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> Get Articles > Ezines and Email Newsletters > 7 Ways to Self-Promote Within Your E-zine
7 Ways to Self-Promote Within Your E-zine
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Alexandria K. Brown
aliezine-queen.com
Tips from the Ezine Queen
http://ezine-queen.com
We all know that an e-zine won’t attract and keep subscribers
without offering insightful, practical content. If you only
drone on and on about how wonderful you and your services/
products are, your readers won’t stick around for long.
But let’s think about WHY you began your e-zine in the first
place. It was likely to use it as a vehicle to promote you and
your services/products, right?
You have every right to toot your own horn in your e-zine, as
long as you don’t drown out the useful content your readers
are looking for.
You work hard on your e-zine, so let’s make your e-zine work
FOR you!
** Here are 7 simple ideas on how to accomplish this: **
1) Make sure your MAIN ARTICLE always provides information
that your readers will find valuable.
By having a main article as the foundation of your issue,
readers will feel they got what they came for — helpful
information. Try a list of top 10 tips, a “how-to” article, a
list of resources, a review of a trend in the industry — that
sort of thing. (For a free copy of my article, “11 Quick and
Good E-Zine Content Ideas,” send a blank e-mail to mailto:ali-
14285autocontactor.com)
So remember, if your e-zine is tonight’s meal, your main
article should be the entree. Any promotional info should be
your side dishes!
2) Begin each issue with an “EDITOR’S NOTE” or “PUBLISHER’S
NOTE.”
I began doing this during the fall of 2001, and have found
it’s the perfect place to let readers know about what’s
happening with me and my business, give them a taste of my
personality, and announce any upcoming events or workshops.
Because this is a personal message from you to them, and
because it’s NOT your main content, you have more leeway in
being direct and self-promotional.
3) In your article, throw in LINKS to related articles you’ve
written or been featured in, when appropriate.
Your readers will appreciate the additional information and
resources, and it’s one more chance for you to demonstrate
your expertise and credibility. (See how I did this in item
no. 1?)
4) Directly after your article, give a quick PROMO BLURB,
mentioning your e-books, reports, or workshops, if you offer
them.
Why right after the article and before anything else? If
someone reads your article and says to themselves, “Gee, that
was great information!” They’ll be ready to hear what else you
have to share on that subject.
A great lead-in for your blurb is: “Did You Like Today’s
Article? If you did, you’ll LOVE my [e-book, report, upcoming
workshop, etc.]...”
5) In each issue, offer a TESTIMONIAL from one of your clients
or customers.
I saw another e-zine publisher doing this last year and
thought, “What a great idea! She’s giving her readers further
reason to try her services.”
I now do this regularly for my “AKB MarCom Tips” e-zine,
Which features tips on writing “copy that sells”
(http://www.akbwriting.com). After the article and promo
blurb, I have a small section that says “What Our Clients Are
Saying.” In each issue, I feature a short testimonial from one
of my copywriting clients.
6) Tell us what YOU’RE all about!
At the end of your ezine, take at least 10 lines and give a
concise description of YOU and what you have to offer your
readers.
For example, here’s what I put at the bottom of every “E-zine
Queen” newsletter:
**********************
Marketing writer and consultant Alexandria K. Brown,
"The E-zine Queen," is author of "Boost Business With Your
Own E-zine: 209 Secrets to Planning, Writing, Publishing,
and Promoting an Online Newsletter That Gets Results.”
It's a step-by-step manual that walks you through the entire
process. It's available, along with "The E-zine Queen Resource
Report" (more than 268 e-zine promotion resources!), at
http://www.ezine-queen.com
To learn more about Alexandria's corporate writing and
consulting business, AKB & Associates, visit
http://www.akbwriting.com ”
**********************
See how in that concise promo I convey who I am, what I do,
what my product is, why you should buy it, and that I offer
other services as well? (Whew!)
7) Occasionally, make a special announcement in a SOLO
MAILING.
A solo mailing is any mailing you make to your E-ZINE
subscriber list that is NOT a regular issue of your ezine.
Now, some e-zine publishers blatantly abuse this privilege,
sending out announcements every two days about the latest and
greatest product or affiliate program.
If you do send out any solo mailings, keep it to a minimum
(I’d say no more than one or two a month), and make sure
they’re truly newsworthy. Perhaps one of your special offers
is coming to an end, you need your readers’ help, or you’re
offering a last-minute workshop and need to fill seats. Get
the idea?
IMPORTANT: Make sure to still include your masthead, contact
info, and unsubscribe info in your solo mailings. This way
your readers won’t mistake them for junk mail.
(c) 2002 Alexandria K. Brown
NOTE: You're welcome to "reprint" this article online as long
as it remains complete and unaltered (including the resource
box at the end), and you send me a copy or link to your
reprint at mailto:aliakbwriting.com. Thanks!
**************************************************************
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” is author of the
e-book, “Boost Business With Your Own E-zine,” available at
http://www.ezine-queen.com . For *hundreds* more great tips
like these, visit her site and sign up for her FREE biweekly
newsletter, "Tips from the E-zine Queen.” Don’t miss the next
issue — subscribe today!
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