| 5 Ways to MAKE M0RE M0NEY With Your E-zine |
by Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen"
Have you been publishing an e-zine for at least six
months but still aren't seeing real results (read:
revenue) from it? Don't fret -- you may just need a
tune up. Here are five ways to kick your e-zine income
into gear this year:
1. TOOT YOUR OWN HORN MORE
The adage goes, "If you don't blow your own horn,
someone else will use it as a spittoon." If your focus
is providing your readers with useful information that
enriches their lives and businesses, bravo! That
SHOULD be your focus. But now I want you
to look out for yourself as well: Take at least 25
percent of your e-zine space and make it all about
YOU.
Give promos for your services, products, books,
workshops, etc. List raving testimonials from clients
and customers who LOVE you. Weave your business
success stories into your articles and tips. Share
something funny about your weekend that makes me feel
closer to knowing you personally. (For more
self-promotion tips, see my article "7 Ways to
Self-Promote Within Your E-zine."
(http://www.ezinequeen.com/7ways.htm)
2. MAKE ME AN OFFER I CAN'T REFUSE
Let's suppose I'm one of your subscribers. Even if I
realize you offer am'zing products and services, I may
need a kick in the pants to make a move. To entice me,
offer me a special, limited-time deal. Examples: three
months' of consultation for the price
of two, a 20% d1scount on your latest book or newest
service, or one of your usual offers with a few
exciting bonuses thrown in. Make the offer obsolete
within a few days or by next week. By putting a time
limit on it, I'll be more apt to act n0w instead
of later.
Don't overlook how powerful this tactic can be. Some
of my most profitable weeks have resulted from running
a limited time, special pr0motion of this type in my
e-zine.
3. PACKAGE IT AT A L0WER PRICE POINT
This is a super strategy for service professionals
such as consultants and coaches. As your subscriber, I
know the way to get the BEST service from you would be
to hire you one-on-one, but perhaps I can't afford
that right now. BUT consider that I may likely be
interested in lower-priced options such as group
coaching, teleclasses, online seminars, or a
manual/e-book.
This is exactly how I became an author. When I started
my first e-zine, my main business was writing
corporate communications. After I gained a few
thousand subscribers, I realized that my readers were
mostly small business owners and entrepreneurs. So I
began creating products and services geared toward
them. And now I profit more from those each month than
I did from my corporate work. (And I'm having more
fun, too!)
4. PROMOTE A PRODUCT/SERVICE THAT COMPLEMENTS YOURS
Do your readers and clients often ask you about a
certain topic that's related to -- but not exactly --
what you offer? Then resell a resource that you
heartily recommend and would put your reputation
behind.
For example, while my specialty is e-zines, I get many
questions about creating and selling e-books online.
So I continually research credible resources on this
topic to share with my readers. Many of the creators
of these products offer a handsome commission on any
sales I refer to them. (I do this myself by paying up
to 35 percent commission on any referred sale.
(http://www.ezinequeen.com/affiliate.htm)
NEVER recommend any service or product to your readers
that you haven't personally tried and wouldn't back
100 percent. Otherwise you'll blow the trust that
you've worked so hard to build up in
your readership.
5. SELL AD SPACE AS IT SUITS YOU
E-zine ads won't make you r*ch, but they can make for
some handy extra c'sh. (I call it my "margarita
money.") Most e-zines offer one sponsor ad at the top
and several "classified" ads at the bottom. Sponsor
ads typically cost three to five times more than
the classified ad, but you'll see the ranges vary
greatly.
Start by offering ad specials to your own readers.
Then also list your e-zine in the many e-zine
advertising directories on the web. These services
help match advertisers with appropriate publishers
just like you. (Need help? My manual gives step-by-
step instructions on how to accept and profit from ads
in your e-zine.)
Remember that you have every right to be selective
about the type of ads you accept. While your readers
know these ads don't represent YOUR business, their
quality will indirectly influence their perception of
you.
REMEMBER THE SILENT BENEFITS OF YOUR E-ZINE
Keep in mind that even if you aren't getting direct
business from your e-zine at this time, it's still
delivering many benefits that may be less obvious.
Your e-zine is helping to establish you as an expert
in your field. It's giving you massive online
exposure. You're gaining further credibility with your
current clients and customers. And it's forcing you to
package your knowledge into concise articles on a
regular basis, which you can recycle for many other
marketing uses.
(c) 2002-2003 Alexandria K. Brown
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Online marketing coach Alexandria K. Brown, "The
E-zine Queen," is author of the award-winning tutorial
package, 'Boost Business With Your Own E-zine.' To
learn more about this step-by-step guide, and to sign
up for FREE biweekly how-to articles,
visit http://www.EzineQueen.com/
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