Free Products to Market Your Business and Grow Your List

Volume II, Issue 10
ISSN: 1547-7754
March 2005
printable version

Chris King, Editor
By subscription only, this monthly e-newsletter is loaded with short, "down and dirty" tips to help you with solving the everchanging and growing puzzle of the Internet. This e-zine serves as a place to ask your questions and find the answers. So, send me your burning questions.

In last month's e-zine, I covered general tips about creating and using products. In this and upcoming issues I will focus on specific products.

Free products: The goals are to collect e-mail addresses for your distribution list and to drive visitors to your website. Without any money out of pocket, those who sign up get to know you and start to trust you.

Warning: avoid using the word "Free" (many don't value what is free and spam filters hate the word). And don’t think of these products as "Free." They aren’t, because those who ask for them, or subscribe to your newsletter are giving you their e-mail address in return. This is their payment and an e-mail address is worth future gold.

Category #1. Short papers, articles and/or handouts.

• If you are speaking to a group, networking, or prospecting, having these will serve as a perfect introduction. Mention that you have a short article or report (mention the title) that you would be delighted to send them. Ask them to write their e-mail on the back of their business card - or you can also choose snail mail for follow-up.
• Timing is important. I have found that it is a good idea when speaking to a group to tell them about this about halfway into your presentation. Have a convenient place near the door (a glass fish bowl with some cards already in it), so if they are rushing out, you still collect their information.
• Articles for e-zines and/or information sites. I love receiving well-written articles that I can use on my information website. I always include a short bio of the author and a link to his or her website. There are also sites where you can submit and/or find articles. Good ones are www.ezinearticles.com and www.ideamarketers.com.
• Hate to write? Create a resource sheet with helpful books, website addresses, and pertinent tips.

Category #2. Tips sent one at a time by e-mail, or, as I have found to work as an incentive, five to ten to be sent when someone signs up for my e-newsletters.

• Join the world of autoresponders. Once you have your tips ready, you can set your autoresponders to send them on a timed basis. Right now, since I send several tips when someone signs up for one of my e-newsletters, I am not using a timed service. Many Internet gurus I know use autoresponders at www.aweber.com.
• Choose tips with a purpose. For my information e-newsletter, Portfolio Potpourri, I reward subscribers with ten tips on "How to Develop a Professional and Personal STYLE." It just so happens that these tips are ten of "125 Ways to Develop a Professional and Personal STYLE" (which I sell for a reasonable investment).

Category #3. E-newsletters or E-Zines. Sent regularly and well-written with useful content, these serve as a great way to establish rapport and keep your presence in front of a list of subscribers. They also help with directing traffic back to your website.

Questions to ask yourself before you start sending an e-newsletter or e-zine:

• Am I disciplined enough to send out a worthwhile publication on a regular basis?
• How often will I commit to sending it? (Quarterly is almost too far apart. Every day is too often).
• Do I realize that even a text based e-newsletter (The one you are reading is in HTML format) takes a great deal of time and planning.
• Do I promise to keep my selling and advertising at a minimum? (Otherwise, your subscribers will quickly fall by the wayside).
• Do I really want to do this? and
• Will I love doing it?

I could fill several books about e-zines (they are exactly the same as e-newsletters), so instead, am giving you resources to check out:

• Boost Business with Your Own E-zine by the E-zine Queen, Alexandria Brown. Click HERE to find the information that helped me the most when I was starting.
• Christopher Knight provides an excellent e-zine filled with the latest tips. Click HERE to visit his website where you will find past issues and be able to subscribe.
• Jessica Albon offers another twist with many good ideas for creating an e-newsletter. She has several websites, but start by clicking HERE.
• And, if you would like to try my other e-newsletter, Portfolio Potpourri, you can sign up by clicking HERE.

In the upcoming issue, I will discuss the next level up of possible product offerings: those in the $7.00 to $15.00 range.

Have a terrific and productive month!

Do send your comments and questions to me at chris@creativekeys.biz. I love to receive feedback and will answer your questions in future e-zines.