The Sweet "Peas" of Ezine Success

As 2003 draws to a close, it's easy to see that email and
ezine marketing have been under attack. Who are the
attackers?

Some are the unethical marketers who flood our inboxes with
messages we don't want, creating a perception that things
are just out of control. Some are legislators who want to
make a name for themselves by grand-standing that they are
going to "fix the problem".

Some are industry insiders who have an agenda that works
best if email marketing goes away. And some are the big
email marketers, who want to eliminate competition and
consolidate the business for themselves.

Some are even proclaiming (quite loudly) "email marketing is
dead!"

Happily, that assertion is completely wrong. Here's why.

Email marketing, and by extension ezine marketing since
ezines are delivered via email, will continue to be strong
in 2004 for these simple reasons. I like to call them
"The Sweet P's of Ezine Success".

Ezines are Profitable. The trend in Internet marketing
today is Joint Ventures. We've all heard about joint
ventures until we're blue in the face. But what is a Joint
Venture other than a new and effective use of email
marketing?

Most JVs concentrate on the person who has a product they
want promoted "Joint Venturing" with someone who has a
powerful opt-in list.

In 2002, this was called a solo ad. In 2003 it was renamed
"Joint Venture" and everyone began selling eBooks on the
subject. The right JV can be very successful, but let's see
it for what it really is … email marketing.
Ezines are Personal. How many times have you heard that
"people buy from people they trust."? Well, it's completely
true. Everyone online tries to create, or convey,
credibility on his or her web site. But there is only so
much one can do with a web site.

Only email marketing, with its ability to deliver personal
messages over a period of time, can let your prospective
customers hear your message in your voice, and on your
schedule. And hearing your voice is what it's all about.

Success online is not the ability to successfully imitate
someone else. It's the ability to let customers connect with
you, and in so doing begin to respect and trust you and the
products you offer or recommend.
Ezines are Proactive. Today, talk of blogs (web logs that
act as sort of an online diary) taking the place of ezines
is common. While blogs are fine, and an important part of a
comprehensive marketing campaign, they are not as effective
as ezines because the reader has to go TO the blog to get
information.

In today's world people don't have enough time. With
literally billions of websites out there, what are the
chances that someone will remember to go to a particular
blog? Not likely.

Some things don't change. People subscribe to ezines that
deliver timely information they can use to make their lives
better. People don't join a newsletter and then say, "Oh
darn, there's that pesky ezine again. I wish they would stop
that!" No, they do what you did.

Having chosen to join an ezine, you look forward to each
issue, see the subject line in your email program, open it
and read information that interests you.
Ezines are Powerful.

An interested audience, choosing to read information that
they asked to receive that makes a difference in their real
world. Now, that's marketing power. And when your message
(whether an ad or an article) appears in publications that
fit this description, you win every time. That's why ezine
marketing works so well.
Ezines are Persuasive

The online world is much like the offline world. How many
times do you buy the first thing you see from the first
person who offers it to you? Most of us need to see an offer
more than once to feel that we're making an informed
opinion.

Ezines, with their regular delivery schedule, are the
perfect way to make your case over time.
Ezines are Precise

You've heard the term "target marketing"? Well, nothing on
the Net is more targeted than ezines. Even Pay Per Click
(although excellent) can't target as well as ezines since
search terms can be very broad.

If you want precision marketing, you want ezines.

Yes, I'm an advocate of ezines, and happily so for one very
important reason.

EZINES WORK ... they produce results.

And results is what all great marketing is all about.

While I respect every voice, even those with whom I
seriously disagree, the facts speak for themselves. The
market and technology have combined to beat back every
serious attack on the email marketing business.

The bad people will not win.

The spammers will not prevail.

Those who use email marketing wisely and responsibly can
look forward to a very bright future indeed. As the economy
improves, the outlook for email marketing in 2004 and beyond
has never been brighter.

About the Author

Charlie Page is the owner of the Directory of Ezines ( http://www.directoryofezines.com ), the first and most comprehensive list of quality ezines that accept advertising available on the Internet. Aside from the Directory of Ezines, he currently owns http://www.CharliePage.com
(copywriting), and http://www.InstantEzines.com , where he provides ready-made ezines for an affordable price.

The Sweet "Peas" of Ezine Success

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