How to Write an Ezine Thousands Will Subscribe to & Everyone Will Open and Read
If this is your goal ... take a second look!
That title is hype!!! And if youre trying to do this, youll defeat your purposes. In fact your expectations and perfectionism will keep you from producing a good and useful ezine.
WRITERS BLOCK
I was in public relations for many years, and had the opportunity to supervise and train many writers. The number 1 cause of writers block, I found was perfectionism. They were trying to write THE PERFECT ARTICLE.
Write an excellent article. There is no perfect article. Its important to keep things in perspective. Doubly so when youre writing as an entrepreneur, because theres no external feedback. Youre sitting in your own mind. We learn in Marketing 101, if youre producing a newsletter and working yourself into contortions over the proofing and editing, to remind yourself of where its going.
Where is it going to go? In the trash. Thats for a hardcopy newsletter, brochure, flyer, etc.
And where is your ezine going to go? Click. Delete. Sometimes read, sometimes not read.
So lighten up! Youll remove some heavy obstacles to your own success.
BUT I WANT MY EZINE TO BE SO GOOD, EVERYONE WILL READ IT
Read it? Half the ezines you mail won't even be opened.
According to Constant Contact, an ezine service, the average open rate is 48%.
How many emails do YOU get a day? I get several hundred and I probably don't open of them. I havent got the time, I get too much spam, and Im used to scanning with a discriminating eye. Even my favorite ezines I dont open 100% of the time.
ONE GREAT ARTICLE
I produce ezines for clients, and also help them design their own. Its typical for newbies to worry excessively over putting everything they have to say in one edition. The implications of this relate to writer's block as well.
In their launch
issue, they try and summarize what they do, or what they offer, or how to have a good relationship, or what NLP means in one, single, defining article.
This is a waste of time for three reasons:
1. It cant be done. Even if you are the reigning expert in your field, you, yourself will learn something new tomorrow (or you're not an expert).
2. Half your readers won't ever see that particular article or edition.
3. Your list will be growing, and the 10 who join tomorrow wont have seen it either.
Your logo, tagline, or standard introductory paragraph should describe what you do. After that, talk about your subjects often, from different angles, and dont try for the one, defining article or issue.
THE MESSAGE
When I did PR for a church, one minister said to me, If theyre willing to listen to and read about half of what I put out there, over time theyll get my message.
This is a good way to look at it. Keep writing about what you do, who you are, and what you sell. Present it in an attractive format. Send it out consistently. Somewhere down the line, your readers will understand what Emotional Intelligence coaching is, or or why your widgets are the best, or what the Gooding Accountability System is.
You dont have to do it all at once. You cant do it once and for all. Take it easy, save something for next time, give good information, and your readers will come along for the ride.
About the Author
Susan Dunn, The EQ Coach, GLOBAL EQ. Emotional intelligence coaching to enhance all areas of your life - career, relationships, midlife transition, resilience, self-esteem, parenting. EQ Alive! - excellent, accelerated, affordable EQ coach certification. Susan is the author of numerous ebooks, is widely published on the Internet, and a regular speaker for cruise lines. For marketing services go here.
Written by: Susan Dunn
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