Ezine Publishing:
Email List Building and Management
An ezine, also
known as an opt in list or email list, is a list or database containing email
addresses of individuals who have chosen to receive your email messages.
Your messages may be web site updates, product updates or an ezine. They
provide you with a direct line of communication with potential customers
and enable you to promote your products or services.
In order for you to start collecting email addresses, you'll first need to
set up a list management system that will enable your visitors to submit
their information, automatically subscribe them to your list and enable you
to send out messages.
Before we go any further, I want to make sure that you understand that this
article pertains to "Opt-In" lists. Not Spam. Under no circumstance should
you ever add anyone to your list without their knowledge.
Collecting
Email Addresses
Your first step
in setting up your system will be to get a good form processing script. This
script will be used to enable your subscriber to submit their information
via a form and send the information to a specified address.
The best form I have found is called, Master Form. This form will enable
you to have the results emailed to you or to a specified address, can write
your information to a database file and even have a personalized thank you
page. In addition, you can even have multi-page forms with no limit on the
number of pages. This script costs $35 and can be found here:
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=wm
Whatever form you select, make sure that it will allow you to use email
templates, as you will need each subscription request to contain certain
words in the subject for processing. Email form templates will enable the
email messages sent to your subscription address to contain any information
you'd like.
After you've gotten your form set up, you'll need to set up a pop email account
on your server just for your list(s). You can name it "lists" or whatever
you'd like. In addition, you will need to create two email aliases for
subscription requests. Example, yourlist-subscribe@yourdomain.com and
yourlist-unsubscribe@yourdomain.com.
Setting up
a database
Your next step
will be to set up a database to enable you to store your subscriber's
information, process subscription requests and email your subscribers. I
use a great program called Group Mail by Aureate. This program will process
the information from your form, process your subscription requests, store
your subscribers information in a database and enable you to send personalized
email messages. You can find it here:
http://www.group-mail.com/
Once you've gotten Group Mail, your next step will be to create your mailing
list. Simply follow the instructions provided. After you've set up your new
list, click on "Plug Ins" then on "Subscribers." You'll now have to set up
your subscription filters to enable the program to process your subscription
requests.
Now that you have your system set up and ready to collect email addresses,
you'll need to place a form on your web site. Create two input fields for
your form; one for your subscribers name and another one for their email
address.
Your new system will take some time to set up, but it will work for you
continuously. It will take care of all of your subscription requests and
undeliverables and will store your subscriber's information in a database
for easy access. In addition, you'll be able to send personalized messages
with any of the following:
first name
last name
user name
email address
address
company
contact
four additional customizable fields
List Management
Services
If you'd rather
not set up your own system, you may want to use a list management service:
GetResponse
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=gr
An advanced list management system that will enable you to not only personalize
your messages, but it will also enable you to send autoresponse messages
and send an unlimited number of follow-ups.
AWeber
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=aw
AWeber provides an outstanding list management / autoresponder system that
will enable you to take complete control over your email and autoresponder
marketing campaigns. This professional list management service provides you
with all of the following:
Send HTML or text messages
Subscriber signup via email or web form
Easily import and export opt-in subscriber lists
Automatic removal links within each message
Unlimited message length
Completely personalize your messages
Advanced autoresponders with six follow-up messages
Statistics and graphs
Mailing List
Scripts
If you'd rather
handle your own lists, you may want to use a script you can install on your
own web server.
1-2-All
Broadcast
http://www.12all.com
A complete list management system including HTML or plain text newsletters,
MySQL database, personalization features, automatic removal links and more.
AutoResponse Plus:
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=autoplus
Complete list management including unlimited lists, HTML or plain text mailings,
MySQL database, customizable auto-personalization of messages, automatic
removal links, unlimited follow-up autoresponses and more.
Now, you're ready to begin collecting your visitors email addresses and start
building your targeted list of potential customers.
Building Your
Subscriber Base
There are many
powerful ways to build your subscriber base however, we'll only focus on
a few of the best ways.
• Place your subscription information in your signature
• Place a sign-up box on every page of your web site
• Offer a free gift just for subscribing
• Write articles and include your subscription information within your
bylines
• Create and distribute free ebooks with your subscription form on each
page
• Provide a free service and require those using your service to agree
to receive your publication
• Create a member's only site with special resources, content or downloads
for subscribers only
• Create a contest and submit your contest to all of the free giveaway
sites. Place your subscription information on your contest page
If you're not collecting your visitor's email addresses, don't wait another
day to start. Opt-in lists are one of the most powerful marketing tools on
the Internet.
Copyright © Shelley
Lowery
About the Author:
Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design course, Web Design
Mastery.
http://www.webdesignmastery.com
And, Ebook Starter - Give Your Ebooks the look and feel of a REAL book.
http://www.ebookstarter.com
Visit Web-Source.net to sign up for a complimentary subscription to Etips
and receive a copy of the acclaimed ebook, "Killer Internet Marketing
Strategies."
http://www.web-source.net
You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print,
in your ebook or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author
bylines are included.
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