High Converting Ezines
Are these still a good strategy for business owners?

Great question, and my answer is yes.
Ezines are a good use of your time and are not outdated.

The challenge is how to get people to open them and how to deliver content that connects them with wanting to hire you!

First of all, what’s the difference between a blog and an Ezine?
The answer is, an Ezine is more personal and is delivered like a friendly email to a friend.

I’ll explain more as we go.

WHY is it a smart strategy for a business owner to send a weekly newsletter to their database?
Because business owners have high competition in the market.

Buyers can find every product and service quickly and easily on the Internet, so you want to educate as well as serve them valuable Ezine content to keep them engaged.

Too many online stores and coaches wait for business to fall in their laps while their competition is out knocking on doors. 

The key is giving your ideal client what they want, whether you are a site like GILT who sells high-end clothes and home products like bedding and towels, or if you are a love coach helping people find lasting love.  It’s up to you to show up in your clients’ inboxes with relevant information that makes a difference.

Benefits should drive your Ezine content to make potential clients connect and convert.

Here are some steps to help you do just that-  Hope this helps!

Step#1  Know your strategy of WHY

Connect, educate, and serve

Step #2  Formatting makes or breaks your content!

This kills me. Often great entrepreneurs do what it takes to create a great newsletter but they don’t edit or check formatting.  Always send yourself a test and check your links.  In HeartCore Business we always have three sets of eyes on each newsletter—ME, the editor, and our assistant.  Every newsletter is approved by two people before it gets sent.

And even then mistakes happen, but they happen less frequently.

Make sure pictures, writing, and formatting are easy to read.  Use Verdana font and use a 12 or 13 font size.  Do not use RED for headlines unless you know what you are doing.

My old copywriting mentor used to say red is like lipstick on a fair-skinned blonde.  If it’s not applied correctly, it puts people off and they won’t buy!  Err on the side of caution unless you are trained in copy!

Step #3 Use your life to inspire content. 

Conversions come from connection.  When you start using what you are noticing or learning in life and connect it so your clients benefit, then you’ll see an uptick in your blog comments and Facebook engagement, and the entire machine starts to talk to you.

Here’s an example:  I am 4.5 months pregnant as I am writing this Ezine connecting to my blog.

Before my pregnancy I trained at a high level for triathlons.  Today, I’m still doing half marathons and plan on training until the day before I give birth.  Why is this important?

My LESSON is: every time I go for a run my ego tells me that I’m fat and everyone thinks I’m overweight.  It makes me not want to run.  Whether this is good or bad isn’t the problem that I have to solve.  It’s sticking with the planned event when I don’t want to.

How I strategize consistency, follow through, and success are all lessons that I can educate people about in my Ezines in a way that inspires and connects to my community.  Even if they aren’t athletes, everyone who is having a self-worth challenge right now can relate.

Step #4 Be consistent 

Your Ezine’s job is to build a relationship and educate your audience so they can make a clear choice that you are the right person for them to hire.  It’s like your interview process, in many cases.

You’ve got to show up consistently; otherwise people get the idea that you aren’t a good bet for them to choose.  Why do you think people should invest in you if you can’t problem solve getting a newsletter out weekly?  Just take that in for a minute.  It’s important to BE the PERSON that Makes the BIG MONEY.  That person is consistent, I promise!

Step #5  Teach them to buy

Always have a call to action in every newsletter.  That doesn’t mean that you have to sell all the time.  In fact, don’t!  How would you like to go on a first date and be propositioned after dinner to go have sex?  It’s rude.

Calm yourself down, send out weekly newsletters, and look at your year.  

Plan your heavy sales months around when you are doing a product launch or selling a group or private program.  Figure it out.

You know when training as an athlete, you always have a race on the books, and up until that race your are focused on training your body.  

Use your Ezines to train your audience until it’s time to SELL OUT!  Teach them in every Ezine to click to your blog so at least you are training them to buy.  It’s important if you are doing any kind of virtual online sales.

I hope this helped.

Leave me a comment below and let me know your feedback!

Shanda