Ezine Success: No, the ezine is not dead

Ever since blogs became such a powerful marketing tool for communicating, people have been asking about newsletters:

• Should I keep doing my ezine?
• How should the content that I email be different from my blog content?
• If I'm new to online marketing, which is more important, a blog or an ezine?

I've been asked to contribute to a book about networking tactics for business success, in particular for a chapter on newsletters. The author, Liz Lynch asked me for some examples of ezine success. So I asked people on my list.

Wow, did I get a barrage of emails from colleagues and clients who claim huge successes due to sending out a newsletter. I think we can clearly state:

Ezines are alive and thriving!

Here's how a few people answered my question, "Have you had success with your newsletter?"

Hi Patsi!

You bet.  My entire business is fueled by my twice monthly newsletter.  I've never spent a cent on advertising (other than sponsoring my son's little league team, which believe me, is not a good use of $300) and I do zero outbound prospecting.  I publish the newsletter and wait for the phone to ring.  Been working great for eight years!

Michael Katz | Blue Penguin
----------------------------------------------------

Patsi,

My ezine is my #1 revenue generator.

I can talk about many facets of the NL, but particularly interesting is how I create a "Best of" ebook at the end of each year, plucking out the best two dozen tips from each year's NL.

I compile them into an ebook, load it up with product page links and affiliate links, and offer it as a free Christmas gift to my readers. You can see three examples at the top of this page:

www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/free.html

I encourage them to "regift" the book. And using an Ad Tracker link, I can track how many sales come from it.

Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound
-----------------------------------------

Hi Patsi,

I have had lots of success with the ezine.  This includes requests and contracts for:

• Training/workshops
• Speaking engagements
• A recent request to write a monthly column for a well known & respected state-wide business newspaper
• Self-confidence that I "had something to say" and could actually get it down on paper - leading to the point above.

The bimonthly newsletter articles will form the basis of a book that I am currently working on (writing the bimonthly articles, with a deadline to do so, kept me "on task" in getting this done.)

Let me know if you'd like to talk.

Mary Jo Asmus
Aspire Collaborative Services, LLC
-----------------------------------------

Hi Patsi,

I do consider myself as a success with my newsletters and my websites. I have built my niche decorating newsletter to over 10,000, and because of my online presence I am the home decorating expert for LifetimeTV.com.

-Kathy Wilson, The Budget Decorator

-----------------------------------------

There are more, but I'll share them tomorrow.

Comments

[Terry Finley]

I enjoy writing and reading newsletters.

[Shama Hyder]

eZines are still going strong.

But Patsi, it seems it was much easier to build your list if you started a few years ago. My feeling is that people are so overwhelmed with eZines, that they are thinking twice before signing up (even with the incentive gifts!)

What are your thoughts?