You are probably thinking you really don't need to start a newsletter. After all, the Internet is swamped with people offering them. There are thousands perhaps millions of newsletters out there.

Why should you offer an electronic newsletter at your web site?

It is the easiest way to get free advertising and promotional information to a "targeted" base of consumers. Whenever we send out our newsletter, we always receive numerous hits and repeat traffic within 30 minutes of the newsletter being sent out. If you sell tangible products, you can expect 5 - 10 product orders within that same time frame, if you have a promotional offer that creates urgency.

No other advertising method allows you to reach such a wide base of people throughout the world, so affordably and so quickly. If you don't have a web site yet, prepare to start a newsletter when you put your web site up. If you have a web site already and you don't have a newsletter, START ONE TODAY!

How are you going to get someone to subscribe to your newsletter and what do you put in it? Here are a few pointers about successful newsletters.

1. Newsletters should be content driven. We believe a good newsletter should excite, educate and entertain. Some of our peers might disagree, they say that a newsletter should only promote. We think promotion is an essential part of a newsletter but should not be the sole component. You can write about things relevant to your business or you can feature articles from professionals in your field. You can also do a combination of both.

2. A newsletter should be Opt-In or (permission based). Don't get over excited about launching your web site by sending out a bunch of e-mail's promoting your site and newsletter to news groups or user lists. This is not only bad Internet manners but it is bad business.

3. Locate the "subscribe button" to your newsletter in a prominent part of your home page, that is virtually impossible to miss. If you need an example of this, go to our home page at http://www.emarketingman.com

4. In your subscription confirmation e-mail, tell the new subscriber how they can unsubscribe and how frequently you will be e-mailing them. Don't get offended if someone unsubscribes. It isn't personal, drop them from your list and move on.

5. Automate your subscribe and unsubscribe process. There are a number of organizations that will host your newsletter for free. These companies have systems that allow you to quickly and easily set up your own automated newsletter subscriber system. Two companies we recommend are http://www.topica.com and http://www.egroups.com. Setting up with either company takes about twenty minutes. Automating your subscriber process will make your site more professional and will also save you time from having to manually add and remove subscribers.

6. Make money by selling advertising or promoting products that you have affiliate links with in your newsletter. Now you are not only sending out free advertising at no cost to you, you are making money selling space in your newsletter or promoting products in your newsletter.

A great example of a successful newsletter is "What's The Word? How to separate Internet Fact from Fiction!" This is our EMarketingMan.com newsletter. You can read past newsletters at http://www.topica.com/lists/emarketingman/read

In summary, a newsletter is the easiest way to promote your products or your web site. The time involved in writing a newsletter is worth the return, since sending the newsletter out if free! If you don't have a electronic newsletter, you are missing out on the most cost effective strategy available for promoting your web site.

Daryl Clark is President and CEO of EMarketingMan.com. His goal is to provide you with high quality information, management and internet consulting services. You can read his other articles at http://www.emarketingman.com/articlespolicy.htm. E-mail to: emarketingman-subscribe@topica.com