How do I increase number of subscribers to my e-zine?
“Publishing an e-zine is a great way to stay in front of your prospects and clients,” answers Meredith Liepelt, president of Rich Life Marketing.
To increase an e-zine subscriber list, she says, “Have a hook — a bonus you offer to subscribers. It can be a free audio course, e-course or whitepaper. It must have a catchy title and be full of valuable information that is relevant to your target market.”
Liepelt also suggests placing a “subscribe” button on each page of your site. “Make it very easy for people to subscribe. Require only their name and e-mail address. You should also include a ‘forward’ button in your e-zine, [or] include in your copy that you appreciate readers forwarding the e-zine to colleagues. Your best prospects and clients are referrals.”
E-COMMERCE
Should I add user reviews to my Web site?
Jim McCarthy, CEO of Goldstar, replies, “Our research shows that potential buyers prefer user reviews from a trusted source over any other kind of information. If you’re doing e-mail marketing, it might make sense to summarize and display user-generated reviews or rates in the e-mails you send.”
Good user reviews will help validate a consumer’s positive feelings, McCarthy says. He adds, “Strong reviews have a big impact on giving undecided customers the confidence to go ahead and buy. This is even more true with expensive purchases or purchases with longer-term consequences.”
And, don’t worry too much about negative reviews. “A few not-so-great pieces of feedback mixed in with good ones prove to media-savvy buyers that you’re not candy-coating. Most people can see past a negative review from someone with an unreasonable axe to grind,” he says.
DIGITAL
How do I launch a marketing campaign in a virtual world?
Ben Richardson, VP business development, Makena Technologies, says the first step is research. “Start by entering your target worlds on your own, to get a feel for the community, economy and policies,” he says. “You should also check out the current marketing campaigns running in the world. This will help you choose which worlds align best with your brand and company mindset.”
He continues, “Virtual worlds hold endless possibilities for marketers. It’s not just about buying virtual land and building a storefront, it’s about completely immersing the consumer into your brand or experience. Campaigns that have been successful in virtual worlds attract and keep the attention of members and can range from selling branded virtual merchandise to events that bring a group of virtual consumers together. Banner ad models really don’t work in virtual worlds — in fact, many consumers come to virtual worlds in hopes of avoiding blatant ads.”
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