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.

© 2004, 2005 Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

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