Managing Your List
TweetAre you building a list and using it to it's full potential? If not then you are missing out on an opportunity to interact with potential clients, build a relationship with your niche audience, and make more money. Let's take a look at some of the best practice I've found for running a successful newsletter.
Send Times
Your email subscribers will establish a ritual, so it's important to maintain a consistent send time. If you are going to send them something every day, then don't skip days here and there or disappear for a week. Don't send them something at 8 AM one day and 3 PM the next. Why not send it to them when you have the highest chance of them reading it? That time is before 6 AM EST. Why? Because most people check their emails first thing when they wake up (which is between 6 AM & 7 AM - use eastern since more than 50% of US residents live in that time zone). If your email is sent very close to that time it has the best chance of being on top.
How Often to Send
Are you scared that by emailing them every day they will unsubscribe? Don't be. Infrequent emails actually lead to more unsubscribers than frequent. If someone is going to unsubscribe they will do so early on and because they do not like your newsletter content. If they want your information they will want more of it not less.
What To Send
Give your readers lots of links back to your site. Link to more valuable free content and link to the products you talk about. I link at least three times in the emails I send out. That ensures that if they are interested in your content they are going to click through. Do it once early in the newsletter, once towards the end, and once again after your signature.
If you are only sending them promos and trying to get them to buy you are going to wear your list out eventually. Think of your relationship with each subscriber as a glass of water. Every time you send a promo to them you pour a little out of the cup. Every time you offer them something of value water is added back in. You have to build your relationship with them up if you are going to send them promos. If you send your list valuable content mixed in with trying to "sell stuff" you are going to have more of a response on your offers AND you are going to keep your subscribers signed up.
Example
Let's take an example of a site that sells stock predictions. A great way to get people to sign up for your newsletter would be to give them a free pick everyday. This doesn't have to be your best stock that you see with the most potential to rise, save that for your paying customers. This can be a stock you feel good about that is showing just a little bit of value. Send it out early in the morning, every day before the market opens. When the market is closed on weekends and holidays, you can take those days off.
If you don't have a free pick on a certain day, check for someone else who does and send that (hopefully you are selling multiple experts on your site.) Make sure the analysis is top notch, don't just send them a prediction with no thought behind it. That's low value and isn't going to build a relationship. You can also give them solid analysis on certain companies, markets, or trends. Write them about the techniques you use to come up with your predictions. These can all be viewed as high-value content by your subscribers.