| If you listen to a group of website designers | | | | material can be sharply focused on your |
| and developers you will notice a sound | | | | target's needs. The disadvantage is they |
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| coming from them that sounds suspiciously | | | | cost more.Newsletters are not the only tool. |
| like a Mantra. "Content is king. Content | | | | Some businesses might find contests |
| | | | appropriate. |
| is king."If you believe what they pitch, all | | | | |
| you need to do to succeed is to find a way to | | | | Every month a contest form is e-mailed out |
| make | | | | to participants with a link back to the |
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| your website "sticky". The idea is that your | | | | server for prospects to register their |
| visitors will not be able to resist coming | | | | entry. This sort of contact tool can grow a |
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| back, over and over, until they buy.It's a | | | | database rapidly, depending upon the prizes |
| great theory. But a little observation | | | | and the target audience.Periodic "special |
| combined with a little knowledge of | | | | reports" can be offered. Contact is less |
| | | | frequent than with a |
| human behaviour puts the lie to their nice | | | | |
| little theory. Look at your own behaviour. | | | | newsletter, but the need to keep a regular |
| | | | schedule is diminished.Another tool may be |
| How many websites have you bookmarked in | | | | periodic "industry alert" or "industry news" |
| your browser? I have over 500.Of these, how | | | | bulletins. These |
| many do you remember why you bookmarked them? | | | | |
| I know with my | | | | don't demand the writing skills of |
| | | | newsletter producers, however they do require |
| own, I'm lucky if I can remember 50% of | | | | |
| them. And of the sites I do remember, I | | | | |
| | | | you to be up-to-date with the latest |
| only regularly visit 5 or 10 sites. That's 5 | | | | developments in your industry. (Or your |
| or 10 sites out of 500. Those other sites | | | | target |
| | | | |
| were all "sticky" too. What happened to | | | | market's industry.) An e-mail alert can be |
| them?Real life is what happened. Your target | | | | simply formatted and consist of mostly |
| market doesn't have the time to revisit all | | | | |
| of | | | | bullet points, interspersed with comments.Or |
| | | | for certain industries and businesses, people |
| the sites that interest them. So what | | | | will sign up simply to receive notice |
| happens to the "sticky" site you've invested | | | | |
| so | | | | of your latest special. I receive e-mail |
| | | | announcements from about 15 different |
| much time making so? It gets forgotten by | | | | |
| all those people who should be your | | | | companies whom I've given permission to send |
| | | | me their sale announcements. (But |
| clients.There's a simple way to remedy the | | | | |
| situation. Capture your visitors' e-mail | | | | don't abuse your prospects using this |
| address | | | | privilege. You'd better send them *real* |
| | | | sales |
| so that you can keep up a regular dialogue | | | | |
| with them.Now you have two questions: How do | | | | announcements, not just sales material.)One |
| I capture my visitors' addresses, and what do | | | | of the beauties of regular e-mail contact is |
| I | | | | that it all can be automated! |
| | | | |
| send them?The answer to the first is found | | | | Through the appropriate use of |
| via the answer to the second. Offer them | | | | autoresponders and listservers, your effort |
| something | | | | is |
| | | | |
| they'll value, on a continual basis. This | | | | reduced to just creating the e-mail that's |
| newsletter you are reading is an example of | | | | to be sent. Maintenance is handled by the |
| | | | |
| one of the most common items you can offer. | | | | software.You can set these systems up |
| People are on the Web searching for | | | | yourself, although it's often easier and more |
| | | | |
| valuable information. If you offer to | | | | |
| deliver it to them on a regular basis, many | | | | successful to have professionals (shameless |
| of | | | | plug #2) do this. There are some |
| | | | |
| your visitors will volunteer their contact | | | | services out there, offering free |
| information.Newsletters work well for | | | | listservers and autoresponders, but you pay |
| products and services that have depth and | | | | for |
| dimension to | | | | |
| | | | them by allowing other peoples' |
| them. I could write on marketing issues for | | | | advertisements on your e-mail. For a |
| years and not risk running out of things | | | | professional |
| | | | |
| to say. Nor do I put my business at risk by | | | | business, this is not a very good |
| "giving away the store."The drawback to | | | | option.Some ISPs provide listservers and |
| producing a newsletter is that you must | | | | autoresponders as part of their basic |
| commit time to writing it | | | | business |
| | | | |
| on a regular basis. This proves to be | | | | service. (Our own ISP provides these for |
| difficult for many people. Some go to sites | | | | free.) Most other ISPs charge extra for these |
| that | | | | |
| | | | |
| offer free content for newsletters. Others | | | | items, or don't carry them at all and expect |
| hire professional writers to write or edit | | | | you to buy your own.Keeping in regular touch |
| | | | with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of your |
| their material for them.The advantage of the | | | | prospects is |
| content sites is that their product is | | | | |
| generally either free or | | | | good marketing in my books. If you want to |
| | | | make your web presence more |
| very low cost. The disadvantage is that the | | | | |
| content may not fit your market's needs.The | | | | effective, there are few things you can do |
| advantage of hiring professionals (Like | | | | that will return so much on such a small |
| Capstone: shameless plug) is that their | | | | |
| | | | investment. |