Expand Your Subscriber List: 21 Musts

Here are 21 ways to expand your subscriber list:

1. Keep your subscription form easy to find on every web
page. Preferably, add it on your navigational bar. If the
form is to large for the bar or page, add a hyperlink and
send them to a popup or a separate page so that the previous
page on your site doesn't disappear. It is easy for them to
return.

2. Not only must the form be easy to see, it also needs to
be easy to read. Label each field. I've seen a few where I
didn't know what to enter. Be kind to computer readers
suffering from dry eyes, make the font large and easy to
read.

3. Do you write your own ezine articles? Add a "please
subscribe here line to your byline. Begin the line
with a benefit they get from subscribing and then add a few
invitational words along with a URL hyperlink. Example:
"Learn more about this topic. Subscribe to [name of your
ezine] by visiting...."

4. Generally, people are impulse buyers. So, give them
that impulse. Give away a free ebook. Instead of letting
them see that the ebook is free. Regularly charge for the
eBook. Six dollars is a good price, just explain them that
it is a limited special offer.

They will perceive it even more valuable when there is a
price connected to it. An example of the wording could go
like, "Normally this ebook sells for $6 at [your web site
URL or even a middle man ebook site]." Always give them a
reason why you are giving it to them free. Make the reason
believable.

5. Do you belong to networking groups, or attend other
events? Invite everyone you meet if they would like
to register for your ezine. Give them a story about the
free, but not so free, ebook offer. Always, make this offer
limited. In fact, have a list of these free but-not-free
ebooks, written either by you, affiliates, or from resale
right products. Move them around. Put one on the calendar
for January through December and then repeat them the next
year. Then in the third year, change it. Also, share with
them how easy it is to opt-out if they don't like the ezine
and they can keep the ebook.

6. Don't stop at networking groups, contact trade or
professional organizations you do or don't belong to that
have a high percentage of your type of readers. Ask for the
membership list. Look for the people you have identified as
your gatekeepers (people that know lots of others in your
target market). For accountants, it's lawyers and bankers.
Call them and introduce yourself. Ask if they could
recommend your ezine to a few of their friends. You can
also attend their networking events and ask, ask, ask.

7. Instead, or in addition to, calling the gatekeepers you
have identified on the membership lists, you can send them a
letter of introduction -- a direct mail piece. The piece
can ask them (a call to action) to visit your web site for
more information on your newsletter and/or receive a copy of
the free but-not-free ebook.

8. Share the wealth. Exchange recommendations to each
other's newsletter. Be prepared for these so that it
doesn't cost you valuable time when you are working on a
deadline. If you work with a virtual assistant, let them
respond to these opportunities. Prepare three or four
examples and offer the exchanger their choice to use one
that they feel is appropriate for their audience. Ask them
for a reciprocal and equal announcement.

9. Make comments and include your byline at the end.
Comments can be product review on Amazon, ezines you enjoy,
or local newspapers. Give suggestions, share your
stories on how it helped you, ask questions, or give ideas
that emerged from your reading. Blogs are also good places
to comment on as well.

10. It takes 7 times before people start to trust. Present
them 7 opportunities to have two-way conversations with you.
Not one-way conversations (you write, they read). Provide
the two-way with surveys, questions, contests, games, things
that they need to ask for are just a few. If you are
offering a contest, send them a testimonial from the winner.
If you can, create an opportunity for many winners. It
spreads the hope.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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,

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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".

17. 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."

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

Copyright 2004, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.