your ezine and how to get it on the test slide. A test slide is the slide you leave up there when they are seating themselves. Leave it displayed until a few minutes before your presentation and then turn it off. By turning it off, it creates a "loss feeling" and they will pay attention to it the next time you turn it on.

Turn the system on with the test slide displayed and then switch to the next slide. The next slide can explain how they can get your free but-not-for-free product and the directions on how to receive it. Return to this same slide at the end of your presentation.

4. At this same presentation, pass around a clipboard asking them if they want to register for ezine. Start passing at the beginning or even before you start. Use a short piece, different colored paper, with a note about the free but-not-free item. Give them three incentives to register at that time.

5. Send out a press release every time you have a new free but-not-free item available. Send whenever you have new context, new article published, or whenever anything else occurs. Since press releases require special writing, you might want to delegate this, especially if you are challenged with writing from another perspective. If you choose to learn the lingo, you can learn the how-tos with a Google search: Search example: "press release" and "how to". Leave in the quote marks. Don't be nervous about sending out too many, some are always missed. http://www.prweb.com/ is a great place to post your press releases.

6. Locate web sites that give out awards for outstanding ezines. Apply and keep applying. Keep tweaking. Look at previous winners and model. When you do win one, post it everywhere on your site and on every issue of your ezine for a year. Also, send out a press release when you do. If they create a press release as well, ask to use that one. Make copies of theirs and give it out at networking events. Remember, you can't win the lotto unless you play. So, get in the game, and apply. Try: http://emailuniverse.com/bestezines/ or search on Google with: "ezine award".

7. I'm frequently asked, "How much information should I ask for?" My recommendation is to KISS your subscriber form -- "keep it short and simple." Ask for the e-mail address and/or their first name. If you ask for their first name, tell them why. Example: We like to personalize our correspondence with our subscribers."

8. Set up section for past issues of your e-newsletters. I recommend just listing their main topic or name of the article and not by date. People don't like to read things that they consider "old news". If you use a pdf format to deliver past issues there are pros and cons. The pros are: pdf files are smaller to store and send. The con is that you loose the opportunity for tagging the item for search engine listing.

9. After you post your articles in the ezine, expand or submit as is to multi-media web sites. Possibility: http://www.goarticles.com. Locations where publishers and editors will pick up the article. Normally, there are no fees paid, just opportunity for visibility. When published send out a press release. Link their site, not yours, in the press release, Send them a copy of the release.

10. Readers are tired of not getting any value and are dropping off lists fast. faster than ever. To keep them there you MUST provide valuable information (their perception not yours). The 25/75% rule (you give them 25% and sell them the remaining 75%) is acceptable. After reading thousands of ezines, I found many publishers don't come close to providing that percentage.

11. Add an invitation to all your automatic e-mail signatures. Also, mention the free but-not-free item of the month. Include an expiration date for that free but-not- free offer. Change the e-mail signatures weekly to maintain interest.

Copyright 2004, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

Catherine Franz is a Marketing & Writing Coach, niches, product development, Internet marketing, nonfiction writing and training. Additional Articles: http://www.abundancecenter.comblog: http://abundance.blogs.com

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


RSS vs Email: Its Not An Either-Or Question

If you've been getting caught up in all this talk... Read More

The Most Critical Strategy to Your Survival, and Prosperity, Online

For the sake of your long term survival and your... Read More

How To Create Gold With Email Promotions - Part 1

First make sure that the people you are sending your... Read More

Should You Be Writing A Newsletter As Part Of Your Online Business?

Let's start at the beginning - why do you need... Read More

E-Marketing Deliverability Issues

Does it seem to you that when you view "openings"... Read More

Email Autoreponder ? How to Put your Business on Autopilot

Answering emails can take up a significant portion of the... Read More

Email Etiquette II

I had great feedback from my last article, and was... Read More

Let The Email Wars Begin

Things just got a lot hotter in the hyper-competitive world... Read More

You DO Have an Email List Dont You?

No matter what type of business you operate, you need... Read More

Personalizing Your Emails? An Amazing Technique That Doubles Your Click Throughs And Profits

Are you publishing an ezine or offering an email course?... Read More

A Cool Email Communication Tip

If I sent you an email that said: "The Big... Read More

Why Email Marketing Matters

According to a study by the Winterberry Group, email marketing... Read More

Add Email To Your Marketing Mix

If you are serious about adding email to your marketing... Read More

The List Is The Thing

Many companies begin their online sales ventures with the wrong... Read More

Power at your Fingertips

It is just amazing. Power right at your fingertips. It... Read More

14 Ways To Persuade Your Web Site Visitors To Give You Their Email Address

1. Ask visitors to subscribe to your e-zine. It's a... Read More

3 Simple Steps on how to Get Unlimited E-Mail Accounts for Pennies a Day

As an Online Home Based busy owner you will reach... Read More

Why Use Permission-Based Email Marketing?

The goal of all marketing is to attract interest in,... Read More

Email Marketing Tips for Reaching an International Audience

Targeted, cheap, fast, trackable and with more reporting than traditional... Read More

Viral Marketing with Your Signature File

Computer viruses are usually a bad thing. They can compromise... Read More

How To Set Up an Ezine Encyclopedia

Do you read all your Ezines? Or do you file... Read More

Writing Effective Emails

Sometimes email messages can get quite long, especially when you... Read More

Reach Out and Slap Someone

I got my first email account way... Read More

To Lead or Not to Lead?

Working with Leads or Opt-In Clients can be very confusing... Read More

How You Can Automate Your Business Using Autoresponders

What is an Autoresponder?An Autoresponder is a program or service... Read More

How To Get An Instant Response To Your Urgent EMail!

In the business world, "You've Got Mail" has turned into... Read More

Email Etiquette: How To Send Emails People Will Read

You may remember a time before there was email?a time... Read More

All I Really Needed to Know About List Building I Learned From Stephen King!

I have always been an avid reader of Stephen King's... Read More

Top 5 Reasons to Use Autoresponders

One of the best and newest tools out there for... Read More

Why Your Email Distribution List is Your Best Source of New Sales

Don't overlook your current customers. After all, they're the ones... Read More

Protect Yourself Legally with an Autoresponder Service

Another powerful reason for making the switch from using the... Read More

Dirty Secrets Of Co-Registration Email Lists

Years ago, I listened to Internet marketing "gurus" share that... Read More

EMail Newsletter Marketing Essentials

If Gutenberg were alive today he would be in publishing... Read More