Use E-mail to Advertise Your Home Business — For Free!
Building an online business is not easy, especially when you are on a very limited budget. As I come in contact with more people, I realize that numerous publishers and “netpreneurs” are overlooking some very effective free advertising opportunities. Examples of these opportunities are:
1. Welcome Letter for Your Subscribers
I subscribe to tons of groups and e-zines and am always disappointed when I get a default welcome letter. Personalize it by introducing yourself and letting the subscriber know about your web site and business. By doing so, you can start connecting with the reader before they even get your e-zine.
~Inform them of any specials you might have.
~Tell them your advertising rates and add a testimonial.
~Invite them to your site to utilize the free resources.
~Let them know your e-mail so they can contact you.
~Use some of the space for ad swapping with other publishers and their welcome letters.
~Add an affiliate product or program review.
2. Goodbye Letter for Your Subscribers
This is your last chance to get this person back. Make it a good one! Thank them for being a subscriber and encourage them to re-subscribe. I also have a little message in my goodbye letter that encourages people to let me know why they unsubscribed. Example:
Thank you for being a subscriber to the Bulletin. I am sorry to see you go. If you could take a minute to let me know why you unsubscribed, I would appreciate it. Please drop a quick note to mailto:?subject=unsub Thank you.
By doing this you might be able to change their minds and if not, you could find ways to improve your e-zine for the next subscriber. Remember: Always send them an appreciative thank you note as well.
3. E-mail Signature
This simple but powerful method of promotion is unknown to some. By using an effective e-mail signature, every time your e-mail goes out to someone, you have free advertising. Join several discussion groups and message boards to utilize your “sigtag” to the maximum. Example of an e-mail signature:
You want to keep your signature fairly short — about 6 to 8 lines. Many discussion groups will have a limit to the number of lines you can have in your sigtag.
4. The P.S.
It has been found that a P.S. is very likely to get read. Using a P.S. can be quite effective. Make it short and to the point. A P.S. “novel” will more than likely be ignored.
Do not just send them a sales pitch. Add some useful information and resources that will actually help the reader. This will get you more credibility, which is extremely important if you want more customers.
5. Thank You Page
An excellent way to get more subscribers is to get together with a group of fellow publishers and set up a group subscription page. Every time someone subscribes to one of the group's e-zines, a thank you page will come up with a message something like this:
Thank you for subscribing to the Bulletin. Take this opportunity to check out more quality e-zines. Please check the ones you wish to receive.
You would have each group member's e-zine listed with a short description. This is a very powerful method of gaining subscribers because the person is already in a subscribing mood and will most likely check most or all of the other e-zines.
The above advertising opportunities are quite simple, but simple can be most effective! HBM
Previously published in the June 2007 issue of HOME BUSINESS® Magazine, an international publication for the growing and dynamic home-based market. Available on newsstands, in bookstores and chain stores, and via subscriptions ($15.00 for 1 year, six issues). Visit www.homebusinessmag.com
