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E-zine and Newsletter Publishing 101: The Basics

It's quite common knowledge now that the only tried-and-true method of developing a relationship with others online and if you have a business, of making sales online, is to publish an e-zine or newsletter on a topic or topics that coincides with the products and services highlighted by a publication, and the needs and interests of readers of a publication. Engaging others with the written word online has become imperative for any type of success, and therefore it does become almost mandatory that everyone not only publish an e-zine or newsletter, but that it is done well.

There are steps involved in successful publication of an e-zine and newsletter that will ensure its success, however, and following these steps will not only save time, but also money and prevent many of the most common blunders and mistakes to which both novice and seasoned publishers do fall prey.

In the world of publishing the following directives or rules will indeed make the act of publishing less stressful and more successful:

1. A knowledge of the targeted audience, or "readership". In order to successfully gather and maintain readers, any publication that is produced must speak directly to its potential readers. EG: If a newsletter or e-zine is written on gardening, then the articles and themes contained in such a publication must highlight the common concerns and questions that those that enjoy gardening do have. Research must be done religiously to either find articles of this nature, or write articles of this nature. Any articles that do not pertain to the basic readership or subscribers to a particular theme, do not belong in the publication. "Filler articles" that are "off topic" will just discourage readers from reading, and may lead to an overwhelming number of "unsubscribes".

2. A title that fits the theme of a publication, with conciseness and clarity. This is a somewhat overlooked component of successful publishing. The title must always speak to exactly the audience that is targeted by the publication. Variations may be used with a title, but being "overly clever" is defeating. If an audience that is sought does not realize that the publication is indeed one that fits their interests, simply because of an "abstract" title, then subscribers will be lost. As in the example above, of a gardening publication, an appropriate title might be "The Gardener's Bible", which speaks directly to the audience that it targets. An inappropriate and abstract title would be, "Dig With Us". Although the latter is "cute and clever", it is too abstract to effectively define its intent in the minds of possible readers immediately.

3. A marketing plan for the e-zine or newsletter which will have defined goals. This should preferably be written down, and implemented within a certain time frame. This plan should encompass a steady progression of both numbers of readers and also a definite manner of marketing that is consistent.
EG: Placing and listing the publication in specified locations each month, as well as submission of the
main newsletter or e-zine Web site religiously to Search Engines, Pay-Per-Click submission services,
and other less known methods such as publication co-ops and reciprocal link campaigns.

4. A decision as to specified date of publication each month, number of publications each month, and the
overall length of each publication. Readers enjoy and expect consistency, and a consistent look, feel, and arrival date will do much to keep readers anticipating the next issue of all publications. This is an important issue as well, as "too many" deliveries and "too little" deliveries should be avoided. Readers can be lost through "overuse" of a list just as easily as "underuse".

5. A decision on method of delivery and management. E-zine and newsletter publication management systems abound, and care does need to be given in the choice of management and delivery systems. In this particular area, the delivery and management of your e-zine or newsletter, cost can sometimes be a factor, but should not be the one and only determinant of a particular choice, as delivery and management mistakes can be extremely deleterious in the long run. Woe to the publisher that doesn't deliver a publication on time, or worse yet, delivers multiple copies of the same publication on the same day. A good delivery and management system should include, at the very least:

a. A simple, automatic method of adding and removing subscribers
b. A simple, automatic method of backing up a database of subscribers
c. An auto-responder message feature to allow immediate contact with new subscribers
d. A choice of single or double opt-in options
e. A method of tracking each publication, with features that allow knowledge of "bounced" e-mails, undeliverable e-mails, and "opened" e-mails, with perhaps a "click-through" count also. This does allow awareness of active e-mail addresses and also awareness of the effectiveness of any advertising

6. A decision or plan as to the number of advertisements allowed, their cost, and the overall guidelines to determining their inclusion. This needs to be done before submission to e-zine and newsletter publication directories, as questions will be asked concerning ads and their submissions. Care must be given not to include too many free ads, as well as to the number of ads overall, as nothing hampers a good publication more than the inclusion of an overwhelming number of ads. Make a determination as to what is expected by advertisers, and then stick with it.

7. A determination as to the size of each e-zine or newsletter. While naturally, it is fantastic to have thousands upon thousands of subscribers, most money is made through e-zines and newsletters by the sales engendered by the publication. One hundred subscribers that actively purchase is indeed more lucrative than one thousand who just browse, or worse yet, don't open the publication. Offering "free" "bonuses" or other incentives to enhance subscriptions may work initially, but may soon lead to a publication that is difficult to manage and yet generates very few, if any sales. "Quality" in subscribers far outweighs "quantity".

8. A well-thought-out source of materials that can be used to generate articles, or a source of articles that are fresh and appealing to readers. When writing unique content for articles, good sources of information do need to be developed, and when using reprints, good sources for reprinted articles do need to be maintained. Always keep in mind that the material within any e-zine or newsletter does need to reflect the interests of that particular audience and pertain directly to their specific needs.

9. A distinct plan for dealing with complaints or "flames". No one can write or publish without directly becoming embroiled in issues beyond their control. Publishing any type of work involves being exposed to other's sometimes contrary views and opinions. This is part and parcel of writing and publishing. How one deals with this issue can save serious heartbreak in the long run, and a method of dealing with this rationally does need to be employed before publishing for the first time.

10. A decision as to choice of publication creation software. This is perhaps one of the most crucial decisions when publishing, as good publication creation software can make publishing easier and less time consuming than one might think possible.

Good quality publication creation software should include:
a. Ease of usability: publications should be created quickly and easily with easy-to-use features in the software.
b. A choice of delivery formats: text or HTML. Some readers will have a definite preference for either one or the other.
c. Flexibility in the creation of publication: A different style and wide variety of colors and fonts, as well as lay outs is imperative. Publications that become boring to the reader are apt to lose subscribers at an alarming rate.
d. Copy-and-paste, as well as FTP (File Transfer Protocol) features that make it easy to insert, move and delete articles, as well as manage articles and ads within several publications at once. Most publishers find that once they publish their "initial" e-zine or newsletter, that they expand and publish many more, so this feature is important in the choice of publication creation software.

These ten simple steps will enhance publishing efforts and increase chances of making and keeping subscribers, therefore increasing sales and revenue in the long run. Although this list is by no way the complete guide to publishing success, it will aid in the start-up and successful management of a publication, and can lead to the enjoyment of publishing efforts, with the avoidance of common problems.