You sit down to write the first article for your third issue. That’s when it hits you. There’s nothing left to write about!

At The Write Exposure, we get lots of panicked calls from clients saying, “I’ve run out of article ideas!” What we’ve found is that seldom has our client actually run out of topics, rather they’ve covered all the topics that came most easily to mind and now are overwhelmed with the possibilities.

It’s a little like my telling you to write a poem. Any poem. Limerick, haiku, whatever you feel like. It’s a bit overwhelming, isn’t it? That’s why we suggest you brainstorm topics within these categories.

So, the next time you think you’ve run out of article ideas, why not brainstorm all of the customer successes you could write about? Some of the most popular newsletter article categories are:

Customer successes. Has a customer used your product to produce an amazing result? Do you have a customer with a recent success your other customers could learn from? Whether it directly relates to your product or not, success is always newsworthy.

Customer complaints. Receive a couple similar complaints lately? Address them in your newsletter (be sure to point out how you’ve responded and fixed the problem). By addressing complaints in print, you prove your company is trustworthy and always improving.

New products or services. Customers love the word new. So, if you have a new product or service, don’t hold back (just make sure it’s really new!).

Frequently asked questions. In fact, you may want to run a regular Q & A column in each edition of your newsletter.

How-tos are must-reads. Is there something you can do to explain the steps pertaining to your product or service. What can customers do with your product or service?

Coupons and special offers. Always include incentives for being a newsletter reader. Show readers why they should come in with special offers.

New customer welcomes. By welcoming new customers, you show readers your business is growing. Also, new customers who are recognized feel like they’ve made a good decision in choosing your business.

Profile an employee. Newsletters are fabulous internal morale boosters, plus customers will appreciate getting to know someone they’re dealing with (or who operates behind the scenes).

Special events. Special events are great for content both before and after. Make sure to include plenty of photos and quotes in the piece written after the event.

Before and after. Makeovers are always popular, whether you make over people or houses or closets. Pictures make these pieces especially effective.

Next time you’re faced with an empty page, pick a specific category of article to write–you’ll find narrowing the possibilities expands your creativity in leaps and bounds.

“A man will give his life for a simple bit of colored ribbon.”

Napoleon

Kindergarten-teacher Katrina decided to hold an awards ceremony mid-year to encourage great behavior during that time of year when kids tend to climb the walls.

She announced the ceremony a few weeks before it was to happen and told the kids about the different awards she’d be giving out–things like “Most imaginative color-er” and “Best at hand-raising.” As part of her announcement, she highlighted five specific awards.

“The student who does the best job finishing their homework between now and then will receive the “Homework Good Do-er Award,” she said. She had one student who struggled with his homework considerably. He often brought it back incomplete, usually a mess.

But something about her announcement inspired him and after the rest of the class had gone out to recess, he announced that he planned to win the homework award. For the next two weeks, he consistently presented Katrina with completed homework assignments–still with many cross outs and erased mistakes, but complete.

Two weeks later, he did indeed win that award–accepting it with a huge grin (and bow).

Everyone likes to win

Most people have way too much experience with failure. Maybe the boss requires too much. Or maybe a client’s upset because of a misplaced order.

We get home after a long day at work only to find more stuff to do–the house needs cleaning, dinner needs cooking, the kids need help with their math, the dog needs a bath… And since it’s impossible to get it all done, we go to bed thinking we “failed” at our day.

Is it any wonder we relish crossing things off our to-do lists? Is it at all strange that we pursue easy tasks that bring big rewards?

When you create a situation for your readers to win at, you brighten their day. Instead of your newsletter being yet another task “to be done,” it’s a bright spot in their days–something to look forward to.

Select awards right for readers

Holding an awards ceremony for your readers might be a little excessive (after all, if your newsletter’s a typical email publication, you probably have readers all around the world). But that doesn’t mean you can’t let your readers win.

The Certain Way publisher Rebecca Fine holds a monthly contest for readers (of which I was one delighted winner :-)). The secret to making it work for her is that each entrant must read the newsletter in order to be able to enter. To see how she manages this, check out her newsletter.

Publisher Scott Stratten has run several promotional contests. He gives out points to subscribers who help him find new subscribers and the subscriber who wins the most points in the end receives a prize.

The trick is to think of a reward that will really be valued by your subscribers–however you choose to award it. For Rebecca, these rewards are often related to her readers’ financial education, while Scott often makes prizes of his products.

How does this grow your list?

If you reward subscribers based on their helping you grow your list, clearly giving awards will help you add subscribers.

Even if your awards aren’t related to growing your list, though, they’ll still have an impact.

Remember, people like to win. And when you let them, it gets them talking about your newsletter.

When you let readers win, you’ll win too. Your subscribers will delight all the more in your newsletter which means they’ll actively work to get you new subscribers.

Here where I work in Sneads Ferry, NC there are 6 or 7 major real estate offices and one of them has done a great job branding the color yellow. Locals know when you see a yellow sign in front of a house that it’s listed by this particular agency.

And yet, in every issue of the local “Homes” magazine, at least one other real estate agency has decided to use lots of yellow in their ad. Sure, it’s a beach community and they want their ads to look bright and sunny.

But when I see yellow, I’m thinking of the real estate company that’s already got it branded.

Your newsletter is your chance to really brand your company. It’s repeated, welcomed exposure to your company. Whether your newsletter is print or electronic, each issue should emphasize your company’s color. Whether that color is orange or aquamarine.

Where should you put the color? Of course, that depends on the color itself and your overall design, but here are the four most likely spots: the nameplate, headlines, pull quotes, and borders.

Today I want you to take a look at your newsletter and consider it in light of your company colors (and your competitor’s colors). If I were to take a look at it, would I think of you or your competition?

Your Turn:
Take a look at your newsletter and count how many colors you use–might any of them be associated with your competition? And which of those colors is most strongly “yours”?

Don’t know? Take some time today to decide what color your company is–and apply that to your newsletter.

Here where I live in North Carolina they plant corn, tobacco, and cars. Cars?!

Piled high or strewn about, you’ll find fields of cars wherever you go. In some cases, pine trees have grown up around them, other times, they’re planted amidst the tall, green weeds.

It’s unlikely anyone here actually thinks their planted fields of cars will yield a bountiful fleet of sparkling SUVs because, after all, everyone knows cars don’t grow. Besides, North Carolina’s in the middle of a drought (complete with water rationing), so I suspect they’d frown on watering a field of cars.

Are you planting the equivalence of cars in your company newsletter? Just like these cars take up field space that could be used for forests, homes, crops or exploring 10-year-olds, most newsletters have excess material that’s just there to take up space.

In your newsletter, the cars might be recipes or jokes unrelated to your customers. Or maybe you fill your newsletter space with ads because people are willing to buy the space.

Your Turn:
Grab a recent copy of your newsletter and draw a big X through anything that doesn’t educate your ideal target market, guide your current customers, or demonstrate what sets you apart from competitors. How much of your newsletter’s Xed out? 10%? 25%? 50% or more? In your next issue, try to reduce that percentage.

Get the cars out of your newsletter and each issue will become a lot more effective.

Remember what your parents taught you…

Way back when I was a teenager, my parents were constantly telling me to “Watch your tone.” (Actually, what they said was, “Watch your tone, Jessica Christy.” I still don’t like my middle name ;-).)

Did your parents teach you this lesson, too?

They didn’t know it, but they were teaching you a POWERFUL newsletter lesson. One you’ve probably forgotten to apply that can make an enormous difference in how your readers relate to you.

So, when it comes to your newsletter, what, precisely, is a tone?

Your newsletter tone is the WAY you sound. It’s the words you choose, the length of your sentences and paragraphs. It’s the way you put everything together.

I’m sure you’ve gotten newsletters that had a snooty tone. The writer seems to think he knows everything and that you’re lucky to get to read his words.

Or maybe you’ve received newsletters that have a sort of dazed tone. Where the writer doesn’t seem to know whether she’s coming or going.

And then, there are those writers who’s tone makes you want to get to know them. These are the people you’d like to meet for lunch, the people you’d entertain if they came to your town.

How can you write with the right tone?

First, of course, you need to decide what kind of tone you want to write with. (Review the exercise we did several months ago on choosing your word for help deciding.)

Once you’ve decide on your tone, keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Word choice

Shorter, more common words generally seem friendlier. If you want to be a bit pretentious, use larger words ;-).

If you want readers to see you as a great communicator, use words they’re sure to understand.

• Sentence length

Shorter sentences generate urgency and energy. If you want readers to push through the newsletter at a quick clip, use shorter sentences. Be brief.

If you want readers to feel more relaxed as they go through the newsletter, take a longer route through sentence construction.

• Paragraph length

Again, short generates energy, long slows things down. But, paragraph length also ties into the visual tone of a newsletter. Longer paragraphs may look cumbersome to readers, and they may be intimidated before they even begin.

So, on the balance, lean towards shorter paragraphs rather than longer, no matter what kind of tone you’re creating.

Always remember your parents’ advice to watch your tone! It’ll make a huge difference in how your readers relate to you.

Want to learn more? Tone is one of the twelve strategies we cover in the Newsletter Spa. Join us and receive all the guidance you need.

Just recently, a good friend and colleague, Justin Hitt published a report on lead generation strategies in his newsletter, Inside Strategic Relations. It got me thinking about what a great tool a newsletter can be for lead generation, if you do it right.

So, what’s involved with using your newsletter to generate leads? Three things: 1) Qualifying; 2) Serving; and 3) Engaging.

Qualifying Leads Through Your Newsletter

This first step is subject to lots of debate. There are many out there who argue that since sending an email newsletter is practically free (per subscriber, anyway), you might as well collect as many names as possible.

They argue against asking for anything on your subscribe form beyond an email address. And it’s true that this approach will get you the highest percentage of conversion from website visitors to subscribers.

But, does this approach really serve your audience?

Raise your hand if you’ve ever subscribed to a newsletter just to get the freebie they were offering. That’s what I thought :-). I know I’ve done it.

And what does it get you? A cluttered computer desktop with pdf files piled high and no time to read a single one of them. Worse, it gets you a flooded email inbox as people try to convert you from casual subscriber to customer.

In short, you wind up with less time and more computer clutter. Not good.

And that’s what you do to your subscribers when all you ask for is an email address. They sign up just to get the freebie (or because they’re visiting dozens of sites on the same topic to do research). And then they get overwhelmed with information.

It’s your job to serve your subscribers, not indiscriminately add them. You may think it’s up to your subscribers to protect their email inboxes. But, face it, you know more than they do–they’ve come to you, in fact, because you know more than they do. So, they rely on YOU to tell them whether or not they should subscribe.

And one of the ways you tell them is by qualifying them.

If you have a relatively well-niched newsletter, you may not need to do much qualifying. For instance, when people visit The Write Exposure’s site and sign up for Newsletters in Focus, they’re clearly interested in newsletters as a marketing tool–which is a pretty small audience.

But, if your newsletter covers a topic of more general interest, you’ll need to help potential readers decide if your newsletter’s right for them.

You can do this in a variety of ways. You can ask personal questions (household income, that sort of thing), you can offer an assessment, you can write a “If you meet these criteria, then you’ll enjoy our newsletter” list.

You can also add questions to your form that you don’t strictly need answered, but that make readers pause before blindly entering their email address and clicking “subscribe.”

For instance, at The Write Exposure’s site, we ask for your first name and general location. We don’t absolutely need this information (though we do require it), but asking for it makes potential subscribers hesitate a moment to make sure they really do want to sign up.

Now, how does protecting your potential subscriber’s best interests (and preventing them from recklessly jumping on to your list) make them into better leads for you?

Serve Your Subscribers to Your Utmost Ability

By qualifying your subscribers well, by protecting them from more inbox clutter, you’re demonstrating that you value your time. And that’s a powerful statement in a world that’s cluttered by constant advertising.

So, by simply going about the qualification process right, you’re already well on your way to serving your readers.

How else can you serve readers?

It starts by giving them information they truly need. That they can’t find elsewhere (or at least, not easily).

For some audiences, that means conducting surveys and sharing the results. For other audiences, that might mean running case studies. For still others, writing from your personal experience about what works, and what doesn’t.

You also serve your readers by being fully present. When you ask for feedback, and readers deliver, how do you respond? (Or have you already forgotten your request?)

You serve readers by checking in with them regularly. And by answering their questions when they write you. Each month, I spend about 10 hours answering NIF readers’ questions. Unpaid.

And I cherish that time.

Not only does it keep me in touch with what my readers most want to learn about, but it also helps me connect with you on an individual basis. To see you, not as reader number 12,348, but rather as a specific person.

And that’s crucial in the impersonal world of email.

You also serve your readers by giving them gifts. Whether that’s your time throughout the month, extra reports, special discounts, or even photos of your kids. Letting readers into your life and sharing parts of yourself can be a powerful way to serve.

Finally, you serve by creating products and services that address readers’ needs. And by charging for those products and services (after all, if you don’t charge, you’ll be hard pressed to find the time to continue to create :-)). And it’s this final level of service that leads us to the final step in using your newsletter as a lead generation tool: Engagement.

Engage Your Readers to Convert Them

One of the steps in the Newsletter Coach program is to create your absolute, most powerful, best, knock-me-over-with-a-feather-it’s-so-good offer. This offer must be so powerful, so perfect, that your readers can’t resist it.

By creating such an offer, you’ll get your readers responding. Even if they just write to offer feedback on what else they’d like added (as several of you responded to the Newsletter Spa program).

See, readers can’t resist an irresistible offer. Even if it’s not quite what they’re looking for.

So, make sure you close the loop of lead generation by creating truly powerful offers and OFFERING them to your readers.

Other (equally important) ways to engage your readers include asking them for feedback. Responding to their questions. Asking them questions of your own. (Do you occasionally visit new subscriber’s websites? Share some positive feedback!)

With an email newsletter, it’s easy for you to feel like you’re not really talking to anyone in particular. Especially as your list grows. But the reality is, your newsletter is a highly personal message delivered to just one person–your reader.

So, engage that reader. Strike up a dialog. And keep it going.

Following these three steps will help you generate a higher quality lead from your website. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

“Of course the greatest power Sara possessed and the
one which gained her even more followers than her
luxuries…, the power that Lavina and certain other
girls were most envious of, and at the same time most
fascinated by in spite of themselves, was her power of
telling stories and of making everything she talked
about seem like a story, whether it was or not.”

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

It was a dark and stormy afternoon when the newsletter arrived in my inbox. It was the most recent issue from Dan, a new client, and he wanted the scoop on why his newsletter wasn’t working.

You’ve seen newsletters like his–attractive design, polished articles, but something just seems missing.

He had all the basics covered in his newsletter–it balanced promotion with information, he had specific goals, and he published on a consistent basis. He was even starting to integrate some advanced newsletter techniques like storytelling.

And it was precisely the storytelling that was tripping him up.

See, he’d tell stories about his clients and the problems they faced. He painted great pictures of where the client was before working with him.

But that’s where the story ended.

He was consistently ending the story in the middle.

This is a common problem for newsletter publishers–we just plain don’t know how to tell a complete story. And it’s a pity because the ability to tell a really great story is indeed a great power. Fortunately, it’s a power that’s relatively easy to learn–use these tips to start telling more effective stories in your own newsletter.

When telling a story, make sure to share the ending

The first rule of storytelling is to start at the beginning and tell it straight through to the ending. If you choose to share success stories with your readers of the great work you’ve done for readers, stopping in the middle only leaves readers wondering if you were actually able to solve your client’s problem–not exactly the question you want to leave readers with.

When telling a story, think of the fairy tales

There are certain patterns that occur in most of our popular fairy tales. For instance, the number three is used a lot (e.g., three bears in Goldilocks). There’s usually a magical element. Settings are larger than life–castles, haunted forests. All of these elements converge to help you weave a story that’ll live on in the mind of your readers.

When telling a story, leave out the extraneous

It’s easy to get caught up in all the details of a story–how this new client didn’t decide to hire me for six months, for instance–when what your readers want is the meat of the story. Certainly, details make the story more vivid, so don’t leave them all out. But, do make sure the point of your story doesn’t get lost in the parentheses.

When telling a story, tie it back to your point

Unless the article is just one long story (like a case study, for instance), make sure you don’t get so enthralled in the tale that you forget to bring it back to the reason you started telling it in the first place. An easy way to make this transition is to summarize the story’s point in one sentence and move on to the rest of your article in the next.

When telling a story, remember the people

We’re all curious about other people. So, when you’re telling a story in your newsletter, make sure you flesh out the main character of your story. And make sure to remember the other important people while you tell your story, too–your readers–and make sure the main character is one they can relate to.

Ultimately, Dan decided to have me write his complete newsletter, but not before he wrote a few complete stories on his own. By following these five guidelines, you, too can learn to tell a complete story.

How to create a newsletter you can dress up and take out on the town

And one and two and three and four…

Remember those school dances when you were a kid? There was the group of kids standing against the wall, wishing more than anything to be invisible. And there was the kid who’d venture off onto the dance floor alone and show off some (very bad) dance moves.

And then there was the girl all the boys wanted to dance with.

In my sixth grade class, her name was Ashley and she had long blonde hair. She wasn’t the prettiest of the girls, nor was she the best conversationalist. She wasn’t the smartest or the nicest or the best dancer.

And that’s all good news.

See, your newsletter doesn’t have to be the best. It doesn’t have to be the most attractive. It doesn’t have to have the best writing. It doesn’t have to have the most informative articles or the best special deals.

Five steps to a newsletter version of Ashley

Your newsletter can be the one that engages readers all around the world when you apply five of Ashley’s secrets.

Ashley was always well groomed

Your newsletter has to look good. It doesn’t have to be the prettiest newsletter on the block, but it does need to be neat. It needs to be well proofread. It needs to be coherent.

Make sure every issue you send out represents your company well. Keep it pulled together. Hold each issue to the same high standards you hold your sales people to. Don’t let it out the door until it looks its best.

Tools to keep your newsletter looking good: a professional proofreader, a great-looking template, regular writers.

Ashley was always confident

Never apologize for your newsletter. If readers hate it, let them unsubscribe themselves. They’re adults, they can take responsibility for their own email inbox.

If you’re worried readers will hate a particular article, or if you don’t feel like it’s well written, don’t publish it. And, remember, most people criticize as if there’s a prize for it–so consider your readers’ comments, but don’t let them get to you.

Tools to build your confidence: feedback from happy readers, talented writers, a professional newsletter critique.

Ashley didn’t talk to just anyone

Do you beg people to subscribe to your newsletter? Do you have a subscribe box on every page of your site that says, “Please subscribe to our newsletter!”? Are you making it too easy for people to subscribe?

Most people like the idea of being special. Part of a select group who gets to receive unique information. And when you give the impression that any reader’s a good reader, you make readers feel like a dime a dozen.

Tools to build an exclusive feel: a qualifying form (instead of a subscribe form), a great gift for selected subscribers, testimonials from recognized authorities.

Ashley didn’t work the room

Once you start building an exclusive feel in your newsletter, you’re on your way to making readers feel special. But there’s an easy way to shatter your progress. Keep your attention on your readers, not potential readers.

Many publishers make the mistake of asking for forwards and referrals too much. It’s as if they’re always asking, “Who can you introduce me to?” Instead of always being on the lookout for new subscribers, take the time to focus on the subscribers you already have.

Tools to make subscribers feel special: a special gift for referrals, exclusive subscribers-only pages, kudos whenever appropriate.

Ashley knew when to stop talking

Nothing turns readers off like the knowledge that it may take them hours to wade through a newsletter. Write to the end and then stop. Don’t belabor the point, add “one more” illustration, or include a long-winded conclusion.

It’s the ending of the newsletter that leaves readers wanting more.

And, in the end, knowing when to stop will build subscriber loyalty like little else.

You publish a newsletter to build trust. To convert your prospects into buyers and clients, right?

How well are you meeting that goal?

If you seem stuck–no matter what you try, people still aren’t buying at the rate you think they should–it may be because you’re asking readers to take a flying leap.

Consider this conversation I had recently with a new client who just couldn’t figure out what was preventing his readers from becoming buyers.

“I’ve tried everything,” John said. “Discounts, bonuses, gimmicks–you name it, I’ve tried it.”

John’s newsletter had him completely frustrated and befuddled. He thought he was doing everything right–he had a regular call to action, great testimonials throughout the newsletter, a personal note that was always informative, never too focused on him…

And yet, not a single reader had ever signed up for his service.

John was at the end of his rope.

Are you dangling, too? Then chances are, you’re ready to compare your experience to John’s.

So, what was John doing wrong?

He only offered one service and it was a high-ticket item ($50,000+). So, even though readers could get to know him through the newsletter, they didn’t necessarily feel they knew him well enough to invest that much money with him.

There was no step between free and $50,000.

That’s a huge leap for the average reader to take!

You offer a free newsletter. And it entices prospects to subscribe. But that’s only half the battle.

Next, you have to get them buying from you. And you do this in baby steps–leading them gently from free to small purchases to larger purchases to that final big purchase.

You’re great at what you do. You provide a huge value for your readers, clients, and customers. Now it’s just a matter of enticing them into experiencing that for themselves.

There are three keys to transforming readers into buyers. You’ll want to: Let Readers Choose their Ledge, Never Make Readers Jump Alone, and Pack Reluctants a Picnic Lunch.

Let Readers Choose their Ledge

Let’s pretend you really are trying to convince your readers to take a bungee jump for a moment.

Do you think all your readers are interested in jumping in the same setting? Or do you think perhaps some of your readers would prefer to jump with a waterfall as their backdrop, while others would rather jump as far away from water as possible?

Some might be ready for a full scale bungee jump, while others would prefer just a little hop to the ground below.

Each of your readers is an individual. Each has different needs. Let them choose what they need in this moment (the spot they’ll jump from) and you’ll find many more of them willing to take the plunge.

In real-life terms, this means: offer readers a variety of solutions.

Create products that you can sell at different price points. Give prospects little bites of your product or service that they can sample at lower prices so they can see the quality
you offer.

Think about your own experience. Chances are, you don’t hesitate to spend a couple dollars on an impulse, unknown product. But, as prices go higher, you eventually start to hesitate.

You start to worry:

• Will the product really live up to that price?
• Will it fit your needs?

And it’s precisely these worries that keep your readers from jumping. Eliminate them by offering as many jumping locations as possible and letting readers decide the height and location that’s best for their first jump.

Remember: not everyone wants to make the same jump. Let
readers choose their jumping off point and you’ll have a
lot more jumpers.

Never Make Readers Jump Alone

This year, for my birthday, I decided to do something that really scared me. Something I’d never done before.

I went parasailing.

And I was terrified.

In fact, had I not dragged along a friend, I’m quite sure I wouldn’t have gone through with it.

But he’d gone before, and convinced me that it’d be great fun. (He also swore he’d make them let me down the moment I was ready :-).)

Your readers are the same way. Purchasing from you is a brand new experience.

And they’re scared.

If you make them do it alone, they’re likely to back out. But, if you offer them plenty of support (a toll-free number to call, an office address where they can visit, lots of client testimonials, etc), they’re much more likely to face their fear and make the jump.

How do you apply this to your own business? By building in plenty of hand-holding throughout the buying process.

Make sure every interaction a customer has with you is 100% positive. Ensure they never encounter a glitch with your website. Prove to them your products are always first rate.

Offer them plenty of opportunities to ask questions. Volunteer information they may need, but haven’t thought of yet.

Clearly outline the process–and the procedure for getting out (quickly), should they change their minds.

By making each experience a prospect has with you
positive, you’re building in a reward for your
new customers. They enjoyed the experience, got what they
needed, and they’ll be back again and again.

Pack Reluctants a Picnic Lunch

One method of selling is to just assume you’ve made the sale and go from there. You jump straight over the close and start treating the prospect as if he’s already a buyer.

It’s sort of the way your parents may have tricked you into doing unpleasant things as a child (like getting you to clean your room).

Instead of saying to you, “Today, you’re going to spend the ENTIRE day cleaning your room from top to bottom until it sparkles,” they assumed you were interested in cleaning your room and just needed guidance on what the first step was. They might have said something like, “Let’s get this basket of toys put away.”

And so, little by little, they led you along until your room was spotless.

With reluctant buyers, a similar approach often works. Instead of offering them three options and inviting them to contact you when they’ve made a decision, just tell them what the next step is.

Get all the necessary groundwork in place for them (like gathering the jumping equipment and packing the lunch), hand it off to them and point them in the direction of the nearest jumping-off place.

Before you cringe at the idea of being a pushy salesperson in your newsletter, consider this: they’re on your newsletter list for a reason.

And, usually, that reason is they want to work with you.

So, all they need are the tools and directions to the next step to get started.

So, give them that guidance.

Pack them a lunch and point them in the right direction. Assuming you’ve created plenty of assorted jumps for them to take, they’ll find the one that’s right for them.

And they’ll soon be back for another jump, exhilarated and ready to take that next leap.

Some people get overwhelmed just before making the final
decision. Make it easier on them by recognizing that most
of your newsletter subscribers are on your list because
they *want* to buy from you.

Now that you’ve learned the three keys to convincing readers to jump, be prepared to watch your profits take a flying leap of their own!

Newsletters are magical things–they can attract customers, increase company profits, establish expertise and much more. But, did you know they can also help you increase your search engine rankings?

Your newsletter can help your search engine ranking by specifically focusing on your keyword phrases. Perhaps the easiest way to keep each issue of your newsletter relevant to your keyword phrases is to make a list of the phrases you target and brainstorm article ideas for each phrase. Then, as you write each article from your list, try to incorporate the keyword phrase into the title of the article, and, of course, use it regularly throughout your article (caution: don’t overdo it or your article will be awkward to read).

By posting archives of your newsletter on your website, you’ll be keeping each targeted issue available to search engine spiders. If you archive issues by subject (using your keyword phrases, of course) instead of date, they’re likely to help your rankings even more. Also, when archiving issues, make sure you use a standard HTML link (instead of JavaScript) to help search engines catalog each issue.

Another benefit to posting archives online is that other sites will frequently link to either the specific issue or your website, telling visitors about your newsletter archives. This can help boost your link popularity (along with bringing you some extra targeted traffic). You can make the most of such links by actually suggesting webmasters link to your archives.

Because you’ll be updating your newsletter regularly, search engines will give you points for regularly updated content. Plus, your site will be continuously expanding, giving spiders new information to index with each visit. And, when you’re posting each new issue, make sure it has a link back to your index page. As spiders go through the new content, you might as well register another link to your homepage.

Some publishers go the extra step of setting up a domain specifically for their ezine, separate from their regular website. If you feel you have enough content to support both (without duplicating your content), this might be something to consider. Just make sure you have the time and energy to manage two separate sites as adding a new domain will take more time.

By focusing each issue of your newsletter on one or more of your keyword phrases, posting archives online, inviting webmasters to link to your newsletter archives, and keeping your newsletter updated, you’ll find your rankings climbing. Go the extra mile and set up a domain just for your newsletter and you may find yourself with two top ranked sites. As with any newsletter, remember, content matters most, whether your primary goal is more sales, or better search engine rankings.

You’re already producing a newsletter. It’s definitely worth the extra time training the newsletter to multitask and to see your site climb in the search engines.