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       ** DEMC ** Volume VIII No. 25 **
        The Truth About Email Marketing!
    Serving the Internet Since November 1995

Quote for today:

"Procrastination is opportunity's assassin." - Victor Kiam _________________________________

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What's In This Issue - Features

1) Editor's Note: "4 Steps To Fewer Complaints"
2) Email Marketing Insights: "Does Email List Size Matter?"
3) Feature Article: "Autoresponder Marketing Master: Jimmy D Brown"
4) SOHO Help Desk: "36 Ways to Improve Your Online Presence"
5) DEMC's - Advertising Information

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1.

Editor's Note:

"4 Steps To Fewer Complaints"

One of the difficulties in running a business is customer complaints, as none of us like to receive criticism. And if you distribute anything by email you'll find your complaint numbers increase. Email marketing, even permission ezine marketing, will create spa^m accusations and content complaints in addition to your regular customer service complaints.

The speed and ease of email make it a wonderful marketing tool, but it is two edged. As easy as it is to send out your email, it is just as easy for your subscribers to let you know their feelings about your messages, policies, advertisers, etc..

I received an email from a new SendFree member recently, who was horrified by a complaint she'd received. She'd found the complaint email so upsetting she wanted to cancel her account and never email anyone again. Apparently, she had set-up a follow-up autoresponder with the same message going out three times in a row. As a result one individual who received the duplicate messages called her all sorts of nasty names.

I soothed the SendFree member and assured her, all email marketers receive complaints, it comes with the territory. The key to handling complaints I explained is to not let them hurt you personally.

I then gave her my 4 step process to handling complaints, which I'll share with you as well. It's as follows:

Step 1: Quickly scan the complaint to determine its type. Is it a spam accusation? Is it a format/content issue? Is It a dissatisfied customer? Is your web site not working?

Step 2: Complaints that point out a specific problem which need to be solved promptly, take action. (e.g. Your order form is not working or your web site is down.)

All other complaints file in an appropriate folder and take a break away from the complaint. I find if I don't step back from complaints after the initial review, I can become wrapped up and over react.

Step 3: After several hours return to review the complaint. Should it become distressing, again put it away for later. Only when you can read the complaint without becoming emotional, evaluate it. Or if you can not control your reaction, have some one else read the complaint and paraphrase it nicely to you.

Consider if the complainer has any valid points? I've found complaints can actually be a great sources of information and have good ideas for improving business.

I'll even go so far as to say you can learn from spam accusations. For instance does a certain email format generate more spam complaints than another? Or where did that subscriber sign-up from? Was it through another's web site? Or was it a certain type of ad that was not clear?

Step 4: Once the complaint has been evaluated, take action.

With a spam accusation, delete the subscriber and correct the subscription process if necessary. With a dissatisfied customer or reader follow-up and respond according to your policy. Make sure you avoid the lure to change your policies just to accommodate each complainer.

When you find an issue raised consistently in complaints consider how you can address the complaint. Would a policy change work? What about offering a new add-on service?

The key to handling complaints is to make sure you have a policy in place that you believe is fair for your site and services. Stick to your policies and understand not everyone is going to agree. However, do not go to the other extreme and ignore all complaints as invalid. Evaluate complaints to see if there are suggestions you can use to better your business.

Here's a quick example of what I mean on how complaints can help your business. Our SendFree.com autoresponder service received a number of complaints in June from members who did not like the autoresponders' HTML email function. These members asked for their autoresponders to send out a combined HTML/text message and display the correct version of the message depending upon the recipient's email program.

After receiving a number of complaints from members because of the old HTML email feature, we moved to update the autoresponder service. Now SendFree.com autoresponders send out an advanced combine HTML/text message. As a result of complaints we've been able to improve our service, make our current members happier and attract new customers looking for this feature.

So rather than let complaints discourage you, start using them to your advantage. Learn from individuals who take the time to complain. But never forget the old adage, you can't please everyone!

Abbie Drew
DEMC Editor
mail@demc2.com

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2.

Email Marketing Insights:

* Exclusive *

"Does Email List Size Matter?"
By: Denise Ryder

Do you really need to have 20,000+ on your in-house email list before you make a decent income... just like "they" say??

The answer to that question is ... heck no!

There are many people out there making a decent income with a list that has only 715 subscribers. Size doesn't matter, what does matter though is...

1. The relationship you have created with your list

2. Ensuring that you provide good quality information

What also matters is that you DON'T rely on just "a" list, the common of which is a newsletter. You should work towards creating a family of lists, where each one of them focuses on a specific niche or target.

So where do you start? How easy can it be?

Surprisingly enough you probably have lists but aren't even aware that you have them!!

Now how cool is that??

Here are a few ideas to get you rolling in creating sublists for your eBusiness:

1. Announcement Lists - should be no biggie here in having to explain what this kind of list is. It simply is what it says - members have subscribed to receive announcements relating to a specific topic or subject.

If you write an eBook which you will give updates to then of course you want to create a sublist for this specific purpose.

When you write articles, then you would want to create a list which publishers could join and receive your newest articles as you write them.

If you develop software then maybe you would create a "free trials" list and enable people to subscribe to that.

All you need to do is think "outside the box" and you can create several announcement lists.

Ok...moving on...

2. Product Lists - again this one is obvious, but consider it for a second. You sell eBooks and have a few different topics, perhaps one on Newsletters, one on eCourses, another on Joint Ventures.

You have a "general" list of all your customers...but those 3 topics I just mention could also be a list in themselves as well. You have now created a list of customers who are interested in information on Newsletters, another on eCourses and one more on JVs. So, go to work and follow up with these "lists" and get permission to send them SPECIFIC TARGETED INFORMATION concerning those topics.

Wow, 3 more lists are added to the "FAMILY!!"

Ummm, one more example and then I think you will be well on your way to taking this ball and running with it ;o)

3. Registrations - you could quite possible set up a process where a person would have to register with you before they use your content or perhaps continue using a specific ebook.

You could put together a membership site of some kind or a forum which focused on a specific target market or niche. Have people register to participate.

A contest is also another excellent way to build a list. Have folks register in order to stand the chance of winning the "prize."

There you have it, three Sublist Ideas which have the potential to spin off yet many more sublists. The possibilities are totally endless here and with email marketing it is so very cost effective ;o)

Knowing now the potential exists, are you going to take the time, look at what you have to work with and brainstorm a little??

Others are doing it...why not YOU??

Resource:

"How To Increase Your Monthly Profits By Using Tightly Targeted" Sublists" is a "must." This ebook and audio will provide you with the 5 Rules that you should go by when you build your lists. It also provides you with 21 ideas for sublists that you can create AND gives you a 3-Step System for making money with your sublists. http://www.profitspace.com/ssr/index.html

### Denise Ryder is a Marketing Coach and is owner of ProfitSpace Newsletter (http://www.profitspace.com/newsletter/index.html) Hey have you entered to win the Ultimate eBusiness Package yet? http://www.mydigitaladvisor.com/entertowin.htm

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3.

Feature Article:

* Exclusive *

"Autoresponder Marketing Master: Jimmy D Brown"
By: Mike Merz

An interview with Internet Marketing Legend Jimmy D. Brown, owner of The 123WebMarketing eBusiness Center http://www.123webmarketing.com/ and the 8 Hour Audio Home Study Course, Email Strategies Explained http://www.EmailStrategiesExplained.com.

Few have utilized autoresponder follow up more successfully than Jimmy, with unique list building methods and strategies that have made him one of the most respected in the field, in addition to his ever growing line of exclusive infoproducts.

So it is with great pleasure I bring to you ... Jimmy D. Brown, email marketer extraordinaire!

MM: Jimmy, I am SO glad you decided to participate. What a treat for our DEMC readers ... ME included! ;)

JDB: It's my pleasure, my friend. One of the things that I enjoy most in life is teaching, and so it is a privilege to be able to share some things with DEMC readers, and certainly I'm honored to be working with you, Mike.

MM: Although most of the Internet Marketing world associates you with your ultra successful line of Infoproducts, those 'in the know' realize that few have been as successful as you in the area of list building, and email marketing in general ...

JDB: Yeah, up until recently, I haven't shared too much about what I've been doing with email marketing ... it's been kind of "behind closed doors" stuff. At the prompting of some of my good friends, I put together the Email Strategies Explained home study course and started sharing what I've been able to do successfully with email.

MM: It's often said that building a list of targeted prospects is the key to Online success ... I know for a fact that you've taken it way beyond this. Care to share? ;)

JDB: Well, my approach has been a bit different than most folks'. Typically, everyone tells you that you need a newsletter, and most equate "email marketing" as publishing a newsletter. I'd say that publishing a newsletter is just the "tip of the iceberg."

One of the things that I teach is that in order to really be successful as an email marketing, you need to be DIVERSE. More than just a newsletter, you need an entire family of lists and sublists focused on "tightly targeted" niche subjects. I set this up to run on autopilot and they all work together in harmony to lead a subscriber from one automated system to the next.

You get to take the reader through an entire education process of many different topics, and in the process you can expose them to a myriad of offers. In my experience, this has been extremely successful.

MM: Would you say that autoresponders are at the top of your list, in regards to eBiz tools of major importance? How so?

JDB: Without question autoresponders are my most important resource. And that's because of the diversity in which you can use them. I use ecourses, special reports, registrations, announcements, contests and just all kinds of different content/offer series and they are all pretty much automated through autoresponders.

Again, you can delivery quality content that educates and entertains the reader -- which builds trust, credibility and loyalty -- and then lead them to make purchases that earn you money on the backend.

It's a great courtship between the list owner and the list member, and one that requires mutual benefits.

MM: Where do you stand regarding the great HTML vs. text debate? Do you have a preference? Have you utilized HTML formatting?

JDB: Truthfully, I don't use HTML in any way for my email marketing. I've always felt it important to go with the "lowest common denominator." Some folks can't accept HTML emails. All folks who have an email address CAN accept text emails. Why risk having your message not being read because you wanted to use something "sexier" like HTML.

People join lists because they want information, not artwork. Sure, you want to make your messages as presentable and professional as possible. But, at the end of the day, it's the information that attracts and keeps subscribers, not a slick layout of HTML.

MM: SPAM filters ... how will they effect the future of autoresponder marketing? What strategies have you employed to get around them, if any?

JDB: I think they're going to play a significant role in the short term future as the problem of SPAM continues to grow. I don't think it will be an issue long term because I foresee technology changing so it's not the issue that it is today.

I think we'll see autoresponders become more software oriented than email oriented, kind of like "blogs". Things are going to change in the near future -- and we're actually working on some technology ourselves - that are going to revolutionize the way information is delivered. So, I don't really see it as a long term threat. It's more of a short-term inconvenience.

One of the things that I do to kind of get around the filters is to NOT publish a regular newsletter, but rather I distribute ECOURSES instead. If I send out ONE newsletter for the week, then you may or may not receive it based on the filters.

But, if you subscribe to a 7-day ecourse and I send out 7 straight messages over 7 consecutive days, chances are you will receive several of them. And because of that, I am able to communicate with you and ultimately get the response that I'm after.

I get folks all the time who email me and say things like, "I received lessons 1,2,5 and 7, but I didn't receive number 3,4 and 6 ... could you send them?" And so, the communication isn't broken, it's just inconvenienced a bit.

MM: Do you have any tips and/or tricks that you'd like to share with our readers?

JDB: One of the keys to really being successful with email marketing is to carefully weave both CONTENT and OFFERS into your messages. I use a phrase "useful, but incomplete" information. to describe the balance between content and offers.

That simply means this: the content by itself is useful to the reader. It has value. It is beneficial on its own. It teaches, trains, it educates. In other words, the reader gains something they can use simply by reading it. That's the "useful" part of the equation.

But, there's something missing. The information can be MAXIMIZED by responding to an offer inside the content. It's good ... but it could be made better by obtaining something additional.

Let me give you an example: "7 Sure-Fire Ways to Earn Monthly Profits With Autoresponders" would be useful fr^ee information. But, what's missing? The autoresponder itself, right? So, the content promotes an autoresponder service as its offer..

Give them "enough" content, but not "too much." Lead them to make a purchase.

MM: Thank you so much for making time for us, Jimmy. I know you've got so much going on ...

JDB No problem at all, Mike. Anytime you want ... just say the word. :o)

Future "Autoresponder Marketing Master" interviews are being booked as of this writing to be run in DEMC in the months to come ...

So stay tuned!

Who would YOU like to see featured in our series?

Send your requests to mailto:DEMC@im4newbies.com and I'll do my best to track them down! ;)

Regards,
Mike Merz

### Mike Merz is a well known Internet Marketing expert, specializing in Online newbie campaign start ups, and is the owner of ... Internet Marketing For Newbies - http://im4newbies.com Top 5 Internet Marketing News - http://top5news.im4newbies.com Infoproducts To Sell! - http://infoproducts2sell.im4newbies.com The IM4Newbies Internet Marketing Community - http://internetmarketingforums.im4newbies.com

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

"36 Ways to Improve Your Online Presence"
By: Terri Seymour

1. Don't overload your site with flashing lights and slow loading graphics. Keep it simple and to the point.

2. Put a little of yourself into your site and make it unique. Give your site some personality.

3. Have your contact information listed on every page. People want and need to know that you are accessible approachable.

4. Make every page of your site consistent. You want your site to be easy to understand and navigate.

5. Provide a lot of useful content and resources. Don't just make your site one big ad.

6. Make yourself available to answer questions and to help your visitors when needed.

7. Answer all email inquiries in a timely and courteous manner.

8. Make it very easy for people to order your products. The easier to order, the more orders you'll get.
http://www.paypal.com
http://www.clickbank.com

9. Publish an ezine. This will enable you to keep in contact with your readers and form a very important relationship.
http://www.myownezine.com/tutorial/index.shtml
moe-mini-course@getresponse.com

10. Use an autoresponder for follow-ups.
http://www.getresponse.com/?34218
http://www.sendfree.com
http://www.aweber.com

11. Write and submit articles for publication in other ezines.
http://www.MakingProfit.com
http://www.vectorcentral.com/articles-form.html
ArticleReview-subscribe@topica.com
aabusiness-subscribe@egroups.com
article_announce-subscribe@egroups.com

12. Participate in ad swaps with other publishers.
http://www.internetbasedmoms.com/bb/viewforum.php?f=63
http://www.freezineweb.com/ad-swaps1.html
http://www.yoursalesoffice.com/Ezine_Joint_Ventures.html

13. Set up a links page and exchange links with other websites.
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http://folksites.com/linkconnector/reciprocal.html

14. Build your reputation and yourself as a foundation for your online success.

15. Follow-up on all sales and inquiries.

16. Develop contacts and relationships with other publishers and netpreneurs.

17. Learn how to write your own ebook to sell or give away.

18. Join discussion lists and message boards and network, network, and network. Enjoy some new friendships along the way.
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19. Find and join some good affiliate programs to help you learn marketing and selling and to add to your bottom line.
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http://www.associateprograms.com
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20. Do not spam! If you are unsure if something is spam, find out before you proceed.

21. Purchase your own domain name.

22. List your ezine at several popular sites.
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http://www.atozines.com
http://www.bluechiptraffic.com/ezines/
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23. Be true to yourself and your customers. This will establish trust which is essential to your success.

24. Include some original material in your ezine. If you are not yet writing articles, write an editorial for each issue. Let your readers get to know you.

25. Do not insult other people. ALWAYS treat others with respect.

26. Subscribe to several popular ezines. Read and learn from them. The good ezines are loaded with information and resources. http://www.myfavoriteezines.com
http://www.forwardproductions.com
http://rimdigest.com

27. Participate in joint ventures with ebook authors, ezine publishers, etc. This is a good way of making more money and providing resources for your subscribers. Always review the product before you promote it.

28. Never stop learning!! There is an endless amount of information to learn when running an online business. Do not ever think that you know all you need to know.

29. Be open to new ideas and be willing to take risks.

30. Learn from others who have been there already. Most of the publishers and netpreneurs are willing and happy to help Newbies.

31. When publishing an ezine, stuff it with useful content and resources. Give your readers what they crave - information! Don't throw 30 ads together and call it an ezine!

32. Thoroughly check out all opportunities and offers before joining or buying. There are a lot of scammers out there.

33. When writing articles, write as if you are teaching. Don't turn the article into a sales letter for one of your products.

34. Back up all your information and work, so you do not lose it. This is very important!

35. Do not think you have to read, buy or use every product, ebook or program out there. Focus on what you need, not what someone tells you, you need.

36. Choose a business that will bring out your passion and commitment. Running an online business can be a very rewarding and fulfilling experience, but it can be very frustrating and overwhelming as well!

I wish you all the success and satisfaction with your online venture. Do not let the frustration or setbacks get you down. Use them as a learning experience to make you stronger, better and more successful!

###
Terri Seymour owns and operates MyOwnEzine.com Learn to publish and promote your own ezine.
subscribe@myownezine.com
Complete list of her articles for reprint please email:
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----

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 - 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.

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

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