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                 ** DEMC ** Volume IX No. 9 **
        The Truth About Legitimate Email Marketing!
          Serving the Internet Since November 1995

Quote for today:

"Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting."
                    - Christopher Morley
_________________________________

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Share DEMC with your friends and associates. They can subscribe free by emailing: Subscribe@sendfree.com

What's In This Issue - Features

1) Editor's Note: "Search Engine Secrets for Email Success"
2) Email Marketing Insights: "Focus on a Targeted Market to Attract More Business"
3) Feature Article: "Interview with Internet Marketer - Pamela Heywood"
4) SOHO Help Desk: "Getting Subscribers"
5) DEMC's - Advertising Information

======================

1.

Editor's Note:

"Search Engine Secrets for Email Success"

I'd like to start out today with a little story ... oh no I can hear you saying, not another one of Abbie's stories!

This past weekend, we planned to make a Family trip to a nearby Lowe's. Before going to Lowe's, however, I wanted to give them a call to make sure they had in stock the items we were looking for.

I pulled out the yellow pages to look up their number and began to search. I tried, home improvement - no luck, hardware - no luck, Lowe's - no luck. 10 minutes later after racking my brain for terms, I gave up. I decided the yellow pages were cryptic and useless. I had resigned myself to going to Lowe's without checking first.

But then, a light bulb went off in my head. I thought - duh, Abbie - use the Internet.

A quick search for Lowes, pulled up their site and within a minute I had the store's number and had placed the call.

Why I wasted the 10 minutes with the yellow pages, I do not know. I guess old habits die hard, don't they!

Searching online is so much easier and faster. Wouldn't you agree? In fact, it seems more and more Americans are turning to search engines.

A press release from Nielsen//NetRatings today reported that 1 out of 3 Americans used a search engine in January. Their findings revealed that roughly 40% of the US population, 114.5 million people, spent forty minutes using search engines during January.

Why are search engines becoming more popular?

In addition to ease of use, as illustrated with my story, search engines also provide us with much more than just a yellow page ad and phone number. Search engines are a directory of information.

Last November, when Nielsen//NetRatings conducted a survey of Internet users, to learn the most important feature of a search engine, they found relevant information was it. The majority of respondents, 52%, ranked relevant information as the number one feature critical to search engines' results, and credible results were ranked second. While speed of results came in a close third.

Search engines deliver relevant, credible information fast. That's why people use them and like them!

As email marketers, we should learn from these survey results and apply them to our own email campaigns. To be successful our emails should -

1) Deliver targeted information.

When a subscriber signs-up for specific information. Send that information. You know what it's like when you do a search for a specific term and the results are not what you're looking for. You quickly move on.

It's no different with email. When you sign-up for a list on a topic you want more information on that topic - not on other unrelated subject matter.

2) Provide credible, truthful assessments.

False claims and hype do not work to build relationships. (Why do you think spam has such a bad reputation? It's loaded with ridiculous offers.) Be honest and be yourself in your email communication.

3) Respond quickly.

Use autoresponders to immediately answer requests for information. And consider offering an immediate free report via autoresponder to new list subscribers. Don't make new sign-ups wait to hear from you, get some of your information into their hands as fast as possible.

Plus, in instances where a personal email reply is necessary be prompt.

Lastly, the next time you go to email your prospects, think of your email as being a result in a search engine search.

A typical keyword search will pull up thousands of sites. A users' inbox these days has hundreds of messages. The key to search engine success is having a site that is very targeted to what the user is looking for and having link popularity (i.e. brand recognition by others). When you have these features your site is listed well so it is noticed and visited.

Email marketing is no different, if you want your email to be seen among the myriad of messages, your information has to be very targeted to what the user is looking for, and the user has to recognize who you are. Only then is your message noticed and read.

Businesses whose web sites and emails fail in these 2 critical areas, will struggle. To succeed a business has to have a plan for delivering targeted information and be recognized for the information they offer.

Too often businesses jump right into advertising, neglecting to first create their marketing strategy. Therefore, to help us all improve our email marketing, by first focusing on our business strategy, DEMC has acquired a new "Featured Writer". Mark Munday a small business strategy expert will be contributing a monthly column to DEMC. You'll find his first article in today's "Email Marketing Insights" section.

Mark is originally from Johannesburg, the City Of Gold in South Africa. 5 years ago, he moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where he now lives with his wife and two daughters.

Mark's background and experience is in Corporate Strategy and Performance Management. As a Strategic Management Consultant, he helped corporate clients create Business Strategies and put them into action.

After realizing that small businesses need strategic direction even more than big businesses, Mark became a Business Strategy Coach. He now works exclusively with small- business owners, helping them to achieve their goals.

As a business coach, Mark is very aware of the difficulty business owners have in thinking strategically about their businesses. And his approach is to help business owners see the "big picture" before they get stuck into detailed tactics and activities.

Mark is a prolific writer and contributes articles regularly to Business to Business, XtraMSN.co.nz and HomebizBuzz.co.nz. He recently developed the highly rated StratPlan Wizard, a hands-on tool that guides business owners through creating and implementing a powerful Business Strategy.

Mark also publishes the Strategic Focus ezine. It contains articles on tactics that can be used to implement a Strategic Plan. And his website http://www.Small-Business-Planning.com contains extensive business building information and resources.

Mark can be reached at Mark@StratPlanWizard.com or +649 476-5510

After you've benefited from Mark's contribution, be sure to scroll down to today's Feature Article. Where you'll find an informative interview with an Internet success story.

Abbie Drew
DEMC Editor
mail@demc2.com


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2.

Email Marketing Insights:

* Exclusive *

"Focus on a Targeted Market to Attract More Business"
By: Mark Munday

It is often said that you just can't be everything to everyone. This is especially true in business. The worst thing business owners can do is to delude themselves into thinking that everyone is in their buying audience.

We all know that doing a mailout to an un-targeted list gets a very low response rate. Even if it isn't spam. The chances of someone who doesn't need your product buying are very small indeed. Worse still, is the fact that a generalized marketing message is not likely to attract prospects from your target market either.

The bottom line is that when you do shotgun marketing, you usually end up shooting yourself in your foot. Targeted marketing, on the other hand, will give you deep penetration into a smaller but much more suitable market.

Trying to satisfy everyone's requirements for your products or services is a really big ask. And it is a thankless task too. You run the risk of being only moderately successful at keeping all your customers happy. This means that customer satisfaction, on average, probably won't be high enough to bring you lots of referrals and repeat business. And your business will be only moderately successful.

As a small business owner, you will do far better if you focus the delivery of your offering on satisfying the needs of a very specific subset of the market. Because your niche market has well defined needs, it is easier to satisfy them. And your selected customers are likely to be a lot more pleased with your services.

You make a much bigger splash by jumping up and down in a puddle, than when you bob up and down in the sea. Similarly, focusing on a niche target market means that you have a much greater impact on the customers you serve. Customer satisfaction soars, and your reputation as a specialist grows as customers pass the word around.

The need for a well defined market niche increases dramatically as markets become more competitive. Having a market niche enables you to differentiate yourself from competitors. And it provides you with a steady stream of business, even in the most crowded, fiercely competitive market.

Let's consider an example. Imagine that you are an ex- accountant, and that you have decided to cash in on the booming internet business market. So, you buy some equipment and software, and you set yourself up to provide website hosting services.

The market for this service is enormous. Millions of new websites are created every year. And the rate of growth is skyrocketing. But you are dismayed to find that attracting any of this business is almost impossible for a small newcomer like you. There are so many people out there doing the same thing at cutthroat prices, that you just can't get your business off the ground.

Imagine how different your experience might have been if you only offered this service to accountants, together with a suite of tools accountants require for servicing their clients over the internet. As an ex-accountant, you would understand the needs of your target market very well. So you could put together a compelling service offering. You would also have the credibility it takes to inspire confidence in prospective clients.

Your specialization would give all accountants out there who want to get on the net, a really good reason to do business with you. The size of this target market would be a small fraction of all the people creating websites. But your ability to penetrate this niche market would be infinitely greater. As a specialist, you are also able to charge more for your products and services. Which means that you don't have to compete on price.

Dominating a niche market means that you are well placed to build a compelling competitive advantage. One that brings you sustainable business success in a highly competitive market.

Applying this principle is likely to make any business more successful. You can base a market niche on various criteria : your location, profile of your customers, industry knowledge, people you know etc.

Think of how you can add value for your customers in a way that no one else is doing it. And use this as your starting point. Your objective should be to create and take ownership of a market niche, in a way that makes your position virtually un-assailable.

###
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3.

Feature Article:

* Exclusive *

"Interview with Successful Internet Marketer - Pamela Heywood"
By: Cort McCadden

The following interview is with Pamela Heywood publisher of the Free Home Business Newsletter. http://www.pamela-heywood.com/

Pamela has made her living from her home in the Canary Islands since the mid-90's, which, for the last few years, has been almost exclusively online.

CM

I know that you are one of the pioneers in Internet Marketing; however I would like to know what you did before your Net involvement. When was this? What got you interested in the Net?

PH

Goodness, I don't know that I would call myself a pioneer at anything, but I guess it's true that I've never really been afraid to go places where others might fear to tread.

Originally, I was boring bean counter (accountant), mostly in financial management positions in small businesses, as well as holding an internal management accounting position within a professional practice. Then I moved to Tenerife, Canary Islands.

For five years, I was involved in translating and reporting for various local English language newspapers and magazines. In 1997, as soon as the Internet was available in Tenerife, I got online.

This was so I could send my work to the newspaper office, but it then occurred to me that I might look for additional markets outside of the island for my writing. Email was nothing new to me, because I'd been using that way back in 1990, when I worked for Andersen in the UK. Then I discovered HTML and started getting other ideas and finding other applications for my er, "talents".

CM

Did you see the value of Email Marketing almost immediately after it appeared? What made you get involved with Email Marketing?

PH

I've been publishing email newsletters since early 1999, but I don't think I really thought deeply about the marketing aspects at the beginning. It just seemed natural (to me) to produce a publication and deliver it by email.

One thing I did realize early was that unless I made this effort, people weren't going to go back to my sites.

Probably, because I'd been involved with the press and local radio, I knew exactly what part advertising plays in any media. And in the same way as I expect there to be ads in newspapers and magazines, so I expected them to be an intrinsic part of their electronic equivalents.

CM

We all know that here in the USA Congress is trying to get tough with Spammers. As an Internet marketer outside of the USA, do you think that they have gone far enough? And do you think there will ever be an INTERNATIONAL Spam Law? If so, would you be in favor or opposed. Why?

PH

I'll be honest (and someone will want to hang me for it), but, no, I don't think CAN-SPAM has gone nearly far enough.

I CAN (sic) see both sides, because an exchange or business relationship has to be started somewhere, but, IMHO, that isn't via email, unless the recipient makes the request.

As you probably know, the law in Europe, which was effective from October 2002 here in Spain, allows opt in only. If it worked in practice, I'd be happy with that law and, I am also sure most consumers would agree it is reasonable.

I put myself in the place of the consumer here, because never mind what the law says, what the consumer WANTS is the only thing that counts. They pay our bills, ultimately.

Who could possibly be expected to spend the time requesting removals from the thousand or so emails I receive daily? opt out doesn't just NOT work, it actually damages the chances of ever getting wanted email delivered and read.

No, I can't ever see there being an international spam law, per se. Simply because there isn't an already existing international body who would have the responsibility.

What I do imagine will happen in the not too far distant future, is that various countries will become signatories to an agreement to honor a common set of rules. Something along the same lines as the Berne Convention on Copyright.

I think this will be a good thing, because it would establish a firm set of guidelines for us all to follow.

CM

What are your feelings about Plain vs. HTML Email Marketing? What about the new Audio and soon to be Visual Email?

PH

I imagine that many people are like me and will only accept HTML email from known brands and senders. Actually, I have to make special arrangements for that, because I use Pegasus mail http://www.pmail.com that doesn't display it, thus protecting against web bugs, as well as viruses, etc.

I also know it is policy not to accept HTML in many companies and Govt. departments. So, I believe that if you use HTML, you must still give recipients a choice. To be honest, if you send HTML, "just because you can", why bother, when it's going to look and smell like spam and get deleted?

Maybe in a year or two, when spam may be under better control and email filtering has settled and advanced a little more, I will revise my feelings on this.

I'm sure audio and visual email will be common place in the future, but I don't think we are quite ready for this yet either. Broadband is still infant and we need better security in place first before it will be widely accepted.

CM

What have been your biggest successes in your business and why? Failures? What would you do differently if you could do things over?

PH

I try very hard to keep most of my failures to small and inconsequential errors. Actually, most of my success has been of a similar level, so it is simply as a result of getting a lot of small things right. And perseverance.

I cover my bills, I have NO debts and I even have some money in the bank. Most people with regular jobs can't claim that. I do pretty much what I like and I live on an incredibly beautiful island, so I consider this success.

Most of my traffic and subscribers have been gained, slowly, by the usual methods; writing articles, offering unique freebies for reciprocal links, ebooks, doing interviews.

There's really nothing I'd do differently, because every experience teaches. I have had successes in the past that were driven by methods that would no longer work, nor be acceptable today. This is just how it is online.

The culture, the technology and even the law is in constant flux as this giant *baby* grows up. Paying attention to detail, being flexible and responding (not reacting) to the changing situations are the skills we need to develop most.

CM

What would be your advice to Internet newbies concerning Email Marketing?

PH

Whatever product, service or business you promote online will benefit from email contact with prospective customers. Email also is invaluable at building relationships.

But you must face the reality that a relationship is not built upon one email message nor one advertising campaign. It's a long-term process and, needs to be a two-way thing.

Email may be most Internet users' primary application, but nowadays recipients are becoming discerning. They don't want to be sold to: they are allergic to ads. You have to be able to deliver information to them that they can't get elsewhere and earn their trust and respect before they buy from you.

That means starting out knowing that you are going to have to work hard, to write and to have ideas of your own, as well as asking questions and taking readers wants into account. It helps if you want to and like doing this!

-----

One thing I have firmly grasped is that "one volunteer is worth at least ten conscripts". Meaning, someone who searches and finds you by their own volition is a better qualified - and interested - subscriber, or prospect.

Abbie pointed this out in a recent issue of DEMC, saying, "Your web site is your best source of subscribers!"

Thus, one of the best ways to build a list is by having a search engine friendly website that will get well ranked so that people can find it. I also realize that most people don't like getting their hands mucky in HTML. So ...

In collaboration with my near neighbor here in Tenerife, Andy Williams, creator of SEO Website Builder, I am offering -- exclusively to DEMC readers -- a chance to get a free copy of my new web site template pack that I have designed as a third-party add-on for use with Andy's software.

The set of 12 will be going on sale shortly for around $50.

I have placed more information and some images online so that readers can see what the sites will look like.

Those can be found at:
==> http://www.site-kit.com/demc.html

As this is a pre-release offer, it is open only until March 10, 2004 - when the offer will end and that page will be taken down.

CM

Thank you Pamela for your time and insight. What a Super interview! You certainly made my job easy!

PH

Thank you. It was my pleasure.

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

"Getting Subscribers"

Today's SOHO Help Desk discusses how to effectively promote your ezine to get subscribers.

If you have a valuable tip, promotional idea, question or answers 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 today's tips on subscriber acquisition, a DEMC reader needs your input. Take a minute to see if you have any advice you can share.

=== Reader Feedback & Help Request ===

From: Stan Lehan

As a reader of your newsletter I would like to reply to the issue 2/18/2004. In particular your Editor Note discussion of Email Postage caught my attention.

The Goodmail idea of postage, is ridiculous as it puts the issue in the wrong hands not the receivers. The ideas of AOL & YAHOO is more on track but again resolves the problem by the wrong people.

This issue of Spam control should not be resolved by AOL or even by ISP's. It is a personal issue of the receiver as to what they want to receive and we shouldn't allow AOL or ISP's or others to play god and tell us what email we can receive. This problem should be dealt the same way as with virus's or Trojan's and be dealt on the receiver's computer.

I have thought about this extensively since the first mention of the Can-Spam act but as yet have not been able to find anyone that will program a piece of software that I have in mind pro bono and reap their reward with the profits from it's sale.

My question is how best to find a programming partner to work with me on my idea?

Thank you for your assistance,

Stan Lehan

Send your answer to: helpdesk@demc2.com

=== Answers for Roy ===

Roy's Question:

> I publish a financial newsletter and I would like ideas
>and advice on how to promote the e-newsletter. Would FFA
>be a good tool for getting subscribers?

From: Steve Boutelle

Roy:

From the many articles I've read about online promotion, FFA's are definitely not the way to go. Their effectiveness has waned considerably and there is every possibility that you could open yourself up to spam complaints by using them. They are not targeted; at best your offer/ad/promo only appears for a brief time- and you could get a massive dose of spam for your efforts.

The best way to achieve success in any area is to model what successful people are doing. In DEMC Volume IX No. 8 there's an interview with Ryan Deiss, a very prominent and successful marketer. He says that he uses e-courses and special reports to build his list.

I would suggest that you create an e-course for example, on "Five Marks of a Good Financial Advisor" which would be either a free report or an autoresponder series that could be obtained in exchange for a name and an email address. I would have it sponsored by your newsletter or by a product that you are an affiliate of. The report or course should include content and tips on criteria for choosing a good financial advisor, which, being one yourself, Roy, you should be able to supply. If you'd like more ideas about how to put this in action, please let me know.

Seeking YOUR Success,

Steve Boutelle
http://www.prosperityunleashed.com

===> Newsletter Promotion To Build Your Subscriber List

From: Dave Turner

Roy,

The initials FFA stand for "FREE For All" and my advice would be don't waste your time! FFA's DON'T WORK! They will produce next to zero new subscribers to your newsletter.

Here are some suggestions to help you build your newsletter subscriber list:

1. Put a subscriber box on your web site. People can easily enter their email address and send it to you. A percentage of people who go to your web site will sign up for your newsletter. Just don't scare them off by asking for a lot of personal information. Put their minds at ease by promising not to share their address with anyone else.

2. Announce your newsletter in the e-zine announcement directories. There are several sites with searchable catalogues of ezines. These sites get lots of visitors and are a surefire way to find hundreds of new subscribers. Here are a few to get you started:

http://www.ezine-universe.com

http://www.escribe.com

http://www.ezine-marketing.com

3. Trade ads with other ezines. Find newsletters that focus on topics similar to yours. They'll run your ad in exchange for you running theirs.

4. Consider emailing a press release to the media. Your release should announce your newsletter and explain what's interesting or helpful about your newsletter. There are a number of press release services that will email your release. Here are just a few:

http://www.ereleases.com

http://www.majon.com

http://www.majornewswire.com

http://submitexpress.com

Whatever you do, DON'T add people to your newsletter list who haven't asked to be on it. The spam gods will come down on you like a ton of bricks. That's why many newsletter publishers insist on double opt in. What's double opt in?

Double opt in is your protection against the sending of unsolicited email. After visitors register at your site they will receive a confirmation email. By replying to the confirmation email, your visitors have "double opted-in" which means that:

1. They are the owners of their email addresses

2. The address is working

3. They indeed want to subscribe.

Usually the confirmation action is as simple as replying to the confirmation request or clicking on a link.

Best of luck to you!

Yours in success,
Dave Turner
http://www.dave-turner.com

===

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

Be sure to include your SIG and contact URL with your post as we'll be sharing any viable ideas/information in an upcoming issue of DEMC E-Magazine.

======================

Advertise In DEMC - * Prices *

For information on advertising to the DEMC E-Magazine's 175,000 subscribers for as little as $36, plus details on How To Get a FREE Ad in DEMC E-Magazine Go To Visit Our Web Site: http://www.demc.com/Advertise/advertise.html

DEMC
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Clinton, CT 06413
(860) 669-4365

(c) 2004 DEMC All rights reserved

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