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Out_of_Sight_But_Not_Out_of_Mind
| Out of Sight But Not Out of Mind
"Out of Sight, But Not Out of Mind"
What's black and white and read all over? A newsletter of
course! And while there are perhaps hundreds of ways to market
your business and increase your bottom line, one of the single
most effective tools in marketing is your own business-building
newsletter.
The Power of Newsletters:
Newsletters show the customer you care - even when you can't be
there. Newsletters answer basic wants and needs, which leads to
word of mouth referrals and greater loyalty - something your
competitors can't buy. Newsletters reinforce your message. Great
newsletters get read and saved by decision makers. The more your
readers see your name, the more inclined they are to refer you,
hire you, and buy from you. Great newsletters establish you as
their personal expert, someone they trust. Great newsletters can
make even a "small" company look big. It builds your image. Your
newsletter can help "qualify" a prospect. They can read it and
learn about your product and services, cutting their buying
curve.
Before you begin your newsletter, decide...
The purpose or objective in publishing your newsletter. Is it
to educate and improve the personal and professional lives of
your readers? Is it to market and position your company as the
resource for answers to their problems? Who is your target
audience? How often will you publish? A monthly newsletter keeps
your company on the top of your customer's and prospect's minds.
What type of newsletter is ideal for your readers? Paper
publications have a longer life span; they create a strong
impression in the customer's mind, however they are costly to
produce. Ezines can use basically the same format, are easy to
read and are convenient for the reader to reply to. The downside
is that they can be deleted too quickly (even before it is ever
read). And many ezines I've read are filled with self-promotion
and are basically a waste of time. What is your budget? Can you
afford a four color or two/three color printed piece, or do you
go for simple black and white? Simple can be better; as long as
it is a professionally presented newsletter your readers will
respond to. How long will it be? When you first start producing,
focus on a one to four page newsletter to produce. Who gets it?
You can send your message to a small or large group. You get to
decide who gets it. This form of direct communication filled
with information the reader can use creates a bond that is
difficult to achieve through other forms of mass marketing. If
you don't enjoy writing, you could interview others for ideas,
or invite others in your industry (those not in direct
competition) to write guest articles. You could also purchase
industry specific newsletters with your message and promotional
info on them. Nearly every major industry has this service.
Check with your associations for a referral. Remember that your
newsletter is an extension of you and your company. The image it
conveys is the image your readers will remember. Be consistent.
If you publish and send monthly, then publish and send monthly.
You can purchase your own software to manage your list(s) to
send out your ezines. Click the link below to see the program
that we use. (We love it!) You can visit
http://www.sellshareware.com/CustomView.asp?PrID=34362.&AfID=7838
&PageID=1
Maybe it's time to increase your visibility with newsletters.
Write-on!
Excerpted from The PMS Principles - Powerful Marketing
Strategies to Grow Your Business © 2005 - Heidi Richards
About the author:
Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful
Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books.
She is also the Founder & CEO of the Women’s ECommerce
Association, International www.WECAI.org (pronounced
wee-kī) – an Internet organization that “Helps Women Do
Business on the WEB.” Basic Membership is FREE. Ms. Richards can
be reached at Heidi@speakingwithspirit.com or heidi@wecai.org.
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