Why You Should Publish an Ezine
By Gail Hornback   ©2004 All Rights Reserved

Every 24 hours, there are an average of 30,000 NEW ( that's right, BRAND NEW), internet users. This means that every day, 30,000 people log on to the internet that have never been here before. If you ask me, that's mind boggling! This is in addition to the hundreds of millions of internet junkies and fortune-seekers that already spend their precious time glued to a PC monitor. :-)

The number 1 reason that all these folks are using the internet? INFORMATION!! If you are attempting to create and manage a successful Internet Business (Ebusiness), then you MUST distribute YOUR INFORMATION to these Internet Users. And with this many folks going on line daily, the odds are in your favor, that you will find people who are looking for what you have to offer. What an opportunity! Well, by far, the BEST way to reach these people with your information is by publishing your own Ezine. (I started to say the "easiest way" in that description, but wouldn't want to mislead you into thinking for one minute that it does not involve a lot of work.) As we work with people on a daily basis, we continue to find that one of the biggest hurdles for many is simply not knowing where to start. The best place to start is always the beginning. And that means that you need to understand exactly what an Ezine is, and why in the world you need one!
What is an Ezine? The word Ezine has not been around very long. Another of the many additions to the English language since the introduction of the Internet - it stands for E-lectronic Maga-zine. E - zine. Synonymous with the word "newsletter", an ezine is a publication, usually delivered by email. Some ezines are strictly web-based, published on the internet. But notification that a new issue is ready to be read would be sent to subscribers via email.
Why Publish an Ezine? Just like hard-copy magazines and newsletters that we receive via US Snail-Mail, there are any number of reasons to publish an ezine. MOST ezines, are directly connected to a website. Some are for profit, others are not. ALL ezines deliver information, related to a specific subject, to interested subscribers on a periodic basis. If you are involved in managing a successful Ebusiness, publishing an ezine is CRITICAL to its growth and success. As an Ebusiness owner, the bottom line 'reason' to publish an ezine is: *To stay connected and build relationships with your site visitors.*
1. Staying connected. Internet surfers are a curious breed. You should know. You're one of them! Think about the way you surf, searching the internet for those valuable nuggets. You visit site after site after site. Always in a hurry, of course. Never reading anything thoroughly, at least not the first time. We've all learned the valuable skill of scanning and speed-reading!! When something catches your eye that you feel is valuable, you will probably do one of two things:

• 1) bookmark the site
• 2) subscribe to their ezine (or both!)

Otherwise, you will NOT remember where you found your information and return. And for most of us surfers, the old addage is true - " Out of Site, Out of Mind". So, any site without an ezine leaves the average surfer only one option. And only half as much of a chance that the interested visitor will remember where he found you and return. Your ezine allows YOU to keep the connection with your site visitors. They may not remember to come back to you. But you will be in contact with them, reminding them you are there.
2. Building Relationships. You have to stay connected to accomplish this part of the "reason". But it is definitely the MOST IMPORTANT part of the reason for publishing an ezine. If you are working hard at your Ebusiness, there is usually one ultimate goal.....to make money! In order to make money, you must sell something. Duh! In order to make sales, you MUST DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS of TRUST. Sure, you'll make a sale here and there, but we're talking REALLY SELLING. Repeat sales, backend sales, return customers. Get the idea? Your Ezine should reach out to your site visitors in a way that allows them to see who you are. Your goal will be to give them something of value in every issue, while adding to their knowledge of who you are, in an effort to build a relationship of trust and loyalty. (You are someone who can be trusted, right??) No phony stuff here, either. Keep this thought in mind:

In order to achieve income from your Ebusiness, you must develop relationships. But you CAN'T create a relationship with the motive of milking income from it

Keeping that basic philosophy as the foundation of everything you do as you develop your Ezine, (and your Ebusiness) will be your ticket to success. Not overnight success, mind you. But good old, hard working, well-earned success. So, with that understanding of what an Ezine is, and why you would choose to publish one, are you ready to get started working?

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