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Marketing >
Ezine Marketing
"Loyal Readers or Subscribers?"
By Kate Schultz
When you think of your subscriber base, do you have loyal e-zine
readers or just a bunch of subscribers?
You can develop legions of loyal readers by developing an
interactive relationship with your readers through the use of
some proven reader response mechanisms.
A "Reader Response Mechanism" is merely a tool that encourages
your readers to respond to your messages by sending you
requested information.
1. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Ask your readers for opinions and then feature one or more of
their opinions in your newsletter. Pretty soon you'll be getting
letters to the editor about letters to the editor. Always ask, "So,
what do you think?"
2. ASK THE EXPERT
This type of column provides you with the opportunity to find
out exactly what your readers want to know. Answer your
readers' questions and then carefully consider how to best use
this information when developing material for future issues. By
providing the answers to these questions, you also present
yourself as an expert and boost your credibility with your
readers.
3. SURVEY YOUR READERS
This can be done easy enough by sponsoring a "Question of the
Week," or placing polls or surveys on your website. I often hear
publishers lament their poor response from surveys. Perhaps this
is because they are asking for too much too soon. For best
results, follow these four simple rules:
1. Keep it short: Even your loyal readers are busy. Don't make
them jump through a lot of hoops. Completing the survey
should take less than 30 seconds or you've lost them.
2. Make it easy to use: If it's an email survey, give them a
separate email address to use. If it's a link to an online poll or
survey, limit it to three multiple-choice answers -- click three
times and submit.
3. Create an entertaining survey or poll. Think "Cosmo Quiz!"
4. Keep it anonymous: Always provide the option for your
readers to submit their answers anonymously if they choose.
Post the results in every newsletter. If you have a question of
the week and post your results, sooner or later even the
diehards will be curious enough to participate.
4. HOLD CONTESTS
Offer a valuable prize in exchange for demographic information.
Put an entry form on your site and try to gather some basic
demographic information such as: age, gender, and zip code.
Always include an area for free-form comments. Of course, you
need to collect their email address so that you can notify the
winner. Be sure to disclose what you will do with the
information provided. Popular contest prizes are books, videos,
CDs and software. Choose one that will be of interest to your
readers.
5. MEET AND GREET
Get out and meet your readers face to face. If you are attending
trade shows, events, demonstrations or workshops, use these
events to meet with and talk to your readers. Participating as a
guest on radio programs is another excellent way to actually
get to know your subscribers.
When you ask for feedback from your readers, you learn about
their passions and interests. Armed with this very specific
information ABOUT your readers, FROM your readers, you can
present them with high quality relevant content. The more they
like your e-zine, the more likely they are to go from passive
readers to active participants in your newsletter community.
© Kate Schultz
More About Ezine Adrenaline:
"Ezine Adrenaline: How to Create, Publish and Market A Profitable
Ezine on the Internet:
The Internet is the only place on earth where you can truly
market everyday with no money - or very little money - if
you know how. Ezine marketing is the Internet’s most
powerful secret weapon. In fact, it is virtually impossible
to make money on the Internet without an e-mail newsletter
or ezine. "Ezine Adrenaline" is the definitive guide to
high-octane ezine marketing, and contains the fastest cash-producing
ezine tactics that give a dose of adrenaline to
any Web business.
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© 2004 MLM Millionaire Training Systems, Inc.
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