I recently spend several frustrating hours laying out and mailing an email newsletter. If you publish a free ezine, you will know its very time consuming to get all the information formatted correctly before sending. My long lesson should help you!

1. Use master templates

Create a master template using a word processor like MS word. Opening a word document, change the font to courier new - The same font that standard text files use.

Create a line of 60 characters across the page. Use "select all" then move your right hand margin to the end of the line, to set the margin for the whole document.

This stops this effect:

---
Hi
Welcome to
My
ezine and Hope...etc
---

Include any details that go in every ezine. -Title, date, lines for layout, contents list copyright etc

Save as a "text file with Line breaks" You can use this to format all your ezines.

Do the same for any articles you write, so your articles are formatted and ready to cut and paste into your ezine.

2. Us a word processor A lot of editors' recommend using a new program just for your ezine, simply follow these steps:

Using the master, open MS word or similar program and open your master file you have created. Now you can use the grammar checker, spelling etc of a powerful program without formatting problems. When you paste any information, recheck the margins.

Remember to check and save as July.txt or whatever for your newsletter and not over your master.

3. Another pair of eyes

Always get it checked "twice", wait until the next day to read it again before sending. I use my wife as a first check, before it goes any further.

4. Check Send
You can see what it looks like in your mailbox by using and email bounce service. Send it to mailto:echo@connectingonline.com or mailto:format@mail-list.com. It will bounce back to you. This is helpful especially if you publish an html mailing list.

5. Shortcut on desktop

Place a shortcut to you directory where your master and upcoming ezines are in. That way every time you find a link, that would be helpful to your subscribers, copy and paste it straight in.

6. Build over time

If you ezine goes out fortnightly, the day after it goes out make some progress on the next one, even it means just check the layout, but get it started and finish it a couple days before publishing day. This gives you time to check it before sending.

7. Write your own articles

How can this save your time? By having your own articles, you can increase your creditability and never have to look for new fresh information.

Ezines build customer trust for ongoing sales. Anybody can write articles, you don't have to be a world class author.

8. Use a proof reader

This doesn't have to be a large expensive service, I use students who do a good fast job. I email the information to them, the next day I get it back ready to send. The best way is to send it as an attachment and keep an eye on your formatting when you get it back from them.

9. Treat it like a 100,000

That's right, 100,00 subscribers "and" $100,000. Keep to your publishing dates, treat your subscribers like gold and they will trust you and become long time repeat customers.

10. Use a mailing list provider.

I used a lot of services from software, like mailoop, list servers etc. So far bringing the service in house using a personalized script Mail Master Pro has been a good option, check it out at

http://www.cgitoolbox.com/cgi/mmp/

Personalizing you newsletter will make it "stand out" from the other 80,000+ ezines online.

Producing an email newsletter is an excellent way to build trust, promote your site and increase sales. Remember that it should be only one of you promotion methods and way of increasing sales. Have a great day.

Paul Easton
Power Promotion Plus-Free Newsletter, Learn the secrets of Web Site Promotion and get Free Award Software to do it! http://100Promotiontips.com/ezine.htm for more information