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       ** DEMC ** Volume VIII No. 32 **
        The Truth About Email Marketing!
    Serving the Internet Since November 1995

Quote for today:

"I will say this about being an optimist: even when things
don't turn out well, you are certain they will get better."
         - Frank Hughes
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What's In This Issue - Features

1) Editor's Note: "5 Important Email Marketing Updates"
2) Email Marketing Insights: "How to Write an Email Sales Letter that Gets Results"
3) Feature Article: "Are YOU Maximizing Your Full Marketing Potential"
4) SOHO Help Desk: "12 Keys to Successful Ezine Ad Campaign"
5) DEMC's - Advertising Information

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1.

Editor's Note:

"5 Important Email Marketing Update"

1) Due to popular demand, I am pleased to announce that DEMC is now accepting PayPal as payment for DEMC E-Magazine ad purchases. You'll find on our order forms at the DEMC site a new PayPal check out link. Take a look at - http://www.demc.com/Advertise/classified/classified.html

2) Baseball playoff season has begun and being from Northern New England, I have to say - "Go Red Sox!" This is the year!

Okay, so this is not an important email marketing update. But I've got to give the Red Sox whatever help I can in hopes that they don't blow it again!

3) Stop being frustrated with your ezine advertising results. As an ezine publisher, I see the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to ezine ads. Today's issue offers great information on how to advertise successfully in ezines. Follow the advice presented before your submit your next ad and you're sure to improve your return on investment.

4) AOL 9.0 is problematic for email marketers. If you haven't heard the news about AOL 9.0, it's not good. As DEMC has numerous AOL readers, I'm already encountering problems with the default settings in their new AOL 9.0 email reader.

Last week a new subscriber called me to say she had tried signing up multiple times but was not receiving the confirmation email. After checking the logs and testing on my end to ensure the message was being sent, I spoke with her again and said the message should be there. She looked again and finally located it in her spam filtered email.

AOL 9.0 email has a default setting with a new "smart" spam filter turned on. While I won't go into detail on how the filter works, the fact is it uses words in the subject and body of the message to determine if a message is spam or not. In working with the subscriber to get DEMC's message through to her in-box, we found, if she listed our "From" address in her address book the message went through. I have learned as well if an AOL subscriber places your "From" address into her contact buddy list your email will not be filtered.

It also is wise to use a spam filter checker on your message's content to improve delivery to subscribers who do not list you. (Here's a free one you can use as needed - http://www.lyris.com/contentchecker/).

Another unfortunate default setting turned on in AOL 9.0 email is the disabling of all email and web hotlinks. Thus if you're using - Click Here - hotlinks in your emails, don't bother. You should list out the full URL in your hyperlinks. Images and graphics are also not displayed with this default setting. Your best bet when sending to AOL these days is a good old text message.

Of course these default settings can be turned off by the AOL 9.0 user, but it's unlikely many people will do so. Therefore, now is the time to tell your current AOL subscribers to place your "From" address either in their address book or buddy list. In addition, you may want to note on your subscription form the "From" address of your email so new AOL subscribers can enter it into their address books when they subscribe.

5) Anti-spam laws are now in place in 34 states. California just passed the toughest law which takes effect January 1st and makes it illegal to send Californians unsolicited email advertisements. The law empowers spam recipients to sue for damages of $1,000 per message, if there is no pre- existing business relationship or subscription record.

With anti-spam laws becoming common place it is imperative that your business maintain accurate records of subscription requests. False spam accusation could cost you significantly if you're not prepared.

6) Okay, I said 5 updates and here is a 6th, no I'm not losing it. I just think update # 2 didn't really count and I don't want you to be disappointed.

Email filters are a growing problem, not just with AOL but with all ISPs. A recent report I read from MarketingSherpa noted that if your email messages are not "filter-friendly" 80% of your broadcasts may be filtered.

However, don't despair, following good email practices does dramatically improve your email delivery. Here are 6 points to consider to help your email campaigns have better delivery.

1) Spam check your messages content. Many spam filters rely heavily on content to determine if your message is spam. Make sure your message is clean by using a spam filter checker.

2) Use a reputable emailer to deliver messages to your list. Trying to send your messages yourself using a desktop mailer without proper DNS lookups is a sure way to trigger filters.

3) Send out individual messages with the recipient's email address in the "To" field. Avoid sending carbon copies and blind carbon copies.

4) Double verify your lists. Single sign-up lists with just IP stamps can lead to complaints which trigger filters.

5) Send out a text version of your message without links. I know HTML messages look great and hotlinks make it easy for interested prospect to respond, but these types of messages also trigger filters. Stay simple and your delivery rates will improve and your response rates will increase.

6) Make sure removal requests and addresses which have a hard bounce are deleted promptly from your list.

Do not get discouraged by the news in some of the updates I've highlighted. Email marketing still works and works well. I encourage you to use the information outlined and take steps as needed. Because when your email marketing efforts are done properly you will see positive results.

Abbie Drew
DEMC Editor
mail@demc2.com

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2.

Email Marketing Insights:

"How to Write an Email Sales Letter that Gets Results"
By: Kevin Nunley

Email marketing is hailed as the most effective form of marketing on the web. However, your email marketing campaign is only as good as your email sales letter.

An email sales letter must do several things:

1. Catch the recipient's attention during a scan of all the email marketing messages they get every day.

2. Intrigue the recipient enough that she doesn't delete your message.

3. Instill curiosity so the recipient decides to take a chance and click on the message.

4. Get them reading with a headline that demands attention.

5. Briefly but persuasively make the pitch, prompting the recipient to take action.

6. Provide links or contact information that make it easy for the recipient to visit your site, email or call you.

I know, I know, it sounds like a lot of bases to cover. But I assure you, it is essential that your email sales letter have all or at least most of these characteristics.

Because email is not tangible, your prospects can make it disappear with the click of a button, never to see it again. With a sales letter that comes in the mail or an ad seen in a magazine, people can return again and again to that tangible piece paper. Non-virtual ads have a longer shelf life, where email marketing has to make a fast impression in order to get results.

Here is a plan to help you write an email sales letter that gets fast results:

1. Don't Ignore the Subject Line - A lot of people don't pay as much attention to the subject line as they do to the actual sales letter. HUGE mistake. The sales letter is obsolete if the subject line message -- always very short and to the point -- doesn't draw your prospects in. Without an intriguing subject line, your prospect will simply delete your email along with all the others they receive every day.

You only have a few words to grab your prospects attention, so choose them wisely. Make a promise, address a problem, ask a question, or name your product/ service/ opportunity's USP (unique selling point). Try writing several (or several dozen) subject lines and ask family and friends which are most likely to get them to open an email.

2. Powerful Headline - Email marketing is a constant race against time. You have about 1 second to get your prospects attention with the subject line, and only a few seconds more to keep their attention with the headline.

In 5 seconds or less, you have to persuade your prospect to keep reading. A few quick tricks that are proven to hold attention are to:

*Ask a how or why question
*Offer one of the most important benefits
*Pose a challenge.
*Say something BIG and impressive (but don't go over the top!)
*Name your price, but only if it is low enough to be a major selling point

Be careful not to make the mistake of promising something in the headline that you don't deliver in the body of the letter. Don't just make a claim to keep prospects reading.

3. Keep the Letter Focused - To make your email sales letter easy to read and understand, you have to know the main objective of your letter before you start writing it. What do you want the letter to do? Get orders, generate leads, inform and educate, prompt prospects to contact you directly? Start with a clear objective of what you want to get out of the letter and construct it around that focal point.

4. Make it Easy to Read - Don't try to impress prospects with how many four syllable words are in your vocabulary, or how long you can make your sentences using proper comma placement. Those who read your letter want to do it quickly. They want you to make your point in the most concise way possible.

Keep the first sentence and first paragraphs short. No one wants to dive into a long block of text right off. Break up the text with indents and sub-headings. And do have someone who knows grammar and spelling rules read your letter before you send it out. Computer Spelling and Grammar check is useful, but not foolproof.

5. Focus on the Reader's Benefits - The one thing that hold's people's attention more than anything else is finding out what's in it for them. Point out how the features of your product or service will benefit the reader. Don't expect the reader to figure out the benefits for him/herself. Try to make the letter as personal as possible, using words like "I", "You," and "Us." You want them to get the impression that the benefits are targeted directly at them.

6. Don't Make the Reader Guess What You Want - Subtlety is not appreciated in email marketing. If you want the reader to do something -- call, visit, fax, order, reserve, subscribe -- tell them. Give them exact instructions on how to do what you want them to do, and tell them to do it today.

###
Kevin Nunley writes sizzling sales letters and web copy at http://DrNunley.com His prices are some of the most
affordable on the Net. Reach him at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 603-249-9519.

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3.

Feature Article:

* Exclusive *

"Are YOU Maximizing Your Full Marketing Potential?"
By: Denise Ryder

Anthony Robbins has said that "Repetition is the mother of skill..."

The reason why I am starting with the above quote is because I have written about this topic before, however, only once...and it's something that needs repeating, for a number of reasons:

1. It is totally important that you grasp this point because if you don't, you aren't taking advantage of your full marketing potential, with respect to email marketing.

2. Sometimes we need to read something a few times before it sets in and makes a lasting impression. Hence the repetition ;o)

I want you to think about this question and after you read this article, with of course the question in mind...it will hit home and perhaps cause you to rethink your marketing strategies, if only just a little.

Question...

When you promote an affiliate program who profits?

Seems a simple enough question to answer, right? I mean realistically it's a win/win. You profit by earning a commission on the sale and of course the company profits by the sale. Which of course is great, but it isn't quite the answer I am looking for. I want you to think in terms of just who is getting that LEAD.

Lets look at what I am trying to get at here with an example.

You join an affiliate program and promote your affiliate link by oh, let's see, you used pay-per-click search engine rankings, ummm let's throw in a few solo mailings, some classified ads and of course the most reliable tactic that we have, you write a few articles based around the focus/ theme of the program.

You are working hard at promoting the site and it has paid off, you managed to drive 1100 visitors to your affiliate page and about 3% of those who came by decided to buy, which means you received 33 sales.

Hey congrats!

BUT (yup you had to know I was going somewhere with this...) were you able to maximize upon your FULL marketing potential here? I mean sales are fantastic, don't get me wrong, however... consider these two questions and I think my point will hit home.

Consider each question carefully, if you were not able to answer a "yes" to both, then you haven't maximized your Full marketing potential.

1. Were YOU able to build a list?

I put YOU in capitals for a specific reason because when you promote your affiliate page what typically happens is that the list that you are working so hard at building is going to the affiliate program itself and not to the person who should benefit the most...meaning YOU.

Most programs will give you a record of sales and of course the number of people who purchased through your link, however, you aren't shown who these specific people are, the affiliate program keeps that information.

Now you are probably saying, well actually my affiliate program tells me when I made and sale and then tells me to go to my admin area and where I can email my downline any time I want to. Which is good, however, still not benefiting you fully. Yes, you can email them, through "their" system, not yours.

If you leave a program, does that list come with you? The answer to that is NO. Those leads (sales) remain in the system belonging to the program itself.

So, you tell me, who has control?

Even more than that, leave a program without being able to take your list with you and you are ALWAYS HAVING TO START OVER... why are you doing that to yourself?

Next...

2. What about those other 1067 people who visited your affiliate page but didn't buy?

People will not buy from you on their first visit for a variety of reasons. However, they are just as important to you now as they were when they were at your site the first time, because they represent future sales. They just need to build trust and develop a rapport with you, until they feel confident about the program to the point where they will buy.

The thing that troubles me the most is that you are only working 3% of your potential here... the other 97% of the effort has gone down the drain. You have let 1067 people slip through your fingers and in order to get them back, you need to spend the money yet again that it took to get them in the first place.

Not being able to follow up with those other 1067 prospects is like leaving money on the table... and who wants to do that??

Fortunately, there is a way you can STOP THIS MADNESS and turn around and maximize staring right now...

1. Continue with promoting your program, however, build YOUR own list, a list that you have complete control over and one that follows you WHEREVER YOU go.

2. For those other 1067 leads that you had, develop a Report, eCourse and/or eBook, that relates to the theme of your affiliate program, and for the price of their email address enable your visitor to download it for fr^ee. Now you know who the people are and you have a means to follow up with them until they either do buy or ask to be deleted from your list.

Two simple steps that will help you maximize your full marketing potential, and will bring the control back to the person it belongs to...YOU ;o)

###
Denise Ryder is a Marketing Coach and publisher of ProfitSpace Newsletter. She writes from her home office in Northern Ontario, Canada. Did you know that NOT having a list is eBusiness suicide? If you are struggling with building a list of your own, then you need to read about The Marketing Brief. Run don't walk to: http://www.profitspace.com/brief/index.html

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4.

~/~ SOHO Help Desk ~\~
http://www.demc.com

"12 Keys to Successful Ezine Ad Campaigns"

Today's SOHO Help Desk is from a guest contributor to DEMC E-Magazine. Chris Varsam is an internet marketing consultant to large corporations in Greece. He also is the publisher of Ezine Affiliate Marketing. He has written up a short article with 12 keys on how to successfully advertise in ezines. If you're looking to improve your ezine advertising results, you don't want to miss Chris' tips!

If you have a valuable tip, promotional idea, question or answer you would like included in an upcoming issue of DEMC, all you have to do is submit it by email to - mailto:helpdesk@demc2.com

Before we get to Chris' insights we have a DEMC subscriber who needs your input on getting reciprocal links.

=== HELP REQUEST ===

From: Jenny Colynd

Hi,

Your SOHO help desk article "How to Get A High Ranking on Google" was a very interesting article.

I'd like to know more about reciprocal links and how to use them to make my business site more visible.

I'm hoping some other subscribers can help me.

Advanced thanks,

Jenny Colynd
The Perfect Gift for People You Love
http://www.success-biz-replica.com

Send your answer to: mailto:helpdesk@demc2.com

=== Ezine Advertising Tips ===

From: Chris Varsamis

"12 keys to successful Ezine ad campaigns"

1) Headline. It is the most important thing in your ad.

It must grab the reader's attention immediately. After all you only have few seconds. If there is nothing of interest to the reader, he will pass it in a second.

2) What's in it for me?

Another extremely important factor for ad campaign success. Do not describe features. Use benefits. What will people gain from your product or service. People do not focus on features. Period.

3) Length. Longer is not always the better.

People are tired to read endless ads, newsletters, etc.. Remember, internet users don't have much time. Give emphasis on your strong points and don't write the story of your life.

4) Free. The most powerful word, not only on the net.

Provide something free, such as e-book, report, newsletter, etc.. It will make the difference.

5) Subscribe to the ezine.

Or even better subscribe to multiple ezines and take a look at the ad sections. Watch your competition's ads. See what they are doing. And, know what the ezine is about.

6) Target. Extremely important!

If you sell software don't expect to have ad response on a dating club ezine. Targeting is the key to ezine success. Not everyone is interested in your offer.

7) Grammar error check.

Very simple you might say but many people overlook it. It is so unprofessional to submit an ad with grammar mistakes. Response to this ad is out of the question.

8) USING CAPS. You don't need to yell.

Another way to look unprofessional. People will consider that you are desperate to sell. Remember your intention is not to sell but providing benefits.

9) Matching landing page offer.

Make sure the sales letter you send interested prospects to has a headline with the same offer as your ad. So if your ad is giving away a free report, make sure your web page has that free report prominently available.

10) Use solo and top sponsor ads.

Classified ads can generate results but there is an amazing response on these kind of ads. Some advertisers can see ad responses as high as 5% to 12% with these types of ads .

Even if you are on a shoe string budget there are bargains out there.

11) Track your ads.

Suppose you have 6 ads running and you have sign ups from one, how would you know which is the "golden" one? Track every ad using special codes or even better if you can afford it use tracking software or services. They will help a lot.

12) Follow publisher's guidelines.

Do not extemporize. Follow the rules. Ezine publishers have specific reasons for using them.

###
Chris Varsamis is an internet marketing consultant to large corporations in Greece since 1998 and the owner of the online publication: http://www.ezine-affiliate-marketing.com

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