But let’s think about WHY you began your e-zine in the first place. It was likely to use it as a vehicle to promote you and your services/products, right?

You have every right to toot your own horn in your e-zine, as long as you don’t drown out the useful content your readers are looking for. You work hard on your e-zine, so let’s make your e-zine work foryou!

Here are 7 simple ideas on how to accomplish this:

1. Make sure your MAIN ARTICLE always provides information that your readers will find valuable.
   
   By having a main article as the foundation of your issue, readers will feel they got what they came for — helpful information. Try a list of top 10 tips, a “how-to” article, a list of resources, a review of a trend in the industry — that sort of thing.
   
   So remember, if your e-zine is tonight’s meal, your main article should be the entree. Any promotional info should be your side dishes!



2. Begin each issue with an EDITOR’S NOTE or PUBLISHER’S NOTE.
   
   I began doing this during the fall of 2001, and have found it’s the perfect place to let readers know about what’s happening with me and my business, give them a taste of my personality, and announce any upcoming events or workshops. Because this is a personal message from you to them, and because it’s NOT your main content, you have more leeway in being direct and self-promotional.



3. In your article, throw in LINKS to related articles you’ve written or been featured in, when appropriate.
   
   Your readers will appreciate the additional information and resources, and it’s one more chance for you to demonstrate your expertise and credibility.



4. Directly after your article, give a quick PROMO BLURB, mentioning your e-books, reports, or workshops, if you offer them.
   
   Why right after the article and before anything else? If someone reads your article and says to themselves, “Gee, that was great information!” They’ll be ready to hear what else you have to share on that subject.
   
   A great lead-in for your blurb is: “Did You Like Today’s Article? If you did, you’ll LOVE my [e-book, report, upcoming workshop, etc.]...”



5. In each issue, offer a TESTIMONIAL from one of your clients or customers.
   
   I saw another e-zine publisher doing this last year and thought, “What a great idea! She’s giving her readers further reason to try her services.”
   
   I now also do this by featuring a short testimonial in each issue from someone who has bought my book and loves it.



6. Tell us what YOU’RE all about!
   
   At the end of your ezine, take at least 10 lines and give a concise description of YOU and what you have to offer your readers.
   
   For example, here’s what I put at the bottom of every “E-zine Queen” newsletter:
   
   Marketing writer and consultant Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” is author of “Boost Business With Your Own E-zine: 283 Secrets to Planning, Writing, Publishing, and Promoting an E-Mail Newsletter That Gets Results.”
   
   It’s a step-by-step manual that walks you through the entire process. It’s available, along with “The E-zine Queen Resource Report” (more than 219 e-zine promotion resources!), at http://www.ezinequeen.com/
   
   
7. Occasionally, make a special announcement in a SOLO MAILING.
   
   A solo mailing is any mailing you make to your E-ZINE subscriber list that is NOT a regular issue of your ezine.
   
   Now, some e-zine publishers blatantly abuse this privilege, sending out announcements every two days about the latest and greatest product or affiliate program.
   
   If you do send out any solo mailings, keep it to a minimum (I'd say no more than one or two a month), and make sure they're truly newsworthy. Perhaps one of your special offers is coming to an end, you need your readers” help, or you”re offering a last-minute workshop and need to fill seats. Get the idea?
   
   IMPORTANT: Make sure to still include your masthead, contact info, and unsubscribe info in your solo mailings. This way your readers
   All About eBay
   eBay is currently the most popular and widely accessed online shopping destination for online shoppers around the world.As a start up company founded in September 1995, eBay has started the trend of creating and organizing auctions for basically anything tradeable. The catch is, everything is done electronically or through the Internet.To date eBay sells about 55 million hot items under up to 50,000 trade categories. This Internet-based marketplace is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, no holidays. A person can shop for desired items anywhere he or she may be.A
   n. Try a list of top 10 tips, a “how-to” article, a list of resources, a review of a trend in the industry — that sort of thing.
   
   So remember, if your e-zine is tonight’s meal, your main article should be the entree. Any promotional info should be your side dishes!



8. Begin each issue with an EDITOR’S NOTE or PUBLISHER’S NOTE.
   
   I began doing this during the fall of 2001, and have found it’s the perfect place to let readers know about what’s happening with me and my business, give them a taste of my personality, and announce any upcoming events or workshops. Because this is a personal message from you to them, and because it’s NOT your main content, you have more leeway in being direct and self-promotional.



9. In your article, throw in LINKS to related articles you’ve written or been featured in, when appropriate.
   
   Your readers will appreciate the additional information and resources, and it’s one more chance for you to demonstrate your expertise and credibility.



10. Directly after your article, give a quick PROMO BLURB, mentioning your e-books, reports, or workshops, if you offer them.
    
    Why right after the article and before anything else? If someone reads your article and says to themselves, “Gee, that was great information!” They’ll be ready to hear what else you have to share on that subject.
    
    A great lead-in for your blurb is: “Did You Like Today’s Article? If you did, you’ll LOVE my [e-book, report, upcoming workshop, etc.]...”



11. In each issue, offer a TESTIMONIAL from one of your clients or customers.
    
    I saw another e-zine publisher doing this last year and thought, “What a great idea! She’s giving her readers further reason to try her services.”
    
    I now also do this by featuring a short testimonial in each issue from someone who has bought my book and loves it.



12. Tell us what YOU’RE all about!
    
    At the end of your ezine, take at least 10 lines and give a concise description of YOU and what you have to offer your readers.
    
    For example, here’s what I put at the bottom of every “E-zine Queen” newsletter:
    
    Marketing writer and consultant Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” is author of “Boost Business With Your Own E-zine: 283 Secrets to Planning, Writing, Publishing, and Promoting an E-Mail Newsletter That Gets Results.”
    
    It’s a step-by-step manual that walks you through the entire process. It’s available, along with “The E-zine Queen Resource Report” (more than 219 e-zine promotion resources!), at http://www.ezinequeen.com/
    
    
13. Occasionally, make a special announcement in a SOLO MAILING.
    
    A solo mailing is any mailing you make to your E-ZINE subscriber list that is NOT a regular issue of your ezine.
    
    Now, some e-zine publishers blatantly abuse this privilege, sending out announcements every two days about the latest and greatest product or affiliate program.
    
    If you do send out any solo mailings, keep it to a minimum (I'd say no more than one or two a month), and make sure they're truly newsworthy. Perhaps one of your special offers is coming to an end, you need your readers” help, or you”re offering a last-minute workshop and need to fill seats. Get the idea?
    
    IMPORTANT: Make sure to still include your masthead, contact info, and unsubscribe info in your solo mailings. This way your reader
    Research Your Idea - Do Your Homework
    The planning and testing stage is the time to research your ideas to figure out if there really is a market for your product. Too many newbies start out with an idea that they think it is brilliant, and it may well be brilliant. But you have to test and research to see just what is the interest or demand that your product might generate. How can you do your homework on something that is new? First you have to take a look around the market to see if there is something similar. Is it being used in a similar fashion? How is it selling? Is it a good product? What is the selling poi
    he additional information and resources, and it’s one more chance for you to demonstrate your expertise and credibility.



14. Directly after your article, give a quick PROMO BLURB, mentioning your e-books, reports, or workshops, if you offer them.
    
    Why right after the article and before anything else? If someone reads your article and says to themselves, “Gee, that was great information!” They’ll be ready to hear what else you have to share on that subject.
    
    A great lead-in for your blurb is: “Did You Like Today’s Article? If you did, you’ll LOVE my [e-book, report, upcoming workshop, etc.]...”



15. In each issue, offer a TESTIMONIAL from one of your clients or customers.
    
    I saw another e-zine publisher doing this last year and thought, “What a great idea! She’s giving her readers further reason to try her services.”
    
    I now also do this by featuring a short testimonial in each issue from someone who has bought my book and loves it.



16. Tell us what YOU’RE all about!
    
    At the end of your ezine, take at least 10 lines and give a concise description of YOU and what you have to offer your readers.
    
    For example, here’s what I put at the bottom of every “E-zine Queen” newsletter:
    
    Marketing writer and consultant Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” is author of “Boost Business With Your Own E-zine: 283 Secrets to Planning, Writing, Publishing, and Promoting an E-Mail Newsletter That Gets Results.”
    
    It’s a step-by-step manual that walks you through the entire process. It’s available, along with “The E-zine Queen Resource Report” (more than 219 e-zine promotion resources!), at http://www.ezinequeen.com/
    
    
17. Occasionally, make a special announcement in a SOLO MAILING.
    
    A solo mailing is any mailing you make to your E-ZINE subscriber list that is NOT a regular issue of your ezine.
    
    Now, some e-zine publishers blatantly abuse this privilege, sending out announcements every two days about the latest and greatest product or affiliate program.
    
    If you do send out any solo mailings, keep it to a minimum (I'd say no more than one or two a month), and make sure they're truly newsworthy. Perhaps one of your special offers is coming to an end, you need your readers” help, or you”re offering a last-minute workshop and need to fill seats. Get the idea?
    
    IMPORTANT: Make sure to still include your masthead, contact info, and unsubscribe info in your solo mailings. This way your reader
    Keyword Seection For Search Engines
    We all know by now that Search Engines are the key to driving potential customers to your websites. However, in order for visitors to reach your website, you need to provide them with explicit and useful pointers that will direct them right to your site. You do this by creating lists of carefully chosen keywords.Find the right words or phrases, and hoards of traffic will be pulling up to your front door. But if your keywords are too general or over-used, the possibility of visitors making it to your site - or of seeing any real profits from the visitors that do arrive - are red
    by featuring a short testimonial in each issue from someone who has bought my book and loves it.



18. Tell us what YOU’RE all about!
    
    At the end of your ezine, take at least 10 lines and give a concise description of YOU and what you have to offer your readers.
    
    For example, here’s what I put at the bottom of every “E-zine Queen” newsletter:
    
    Marketing writer and consultant Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” is author of “Boost Business With Your Own E-zine: 283 Secrets to Planning, Writing, Publishing, and Promoting an E-Mail Newsletter That Gets Results.”
    
    It’s a step-by-step manual that walks you through the entire process. It’s available, along with “The E-zine Queen Resource Report” (more than 219 e-zine promotion resources!), at http://www.ezinequeen.com/
    
    
19. Occasionally, make a special announcement in a SOLO MAILING.
    
    A solo mailing is any mailing you make to your E-ZINE subscriber list that is NOT a regular issue of your ezine.
    
    Now, some e-zine publishers blatantly abuse this privilege, sending out announcements every two days about the latest and greatest product or affiliate program.
    
    If you do send out any solo mailings, keep it to a minimum (I'd say no more than one or two a month), and make sure they're truly newsworthy. Perhaps one of your special offers is coming to an end, you need your readers” help, or you”re offering a last-minute workshop and need to fill seats. Get the idea?
    
    IMPORTANT: Make sure to still include your masthead, contact info, and unsubscribe info in your solo mailings. This way your reader
    Retailers Face Credibility Problems
    It seems to have started harmlessly enough, this business of retailers misleading their customers. But after several years first of stretching the truth, then nibbling hungrily away at it, it appears many retailers wouldn’t know the truth if they stepped in it.It began a decade or so ago, I’m told, apparently because of the “plumping” of America. Ladies clothing stores began being questioned by a growing number of women – no pun intended – about why their dresses and slacks didn’t seem to fit as comfortably as they once did. To be fair, we men were asking similar questions.urn true;" onMouseout="window.status=''; return true;">http://www.ezinequeen.com/
    
    
20. Occasionally, make a special announcement in a SOLO MAILING.
    
    A solo mailing is any mailing you make to your E-ZINE subscriber list that is NOT a regular issue of your ezine.
    
    Now, some e-zine publishers blatantly abuse this privilege, sending out announcements every two days about the latest and greatest product or affiliate program.
    
    If you do send out any solo mailings, keep it to a minimum (I'd say no more than one or two a month), and make sure they're truly newsworthy. Perhaps one of your special offers is coming to an end, you need your readers” help, or you”re offering a last-minute workshop and need to fill seats. Get the idea?
    
    IMPORTANT: Make sure to still include your masthead, contact info, and unsubscribe info in your solo mailings. This way your readers won’t mistake them for junk mail.

(c) 2002 Alexandria K. Brown