Sunday, February 04, 2007
[Web Site Marketing] Get Known and Take Names
Q. “I need a database of names and email addresses, based on visitors to my website. But an ezine takes a lot of work and a single information product seems inadequate. What else can I offer?” A. You’re right. Once upon a time you could send out an ezine every month or two. Now there’s so much clutter you need to have your name in front of readers every week or two. Otherwise they’ll assume you’re sending junk mail. That’s a lot of work when you’re starting from scratch. All that effort for just a small list? Whew! And even if you have an ezine, you may want to share new information with your readers. The answer: Create an e-course. An e-course is a series of short “lessons” sent to subscribers, one at a time, over a period of days, weeks or months. You send them through autoresponders, using the same program you use or ezines and other e-mailings. Website visitors sign up through an opt-in program, giving you their names and emails...and permission to send them a series of messages. Some marketers mail lessons daily – a good way to remain in front of readers. One well-known marketer just created an e-course with 87 lessons, sent one day at a time. She gets daily contact with a subscriber base for almost 3 months. We’ll remember her for a long, long time, especially since the quality of tips was very high. But most marketers create 5 to 7 messages, sent every 2 days. The idea is to create credibility with good information, while adding names to your own subscriber database. Readers who stay with your course till the end are probably seriously interested in your topic (or are seriously compulsive about finishing what they start). Each message should: (1) Remain short: 350-500 words. (2) Focus on one specific point or tip – a takeaway, preferably something your readers can begin to use immediately. (3) Include a thought-provoking question or assignment that will challenge your reader. (4) Avoid giving away the store. (5) Present valuable content not easily obtained elsewhere. Of course, each ecourse includes your resource box with content information and a word of promotion. You can expand each message into an article for your article marketing program, post your messages into your blog and save your messages for the day you’re ready to create your first ebook. Nothing is wasted. And you get to build your subscriber database, without writing new content every week for a small audience. It worked for me! |
Labels: content, copywriting, internet marketing, list building, strategy, writing
# posted by Cathy Goodwin @ 11:12 PM 
