When you have an online business you need to utilize every possible avenue of advertising and promotion. As I sign up for more ezines and discussion groups, I am finding numerous publishers are overlooking a very effective and fr~e advertising opportunity.

After I sign up for an ezine or email discussion group, I await the welcome letter for guidelines and to learn a bit more about the ezine/website/webmaster. Too often all I get in the welcome letter is the standard default letter. No personal welcome, no introductions, no links to check out and no email.

This disappoints me as I always like to check out the sites of the people I am signing up with. It almost makes me want to unsubscribe.......almost. ;-) But I know that some publishers may just not know that you can take advantage of this advertising opportunity. I also didn't know of such opportunity when I was first starting.

So, by writing this article, I hope to make publishers and listowners aware of this fr~e advertising.

Whether you use Yahoogroups, Topica or a list manager that you have purchased, you can change the welcome message. Personalize it by introducing yourself and letting the subscriber know about your website/business.

• Inform them of any specials you might have.
• Tell them your advertising rates and add a testimonial.
• Invite them to your site to utilize the fr~e resources.
• Let them know your email so they can contact you.
• Use some of the space for ad swapping with other publishers and their welcome letters.
• Add an affiliate product or program review.

There are numerous things you can promote with your welcome letter. Also, do not overlook your goodbye letter. You have one last chance to get this person back. Make it a good one. ;-)

I also have a little message in my goodbye letter that encourages people to let me know why they unsubbed.

Example:

Thank you for being a subscriber to My Own Ezine. I am sorry to see you go. If you could take a minute to let me know why you unsubbed, I would appreciate it. Please drop a quick note to mailto:ter02@newnorth.net?subject=unsub Thank you.

You might learn ways to improve your ezine by asking former subs this question. Of course, they do not all answer, but a good many do! Always reply to them with a short but appreciative thank you note!

I also promote many of the same things as I do with my welcome letter. By doing this you just might get this person to think........"Maybe I will take one last look and see what they have."

In this business, you have to utilize every opportunity possible and this FR~E advertising could turn out to be a golden one!

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

This article was posted on December 11, 2002