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So -- you've been on the Internet setting up
your domain and website, and now you're ready to publish your own Ezine, get
thousands of subscribers, sell them all kinds of stuff and retire to the
islands, right? In your dreams.
It isn't that easy but perhaps I can give you
a few guidelines without causing indigestion of the brain. If you have
subscribed to several publications you must have a fair idea of what you
want your Ezine to look like. And we should begin by designing a Template;
each publication will begin with this and you will merely fill in new
content for each issue.
Start this Template with the name of your
Ezine. Your subscribers will instantly recognize this title as the
publication they have signed up for and (hopefully) can't wait to read. Your
Title and Ownership details should be
centered with the number of each issue (Volume 1, Issue 2), in smaller
letters below it.
The term for this portion of your Ezine is
called "above the fold". Newspapers value this as being familiar (or first
viewed portion) that their followers reach for and purchase. Make this
special, and take your time when designing it.
Begin the "body" with a welcome message.
Often this opening message remains the same and offers your new subscribers
some freebies. One or two paragraphs should end by directing them to your
website or a free eBook that you recommend pertaining to your subject
matter. Next might be an editorial. If
your subject material is Health, then try your hand at writing some
information (in your own words) about something you recently read or heard
regarding a new product, or a harmful warning.
Your best source for this is your local magazine stand.
Select a report and reword it for your publications. This part of your ezine
will change with each issue so you want fresh material to offer. On your
Template simply type the word Editorial
and leave a few inches for an insert that you will copy and paste later on.
Most Ezines have a top sponsor, sometimes two or three. This
space is reserved for Subscribers who are willing to pay you for their ad
placement. The general rule of thumb is X amount of dollars per 1000
subscribers, so you won't be able to get top dollar for awhile. But in your
Template, these will change in each publication. For now merely plug in:
Top Sponsors and again, leave a few
inches of space. An article will follow
next and there are plenty of places to find one that is suitable for your
subject matter. This will also change with each issue, so in the Template
plug in: Today's Article and leave a few
inches of space. When your publications become habitual and easy, you can
write your own articles and the first place you will publish them is right
here, in your own Ezine.
If you care to
put in some humor, it could follow the article. This is not necessary but
there are excellent resources for finding a clean joke in the Search
Engines. Your readers will be more relaxed if they know you have a sense of
humor. If you choose to run with this, in the Template plug in:
Jokes2go, or some catchy title like
that, and leave a few inches of space.
I offer all of my subscribers a free 5x60 ad, and limit this to 10 per
issue. You may choose to run free or fee ads after your humor section, but
you must explain the guidelines and where to submit them. As your
membership builds, you might offer Solo Ads at a price -- also giving
guidelines and directions for payments. These instructions will not change,
therefore you can put them permanently into your Template as
Today's Ads and leave a few inches to
plug in all the ads as they are forwarded to you.
A closing and Disclaimer
should finish your Template. Design this by referring to other Ezines for
specific wording and make it a permanent part of your Template. This is
generally in smaller print than the rest of your Template.
Now that your Template is set up, it should be a matter of
going to it once a week, or month, and plugging in the various 'content'. An
Autoresponder can accept new subscribers and send out your mailing for a
nominal fee. Above all, be yourself.
Communicate your enthusiasm for your subject matter to your audience in your
Editorials and in in any Article that you may publish. And, don't fret about
length --- your publications should be as long or as short as needed.
© 2004 Esther Smith
About
the Author: Smith has published numerous articles and writes a blog for
all artists:
http://the-self-taught-artist.com/blog.html
She also coaches new students on how to leave the time-for-money trap and set up
Leveraged Income for life.
http://thepermanentventure.com/dcc.htm If you can’t sing or ride a
bull, you better learn how to make your money work for more money. |