Interviews With Successful Ezine Publishers - Eva Browne-
Paterson
Evie Browne-Paterson is publisher of EvieB's New-Z, an ezine
aimed at people with a business who want to promote it for free
or at little cost. Subscribers are provided with Free marketing
software, marketing ebooks, marketing articles, techie tips,
contests, where to get bargains, original promotion concepts and
more. $590 worth of free advertising as a subscription bonus and
two free ads to 32k+ each week!
To subscribe, visit http://evieb.com/new-z.html
KH: How important has publishing an ezine been to your business?
EBP: It is the basis of my business so it is very important.
KH: How long have you been running an ezine and how many
subscribers do you have?
EBP: Just over a year, October 2001, and I now have over 32,500
subscribers.
KH: Do you submit your ezine to directories and/or announcement
lists and if so how effective has this been in gaining new
subscribers to your publication?
EBP: Yes definitely and I resubmit every other month. I use
Ezine Announcer software to do this. It automates the process
and makes it much quicker.
KH: Do you write and use your own articles to promote your
ezine? How valuable has writing articles been in promoting your
ezine?
EBP: Yes. Not as often as I'd like to but I should have more
time now that I've just left my full time job. Writing was the
whole reason I started an ezine in the first place. I've always
wanted to write because I enjoy it tremendously and it is very
rewarding. Promotion wise for the ezine, articles are a great
tool.
KH: What methods do you use to promote your products or services
within your ezine?
EBP: I use a passive method to promote my services. I don't like
to force things down people's throats because if they want to
advertise with me, they will. I'm more focused on helping my
subscribers get something of value from my ezine. I always use
EzineAdAuction to sell advertising so it's more consistent for
me to use that method instead of pushing advertising to my
subscribers. Mind you, if I have a special going, I just include
it in the Editor's Blurb to let my subscribers know.
KH: How do you go about preparing your ezine for publication?
EBP: I do a lot of research in the days leading up to
publication and send myself links, information, etc., that I
will use in the ezine via email. I keep it in my inbox and then
include the information in my ezine when I'm actually getting
the ezine ready.
When I'm preparing the ezine, I use the previous issue so I can
continue along the lines of the last edition and I update it to
the current issue.
As I publish online, I need to copy and paste everything into
notepad first and then I make sure all the links open in a new
window, and lastly, I run the spell checker over it before
uploading. Then I test the tracking link to make sure it works
before I send out an email with the tracking link included.
KH: Any advice to future ezine publishers? Things to look out
for or things to concentrate on when publishing an ezine?
EBP: Yes. Make sure you have a good web host that won't shut you
down at the first spam complaint. I've had several complaints
and I only ever send email to personal friends or my subscriber
list. Quite often it's a virus sending the spam and not me. I've
never sent spam in my life. It's just not worth risking
everything you've worked hard for to lose over a single
complaint!
Another thing: Don't complain to your subscribers! They don't
want to hear it! If you use your ezine as a place to complain,
then rewrite it, and rewrite it again until it's out of your
system - then click send when you've rewritten it completely to
sound more positive! :~)
Ask other publishers for resources and help. They'd be happy to
help you out.
Try to keep organized so you don't spend too many hours getting
your ezine ready. Make up a mental plan of what you want to
include in advance, or write it down. Try not to publish late if
you can help it, but these things do happen sometimes. :~)