| How to Develop
Content for Your E-Zine Do
you struggle with writing articles for your E-Zine? Wish you had more time to devote
to developing ideas and content? Well, you are definitely not alone.
Due to the exploding popularity of
E-Zines as marketing tools, many small business owners find themselves wearing yet another
hat - that of E-Zine publisher. Most likely, you have also taken on the additional
roles of writer, editor, and mailing list manager.
The concern I hear most often from new
E-Zine publishers is, "I am already so busy. I don't have time to think about
coming up with an idea for an article much less writing one." Sound familiar? Your
answers might be closer than you think!
FOCUS POCUS
First, take a moment to think about what you hope to accomplish with your E-Zine, and what
your readers want from you.
If the purpose of your E-Zine falls
somewhere between goodwill ambassador and promotional marketing tool, then you have
everything you need right on your desktop! Let's take a look at the best places to find
topics for your next publication.
OK, START WITH WHAT IS ON YOUR
DESK.
- Get any interesting e-mail this
month? From customers, competitors, or even junk mail?
- What's in your in-box?
Anything you can share with your readers?
TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR DAILY
EXPERIENCES.
- What did you see and hear today? Article,
news, movie, books, billboards, bumper stickers.
- Did you just get back from a really great
seminar? Hey, we (your readers) did not have the opportunity to attend - tell us about it!
- Did you get asked **that** question
again?! Expand an FAQ into an article.
TAKE A LOOK OUTSIDE YOUR OFFICE.
- Is there any news - local, national, or
global affecting your products or services? (HINT: Of course there is!)
- Do you have a forum on your web site? Do
you visit forums on other sites? Forums are loaded with questions, answers and
opinions which makes them great places to pick up an idea for an article.
- Did you have a great experience with a new
vendor that you can share? Great customer service stories are always a favorite in
newsletters.
- Do you have any new products or services
to offer? Maybe a "subscriber only" special?
- Do you have a seasonal or holiday spin?
- Interview somebody!
LET YOUR READERS WRITE YOUR
E-ZINE
How? Encourage feedback. Ask your readers to tell you how they use your products. Host a
Question and Answer column. Using this technique, you can develop a sense of community for
your readers and as a bonus, you get material for your E-Zine.
DO YOU LOOK LIKE A REPORTER?
Ok, so maybe you don't really need one of
those fedora hats with the PRESS card on it, but get one of those little flip-top,
reporter-style spiral notebooks and carry it around with you.
When you have an idea for an article,
write it down in your notebook. Also, keep a folder for clippings from magazine and
newspaper articles. When you follow these simple steps, two things happen:
1) You develop an "idea bank"
for articles upon which you can draw for any issue.
2) The large and overwhelming task of
writing your e-zine has been broken down into smaller pieces and integrated into your
daily routine.
When you do sit down to write your
article, you won't be staring at a blank screen or piece of paper. You've already
completed your homework and have some good ideas to work with.
That's it. The secret is to stick to what
you know and write your newsletter in a personal and conversational tone, as though you
were writing to one of your friends.
Back
to Handbook Table of Contents!
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