Giving Subscribers the Welcome Treatment

Giving Subscribers the Welcome Treatment

By Jeff Neil
Editor`s Column
http://www.editorscolumn.com

I know that you have friends. You know, friends in the real
world that you actually visit in their homes. Do any of
them have one of those cute "welcome" signs hanging by the
door?

Have you even noticed? Chances are there is a welcome sign.
But you really never see it. We all have friends that have
`em. But they are so common that we just don`t notice.

What about those big colorful "welcome" mats? Bet you see
them when you arrive. They`re big and cheerful. Right there
so you can wipe your feet. Sure, they`re really there to
keep the floor clean. But don`t those mats give you that
warm and fuzzy feeling?

If you publish an ezine it`s really just an extension of
your home. Your online home. And when you get a new
subscriber you send a welcome letter to your new "friend".

Do you send them a small sign or do you roll out the mat?

First impressions are important. Even more so online. The
average person subscribes to far more ezines than they can
really read....So impress them fast with your welcome.

Greet your new reader with some thought and enthusiasm.

Welcome to XYZ ezine, here`s your freebie, buy this and
you`ll get rich.....ain`t going to cut it. Take the time to
tell you new friend why you`re so special. What`s in it for
them.

And then prove it.

Include a sample issue with your welcome email. Let them
see what they`re in for, and who you really are. Dazzle
them with your brilliance and they`ll actually be looking
for your issue.

But set it up to your advantage.

Did you bribe them with a freebie? Then make your reader
work for it. They`ll get it. They will be looking for it.
So why not have them do some reading to find it?

If you offer a freebie before you get a chance to show them
your offer, you`ve just wasted your time. Your offer is your
ezine, your work of art. Don`t let `em get away without
checking it out.

Going back to the real world, invite your friends over for
pizza and beer. Suggest watching the football game in front
of your big screen TV.

( Sorry ladies it`s the only idea I could come up with.....)

You betcha! They`ll be right over. Now put the beer, the
pizza, and the big screen TV outside in the yard.

Do you think they`ll come inside to visit you, or stay
outside and watch the game? My vote is for the game.

It`s no different online. If you offered a free gift to
subscribe, they want the free gift. What your ezine is about
is secondary. So place your "gift" inside your sample issue.
Or below it. Make them read it and help them like it.

What about making some money with your welcome?

Some of the experts will tell you to go for the sale in your
welcome letter. Do you really want to do that? People may
want to buy. But they don`t like to be sold.

Back to the real world again, my uncle is a car salesman.
And like 99% of everyone else, I need to have wheels. Now my
uncle is really a great guy. Took me fishing and hunting
when I was a boy, let me hang out with the mechanics in the
garage.... And I enjoy going to visit him.

But if he tried to sell me some used car every time I went
to his house there`s no way I`d go to see him.

Same thing online. So be sneaky. Sell without selling. In
your ezine you probably have ads in every issue. Who says
those ads can`t be for *your* products?

Yes, some people subscribe to your ezine just to get your
bribe if you offer one. But some people are looking for
good information.

Do you provide it? If you do chances are you`ll be getting
subscribers for your free information. They are looking for
answers. So give them the directions. A targeted ad
pointing to a product that directly relates to your ezine
theme.

You`ll be sending targeted traffic to a related product,
making some bucks, and not making your reader feel like
they`ve been sold.

Agreed, we`re only talking about a welcome letter here. But
through your ezine you are building relationships, and
friendships. At least you should be. So start out on the
right foot. Set the stage with an impressive welcome letter
and keep your new reader waiting for more.

© 2001-2002, Jeff Neil, All Rights Reserved.

You may publish this article in your ezine and/or
web site as long as this resource box is left intact.

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Article written by Jeff Neil, your Sunday Morning Columnist.
Editor`s Column is for the Ezine Editor. Helping you get
more subscribers, more readers, and more profit. Visit at:
http://www.editorscolumn.com
Subscribe at: mailto:EditorsColumn@infogeneratorpro.com