Simon Payn's Effective Customer Newsletters

Banned! How a Client Got Blocked from Sending Newsletters...and How You Can Avoid the Same Thing Happening to You

One of my clients was kicked out of VerticalResponse this week for spamming people. 

I want to share what happened so that you don't make the same mistake.

But first, some background.

As you know, spam is a huge problem. Just look at your inbox each morning.

And because of that, email software (such at Outlook) and internet service providers (such as Gmail, Hotmail, Comcast and Rogers) put up all sorts of filters to stop spam getting through.

That's all great...but it means that people like you and me, who just want to keep in touch with our clients, can get trapped in spam filters too.

So that's where email service providers - VerticalResponse is one of them but there are many others - come in.

Their #1 job is to build a relationship with others in the internet community - and that relationship is based on their reputation as a source of nothing but genuine emails.

So when you send a newsletter using their service you get the best chance of getting your message delivered.

VerticalResponse, which I am partnered with for my email newsletter service, are one of the best in the industry at this. That's one reason why I chose VR as my vendor.

Their terms and conditions state that you cannot upload lists of bought or harvested email addresses. Period. 

The reason for this is because you don't have permission to mail to these people; they're not expecting to hear from you.

And when you send a mass mailing to people who are not expecting to hear from you...well, that's the very definition of spam.

So what happened in this case?

It looks like my client bought a list of email addresses and used that list in VR, breaking the terms and conditions. In that list were addresses that were known "spam traps" - email addresses that only appear on bought or harvested lists of names.

When you send an email to one of these addresses, all sorts of alarms go off.

And that's what happened.

(Not only that, but several people also wrote to VerticalResponse to complain about receiving spam. That's bad.)

Spamhaus, which acts like a spam police officer, flagged the messages and almost blacklisted VerticalResponse itself. If that had happened, VR's reputation would have been ruined...and so would the chances of its thousands of clients getting their messages delivered.

So you can see why this client got kicked out. And why they can't come back.

And I have to say, although this was a client of mine, I agree with VR's decision.

How to Avoid this Happening to You

Clearly, don't buy and use a list of names that you have no relationship with.

Although it's tempting to be able to contact a lot of people for very little cost, it's potentially illegal and plain bad business.

The only reason spammers succeed is because they send literally billions of messages. And when you send that many, there's sure to be some people who respond and make the exercise profitable.

But for you...there's simply too much downside. The numbers are against you.

I think there's a bigger philosophical issue involved too.

How do you want to position yourself in the market?

Do you want to be a pest? Or do you want to be a trusted advisor?

Do you want to be associated with Viagra and porn websites? Or do you want to build long-term, profitable relationships with people who know you, like you and trust you?

To me, the answer is quite clear.

More articles on this topic:

The Best Way to Send Out Email Newsletters

Email Newsletters: Who Should You Send Them To?

How to Sign Up People For Your Newsletter on Your Website

Will Your Newsletter Pester People?

Is the Harvard Business Review Claiming You Can Spam Other Businesses?

Are You Wasting Your Website Visitors?

Here's a bold claim: You could double your income if you stopped wasting the visitors who come to your website.

How can I claim this?

The thing is, people don't necessarily contact you or, much less buy from you, the first time they visit your website.

Indeed, it takes at least five "touches" with you on average before they commit to doing something.

I know this as a fact from looking at the stats from my own business. Of the new members that join, more than 50% join at least 12 days after they first visit my site!

So...what happens to those that don't take action right away?

In most cases - in the vast majority of websites - that visitor is lost. Probably forever. After all, most people are too busy and stressed to remember to come back to your website.

That's why successful business put a form on their website that encourages people to join their mailing list.

Since doing what I'm going to suggest below, I've improved my conversion long-term rate by 50%. And that rate is going up month after month after month.

Of course, there's a secret to doing this right. And it's a topic I've written about many times, such as here.

But here are two easy ways to get that form up there.

 1) If you are a member of my email service and are using Vertical Response (or even if you are using another email service provider) you can very easily create a form that you can post on your site. 

The form looks like the one on the right here.

When people complete it, their details automatically go into your database so you can send them your newsletter.

2) If you don't use Vertical Response (maybe you are sending print newsletters) all is not lost! Google provides free forms you can create and paste onto your website.

Just to go http://docs.google.com. Create an account and then click on the link that says "create new" and choose "form".

It's very easy.

How I can help you

During the month of July, I'm offering to help members of Ready to Go Newsletters to put a form on their website.

If you would like help, please complete the form you will find when you log into your account.

I will contact you to discuss how we're going to do it (the method will depend on the type of website you have.)

Honestly, this is the biggest single thing you can do to improve your income over the next year.

The Secret to Building Your Business in the Post-Crisis Economy

There’s never been a more important time to develop the relationships you have with your clients – or start creating relationships if you are new in business.

Read why here in this special 4-page report I have prepared. (PDF file).

Show that You're Real In a Few Simple Words

Check out this post on the 37Signals blog. It shows an automated "thank you" message that a particular website sends after someone has made an online order.

Big deal, you might think. Why is the wording of this email (and others like it) so important?

Here's the thing: people like to do business with people, not machines. 

Of course, a lot of communications - like the one in this article - are automated messages or "form" letters. But that doesn't mean they have to sound like it.

Just small tweaks to the language can make a a message sound more human. And when you do that - showing that there's a real person behind your company - you start to build a connection with your clients.

Then - as I so often say - those connections lead to relationships, which lead to long-term profits.

Email Newsletters: Who Should You Send Them To?

Here's a useful primer from Vertical Response about your email newsletter list.

Bottom line: Don't send unsolicited email, you'll just wind up getting your business in trouble. You might want to try either renting a postal list of potential prospects or looking at a list of leads you might have acquired over the years. Then send them a postcard. In the postcard you can direct them to the web and give them a great offer or a free download so they'll move into the first two lists.

Read the entire article here.

Do People 'Look Forward' to You?

Regular readers of this blog will know I'm a fan of artist/marketing blogger Hugh MacLeod.

For one thing, we're on the same wavelength about newsletters.

As he says, the content you create - and that includes your newsletters - should be content that people "look forward to."

I urge you to read his post here. 

Want 171 Marketing Ideas? Age of Conversation 3 Now Available

I'm delighted to say that Age of Conversation 3 is now available on Amazon.

This is the third edition of a book I've been proud to contribute to. A total of 171 marketing bloggers have each contributed a chapter. Like the previous two editions, proceeds go to a children's charity of our choosing.

The book is loosely based on social media - but that includes any marketing channel that encourages conversation. And yes, that means newsletters too (the subject of my chapter). It's interesting to track the development of social media from a fledgling concept when the first edition of the book was published to a mainstream marketing tool

Take a look to see how 171 people in 15 countries (led expertly by Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton) can put together a fascinating book.

Happy Clients Make Me Smile

It's not often I post testimonials from clients here. But this one made me smile. Are you making the most of testimonials you get from your happy clients?

Thank You Ready To Go Newsletters!

 
You have given me the most successful marketing tool I’ve used in my 11 years as a mortgage agent.
 
I was skeptical at first. How could such a small monthly subscription amount to much of a benefit.  Boy was I wrong!
 
I sent my first newsletter in November 2009 and got amazing results. I got invited into 3 real estate offices to do a presentation. I  had been calling on them for a long time. I got 3 referrals from one office. I had never gotten anything from them before. I also got 3 referrals from past clients. I wasn’t calling them- they called me.
 
I send my newsletters every month and every time I send them I get referrals. I took a look at my numbers and I’m getting an average of 4 client referrals and 2 agent referrals each month since I started.
 
The thing I don’t understand is that these were the same contacts I had already been annoying on a regular basis with my "home-made emails". All of a sudden, these folks were actually reading this stuff!! And contacting me!!
 

I am extremely grateful for this top quality service, and as long as you want me as a customer, I’m on board!!

Victor Matos
Verico Newbridge Mortgage

Announcing...The First Newsletter Marketer of the Year

 I'm delighted to announce that Patty Wagner, of MAS Insurance LLC, in Colorado, has won our first Newsletter Marketer of the Year contest. She wins an Apple iPad.

Patty won for three reasons:

• Excellent results from her newsletters
• Excellent use of the customization features - she really made the newsletters hers
• Excellent and innovative marketing techniques using newsletters.

Below is her contest entry. It's worth reading all of it to learn a thing or two, but I've highlighted the parts that I think are most interesting.

And if you don't think this applies to you because you're not in insurance...think again. They things that Patty has done are relevant to ALL industries.

Below I've written about some customization she did that really made a difference.

There are also links to four months of her newsletters, so you can take a look at them.

I'll post again in the future with news of the runners up.

Describe your business before using newsletters

(Tell us about any issues you had about getting clients, making sales or developing your business.)

In developing our business we use workshops, monthly postcard mailers and networking.  These avenues will create additional business but they are expensive and slow going.  Marketing gurus always suggest having a newsletter as part of your marketing strategy.

We used another newsletter service for a short time. It was poorly formatted, impossible to edit, quite boring, and worst of all no one even cared about getting the newsletter.  It became apparent that a change to the newsletter was a priority.  Thank goodness for the internet – HELLO Simon.  It was exactly what I was looking for.

Insurance is a touchy subject to broach with people at networking events.  Once they find out your in insurance bodies stiffen, eyes glaze over and they fumble for an excuse to get away.  Ok not all the time but the newsletter has become a great ice breaker and has softened the image of the business.

Describe your business after using newsletters
(Tell us how your business changed. Did you get more clients? If so, how many? How much extra income did you make? Did they benefit your business in any other way?)

After starting your service in September 2009, we received positive responses from our clients. And some clients actually had the guts to mention how bad the old newsletter was. Ouch! 

Every one seems to enjoy a different part of the newsletter.  Some enjoy the Sudoku puzzles, while others are crossword diehards.  Some parents actually acted on the North Pole postmark article and appreciated that something for children was included.  Got some chuckles from ‘Resolutions of Past’.  Women loved the ‘Food Rules to Live By’ – they want more diet tips.  And we received more written testimonials and inquiries about our Financial Literacy Lectures.

But of course the best part is when both clients and prospects talk about the insurance articles.  “I remember reading…..”  That phrase usually converts to a sale.  Some comment they didn’t realize we offered a particular type of coverage, another sales conversion.  It has also created awareness of products they didn’t know existed.

Sales made as a direct result of a particular article:

¨    ‘Key Person Insurance for Small Business Owners’ – 2 business polices issued.

¨    ‘Time for a New Year Review of Your Life Insurance’ – 2 permanent policies and 1 term policy.

¨    The free report ‘Preserving & Enhancing Your Retirement Funds’ 1 annuity policy written.

¨    ‘The Three Supplementals’ article, March 2010 - 5 disability policies. Talk about swift action!

This is what we can directly attribute to the newsletter. This may seem modest to most, but huge for us.  Since September 2009 we have added 24 new clients.  Our clients mention our newsletter often in conversation and seem to appreciate receiving the newsletter.  This intangible benefit of a newsletter cannot be measured.

The business has benefited in other ways not expected.  We have found that giving a current copy of the newsletter in addition to our company brochure has produced more results then just the brochure alone.

In attending a meeting at our FMO (insurance field marketing organization), the head of the FMO was outlining marketing ideas to improve sales.  The last point he hit on was the benefit of producing a newsletter.  To my astonishment, he held up one of our newsletters as an example of how it should be done.  SNAP!  Received brownie points with the FMO.

In the March issue, we wanted to experiment with strategic partnerships by offering a spot in our newsletter for more referrals.  Too soon to measure a response but word did get around one networking group and the kissing up has now begun for those who want the business exposure.

Describe how you used newsletters to get these benefits
(Tell us how you distribute your newsletters, how often, and who to. Tell us anything else we need to know about your newsletter program.)

We distribute the newsletter monthly. The print version is for our clients.  We enclose a bonus flyer with the print version, eliminating an extra mail drop, saving on postage and envelopes. The email version is sent monthly to about 300 prospects; with a very low unsubscribe percentage.

An added benefit with the email version is the report produced for bounces and unsubscribes; an excellent tool.  Obviously a good barometer of who is really interested.  We met these people, so we can sometimes surmise why they unsubscribed and the next time we see them, we gently inquire and it reopens a dialog. 

Extra print copies are made to give out at networking meetings and have no problem getting people to sign up for the newsletter.  Print copies are placed in the ‘New Members’ bags at Chamber of Commerce luncheons.  I basically shove a copy in every hand every chance I get. 

When giving a 30 second commercial at referral groups, you are up against limited time and unable to expand on the topic.  The newsletter allows you to continuously provide those all important insurance tidbits which clients keep in mind when the time comes to get insurance.  It has woken them up to the need for insurance.  It has resulted in clients purchasing other insurance products making them repeat clients and has helped with client retention. 

The monthly newsletter has become one of our best sources for new business.  It has created that trusted advisor aspect we wanted and has made people gain confidence in choosing their coverage.

I didn’t realize what an integral part it would play in our business.  I cannot envision not having a newsletter.  The marketing gurus were right, having a newsletter as part of your marketing does produce income, we are proof of that.

Here are some of the excellent innovations in Patty's newsletter.

Engagement Devices (to encourage people to interact with the newsletter.)

Java Addicts - a cup of Joe on us when you send my assistant all the names of Santa's Reindeer and your address - and she'll send you a free Starbucks coffee card. (This was in the December edition, of course!)

Personality

A personal note from the insurance agent, including the words "I understand. I myself received a $150 per month increase [in health insurance premiums]." A great call to action that encourages clients to call him when their premiums rise.

Fun and interesting content

Local content: for example, information about Colorado's Long-Term Care Partnership, and the local chamber of commerce.

Articles by other local businesses.

Examples of Patty's newsletters

Download MAS Nov 2009 Newsletter

Download MAS Dec 2009 Newsletter

Download MAS Jan 2010 Newsletter

Download MAS Feb 2010 Newsletter
 

[Picture credit]

Email Marketing Getting More Effective

Some good news.

Most people who use email marketing - and that includes email newsletters - say that it's getting more effective, as this chart from Marketing Sherpa shows.

Says Marketing Sherpa: In general, the effectiveness of email for marketing purposes is doing well. More than 3 times the percentage of marketers who said the effectiveness of the medium is decreasing said it is increasing. Despite the challenges that marketers have with email, their opinion of the medium is still quite strong. This attitude is one reason for the continuing shift in marketing budgets from other tactics to email. 

Read more here.

Why I Put Those Darn Recipes in My Newsletters

Here's a video on a very important topic - the actual content of your newsletters.

Here I explain why I choose certain types of article - and why that choice is important for making your newsletter effective.

How Great Leaders (and Marketers) Inspire Action

Check out this TED video. It explains the power of telling people "why" you do something rather than "how" you do something or "what" you do.

(As an aside, follow this link to find out "why" I do what I do!)

Building Relationships With Newsletters

This post by Sonia Simone is worthwhile reading if you want to make your newsletter more effective.

Here's the thing: long-term business success is down to building long-term relationships.

Newsletters are the most powerful tool you have to build those relationships.

This article mentions the kind of content to include to build them.

The Personal Paragraph: An Easy Way to Boost Response to Your Newsletter

One of my best clients called the other day to report something that made a big difference to the response to his wife's real estate newsletter.

At the top of every email newsletter he sent out, he added a personal paragraph about something that was going on in their lives. 

Just a tidbit.

He tells me many more people responded to the newsletter when he started doing that.

And when people respond, that's when you can open a dialog that could lead to business down the line.

That's all it takes: a personal paragraph.

Ash back: A Great Example of a Timely, Relevant Offer

I love this email newsletter I got from low-cost airline easyJet a couple of weeks ago - just after flights in Europe were resumed after a week on the ground due to the Iceland volcano.

Airlines faced a lot of any passengers at that time - even though the crisis wasn't their fault.

So it's great to see an airline...

- using the crisis as the theme of an offer

- using the offer to say what they were doing to minimize disruption

- using humor as part of the offer.

Full marks for this one. (Click on the image so you can read the text.)

 

The Business Owner’s Dirty, Little Secret

Maybe I’m just a screw-up. 

You see, I find the biggest battle I face in business isn’t with competitors, or finding new clients, or customer service. 

It’s the battle that is waging right between my ears.

It’s the voice that says “sales are terrible this week, you’re going to fail.”

Or the voice that says “my customers don’t appreciate me.”

Or the voice that says “why don’t you just stay in bed this morning instead of writing that proposal?”

I hate this mental stuff. It makes running a business much harder than it should be. It makes me stressed and sometimes angry. It makes the people I love suffer.

Sometimes it makes me want to give it all up and go get a job. (But only for a second.)

* * *

Yet...I have the suspicion I am not alone in suffering this. 

I bet there are thousands of business owners who face exactly the same battle every day. It’s just that no one talks about it.

The battle in our heads is like a dirty, little secret. 

And there are precious few resources to help you fight it. (When, really, it should be item #1 on the biz school curriculum.)

* * *

So here’s what I try to do. Like I say, my head is still screwed up at times, but I find these things help:

• Facts trump emotions: If my head is telling me that things are going badly, I take a look at the data. What do the actual figures say? It’s better to base my reactions on reality, not emotions..
• Remember this motto: Things are never as good as they look from the outside...and never as bad as they look from the inside.
• Join a support group: I’m in two mastermind groups where business owners support each other.
• Ready the Stoics: Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius, should be on the bookshelf of every entrepreneur.

* * *

Do you have any other tools you use to win the battle that goes on between your ears? I’d love to hear them.

Newsletters with Passion

Sometimes I get this overwhelming urge. I want to grab a business  owner by the shoulders and give him a good, hard shake. “Why the heck,” I’d say through clenched teeth, “are you in this business anyway?”

Once they’ve got over their shock (and probably called their lawyer), they might start to answer the question.

Because deep down, hidden under the suit and behind the professional facade, there is a real reason why we get into the businesses we do. There is a reason why we get up in the morning...apart from having to pay the mortgage. 

What Is Your Real Reason?

The trouble is, that reason is usually hidden and forgotten. We’re too busy getting on with the day-to-day stuff - fixing problems and paying bills - that we forget that we have passion.

So how about this? Stop reading and spend five minutes answering this question: why are you in your business?

Then write it down on a piece of paper and see how you feel.

Red Bull for your Mojo

I did this exercise about a year ago and it tranformed the way I feel about my business. I decided I was in business to help other business owners succeed by helping them develop long-term, profitable relationship with their customers through the use of newsletters. 

I know that newsletters are powerful, and I also know that - for various reasons - most people don’t send them. So I decided I was there to make it easy. Indeed, I came up with the slogan: A newsletter for Every Business (Even Funeral Homes.)

This is what helps me get up and get to work in the morning: the thought that I am helping other business owners achieve their goals.

But Everyone Will Laugh and Hate Me

Being able to articulate this is great. But it’s only half the story.

Now you need to share it.

The trouble is, sharing your passion is easier said than done.

You’ve got to get over the problem of fear, for a start. 

The reason that most businesses have boring, sterile, faceless marketing is because most of us are too scared to do anything different. It’s a frightening prospect to actually get a bit personal with your clients and prospects. What might they say? What might they think?

It’s easier to hide behind the logo and the “me-too” marketing bilge that most other businesses use.

No-one can criticize me/laugh at me/sue me for that, you think.

Know You, Like You, Trust You

True. But they  might not buy from you either.

Here’s the thing (actually, two things):

1) Most people lead gray, boring lives. As  Henry David Thoreau said, they lead lives of quiet desperation.

2) People like to do business with people they know, like and trust.

Think about most marketing you see in your industry. How much of it is exactly the same as all other marketing? How much of it is bland, gray and corporate?

So what can you do to make your marketing (and therefore the lives of the people who come into contact with it) less gray and more interesting. What can you do to make them think or to make them smile? What can you do to make your clients’ and prospects’ lives more interesting?

Take another look at most marketing in your industry. Who does it come from? A person or a corporation?

If you agree that people like to do business with people they know, like and trust, why is most marketing look like it comes from a sterile business instead of a real person?

So doesn’t it make sense to put a bit of you into your marketing? Encourage people to know, like and trust the person that is you?

How to Do It

So here’s my prescription for putting some passion back into your business - and using that to attract many more clients or customers than you had before.

1) Decide what you stand for. Think about what you care about. What you want the world to have more of. What you want the world to have less of. 

2) Decide how your business fits in with your thoughts in question 1.

3) Decide what you want to reveal about yourself personally. If people like to work with people they know, like and trust, you need to find ways to portray your personal side. What will you share?

How to Use Newsletters with Passion

Newsletters work for this purpose because they provide way for you to entertain, inform and engage your prospects and clients on a regular basis.

They provide a platform - a place where you can share your opinions. (It’s no surprise that some of the most famous people in the world have their own radio networks and magazines.)

So do the following:

• Send a newsletter out regularly (every month is a minimum, if you can manage it.)
• Include at least one article that shows the raw, real you. Use that to share your passion about what you do.
• Include your picture in your newsletter. If you feel comfortable, include family members too. Or, failing that, your dog or cat. Yes, people like to see the fluffy side of you.
• When you write articles, be yourself. Don’t feel you need to “go all corporate”. Consider how you behave when you meet a client face to face or talk on the phone. Try to transfer that onto paper.
• Include humor - if it’s real and genuine.
• Tell stories - about your life and about your clients (with their permission.)
• If you find articles-writing difficult, ask someone to record you talking about your business. You’ll find it easier to relax and be more passionate. Then, you can transcribe some of your words into an article.
• l You can hire professional writers who will do a lot of this for you. If you can, find someone who has worked as a journalist - they are used to uncovering the “human angle” in every story.

Is the Harvard Business Review Claiming You Can Spam Other Businesses?

The blog over at the Harvard Business Review  is jumping. A recent post by Ruth P. Stevens stirred up that old hornet’s nest of “opt-in” versus “opt-out” marketing email.

Here’s what she said: It’s OK to send unsolicited emails (newsletters and the like) to businesses with the expectation that they can opt out if they don’t like them. She said that businesses who follow the restrictive “opt-in” rule accepted as mandatory for consumer marketing are making a mistake.

Cue much uproar in the comments section of the website. 

Here’s my take on it. Legislation around the world (such as the CAN-SPAM act in the United States) says that marketing communication must be opt-in. Anything else is spam.

All the reputable email service providers (the firms that do a great job sending emails on your behalf and helping those emails get delivered to your recipients) insist that your lists are opt-in. Anything else will get you banned. 

Those two points alone would suggest that an “opt-out” policy for your B2B communications is a bad thing.

But it goes deeper than that: with any list of prospects or clients, it’s quality that counts - not just quantity. Your aim should be to build a list of people who want to hear from you, because they are people who will be most likely to buy from you.

An “opt-in” policy ensures that you have this quality list. An “opt-out” policy merely makes sure you have a large list of indifferent (and maybe angry) people. And who wants that?

Why Building a List for Your Newsletter is so Important

Job number one for anyone with a newsletter (apart from sending the darn thing out!) is to build your list of people who want to hear from you.

Who Are Your 1,000 True Fans?

 It would be nice if you were a blockbuster, wouldn't it?

If you were Avatar.

Or Martha Stewart.

Or The Simpsons.

But that probably isn't going to happen.

Which means that you are probably further down the famous "Long Tail". There's the blockbusters there on the left, and then you're one of the gazillions fighting for attention in the tail that trails off to the right.

So how do you survive down there?

Kevin Kelly says you just need 1,000 True Fans.

"A creator, such as an artist, musician, photographer, craftsperson, performer, animator, designer, videomaker, or author - in other words, anyone producing works of art - needs to acquire only 1,000 True Fans to make a living.

"A True Fan is defined as someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce. They will drive 200 miles to see you sing. They will buy the super deluxe re-issued hi-res box set of your stuff even though they have the low-res version. They have a Google Alert set for your name. They bookmark the eBay page where your out-of-print editions show up. They come to your openings. They have you sign their copies. They buy the t-shirt, and the mug, and the hat. They can't wait till you issue your next work. They are true fans. "

Now, he's talking about artists here. But the same principle applies to any business. It applies to real estate (1,000 true fans in your neighborhood), insurance (1,000 true fans in your city)...

Tim Ferris calls Kevin's article the only marketing article you'll ever need to read.

How to Get 1,000 True Fans

So, let's make it a goal of having 1,000 True Fans on your mailing list.

Not 1,000 "people you met one day and signed up" but 1,000 people who really want to hear from you and do business with you.

Here's how I'm tackling it:

• Upping the frequency of my newsletters so that my true fans will get more of me. Those who are not my true fans might unsubscribe, but that's OK.
• Re-starting my print newsletter, so I can communicate with my true fans in a different way.
• Providing higher-value services that will appeal to my true fans.
• Adding more content in my newsletters that will have a wider appeal.
• Being more personal and provocative in my content.
• Figuring out the demographics and personalities of my 1,000 true fans.
• Focusing on the needs of my 1,000 true fans. They're the ones who understand the power of building long-term customer relationships using newsletters, by providing them with the best customer service and tailored products.
• Not worrying about people who will never be my true fans (like the people who sign up and then never send a newsletter out, and then cancel and move onto the next bright, shiny object.)

How I can help

I think I can help you do this too. That's why I launched my Gold Service, which promises to make you famous in your market. You can read about that here.

How do you plan to build a following of 1,000 true fans?

Business Owner on a Wire

Have you seen Man on a Wire? The docu-movie about a guy who decides (and succeeds) to walk a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center.

It's a fascinating movie. It kept me entertained on a long transatlantic flight a few months ago.

Anthony Tjan reminded me how the movie is also a must-see for entrepreneurs.

This is a story for someone who had a seemingly impossible dream - to walk a wire between the then newly-built towers.

Everyone thought he was crazy.

And he probably was.

But he did it. How?

• By having a powerful, simple goal
• By planning extremely carefully
• By choosing team members who supported his goal
• By being single-minded towards achieving that goal, against all adversity
• By going ahead, despite people thinking he's crazy.
• And yes, by being a little bit crazy himself.

As Tjan says:

You want someone like Petit to succeed because it seems so improbable and outlandish that it takes a creative visionary with some degree of craziness to pull it off. Seeing this movie is an inspiration for those who dare to think differently and push the boundaries.

Waste an hour? Make a Donation

Here's a neat tool I found the other day.

You know how it is. You're working, and you think - hey, I haven't checked Facebook/the news/YouTube for a while.

And so off you go on an unproductive odyssey.

If you're anything like me, you do it all too often.

So here's a website that can help you.

Here what happens: if you waste time, you pay a fine to charity.

It's a plug-in for your internet browser that takes a note of when you are off browsing unproductive websites (you set these up). For every hour you waste, you pledge money to charity.

I think this is a great idea. It's an incentive to be more productive. And at the same time, you feel that any wasted time isn't entirely wasted.

See: https://procrasdonate.com/

(Last time I looked, there was a waiting list for sign ups. I expect it will be open again soon.)

Rework "Swift Boats" Karl Rove

Sounds off-topic, but check out this very funny "attack ad" on Karl Rove's new book by the author's of Rework.

(BTW, Rework is well worth reading if you have a business. I just read it - and will read it a second time. I'll review it here when I get a chance.)

Look at all these expert writers!

I just finished giving a client a critique of their marketing materials, and one of the things I suggested was that they need to get writing - create some articles and reports that show they know what they're talking about, that they're an expert.

It can't be that hard to do...because lots of people are doing it. Take, for example, this list of authors taking part in Age of Conversation III - a book (broadly) about social media marketing.

It comes out soon, but take a look at some of the links below. Lots of smart people there.

Adam Joseph	Priyanka Sachar	Mark Earls
Cory Coley-Christakos	Stefan Erschwendner	Paul Hebert
Jeff De Cagna	Thomas Clifford	Phil Gerbyshak
Jon Burg	Toby Bloomberg	Shambhu Neil Vineberg
Joseph Jaffe	Uwe Hook	Steve Roesler
Michael E. Rubin	anibal casso	Steve Woodruff
Steve Sponder	Becky Carroll	Tim Tyler
Chris Wilson	Beth Harte	Tinu Abayomi-Paul
Dan Schawbel	Carol Bodensteiner	Trey Pennington
David Weinfeld	Dan Sitter	Vanessa DiMauro
Ed Brenegar	David Zinger	Brett T. T. Macfarlane
Efrain Mendicuti	Deb Brown	Brian Reich
Gaurav Mishra	Dennis Deery	C.B. Whittemore
Gordon Whitehead	Heather Rast	Cam Beck
Hajj E. Flemings	Joan Endicott	Cathryn Hrudicka
Jeroen Verkroost	Karen D. Swim	Christopher Morris
Joe Pulizzi	Leah Otto	Corentin Monot
Karalee Evans	Leigh Durst	David Berkowitz
Kevin Jessop	Lesley Lambert	Duane Brown
Peter Korchnak	Mark Price	Dustin Jacobsen
Piet Wulleman	Mike Maddaloni	Ernie Mosteller
Scott Townsend	Nick Burcher	Frank Stiefler
Steve Olenski	Rich Nadworny	John Rosen
Tim Jackson	Suzanne Hull	Len Kendall
Amber Naslund	Wayne Buckhanan	Mark McGuinness
Caroline Melberg	Andy Drish	Oleksandr Skorokhod
Claire Grinton	Angela Maiers	Paul Williams
Gary Cohen	Armando Alves	Sam Ismail
Gautam Ramdurai	B.J. Smith	Tamera Kremer
Eaon Pritchard	Brendan Tripp	Adelino de Almeida
Jacob Morgan	Casey Hibbard	Andy Hunter
Julian Cole	Debra Helwig	Anjali Ramachandran
Jye Smith	Drew McLellan	Craig Wilson
Karin Hermans	Emily Reed	David Petherick
Katie Harris	Gavin Heaton	Dennis Price
Mark Levy	George Jenkins	Doug Mitchell
Mark W. Schaefer	Helge Tenno	Douglas Hanna
Marshall Sponder	James Stevens	Ian Lurie
Ryan Hanser	Jenny Meade	Jeff Larche
Sacha Tueni and Katherine Maher	David Svet	Jessica Hagy
Simon Payn	Joanne Austin-Olsen	Mark Avnet
Stanley Johnson	Marilyn Pratt	Mark Hancock
Steve Kellogg	Michelle Beckham-Corbin	Michelle Chmielewski
Amy Mengel	Veronique Rabuteau	Peter Komendowski
Andrea Vascellari	Timothy L Johnson	Phil Osborne
Beth Wampler	Amy Jussel	Rick Liebling
Eric Brody	Arun Rajagopal	Dr Letitia Wright
Hugh de Winton	David Koopmans	Aki Spicer
Jeff Wallace	Don Frederiksen	Charles Sipe
Katie McIntyre	James G Lindberg & Sandra Renshaw	David Reich
Lynae Johnson	Jasmin Tragas	Deborah Chaddock Brown
Mike O'Toole	Jeanne Dininni	Iqbal Mohammed
Morriss M. Partee	Katie Chatfield	Jeff Cutler
Pete Jones	Riku Vassinen	Jeff Garrison
Kevin Dugan	Tiphereth Gloria	Mike Sansone
Lori Magno	Valerie Simon	Nettie Hartsock
Mark Goren		Peter Salvitti

One way to put video in your newsletter

I was at Infusionsoft's annual user conference in Scottsdale last week, and a straw poll among the audience found that people were split 50-50 over whether they preferred reading text or watching videos online (particularly when it came to sales websites).

What's clear is that you cannot afford to ignore video when half your audience prefer it over text. And anyway, it's always good to share your message using multiple media.

I know lots of people want to add video to their email newsletters, but figuring out exactly how to do it isn't so easy.

The trouble is, video just won't play in most email readers.

One way to do it is to put a snapshot of the video player in the newsletter. People then click on that and they're taken to YouTube (or wherever you are hosting your videos).

I did it with my own March newsletter.

Take a look at what my client Chris Swanson, of BMA Marketing, has done. (Link to newsletter here; snapshot on this page.)

He's used the ready-made newsletter that I provide and then found relevant videos on YouTube to add extra flavor to each article.

That will make his newsletter attractive to a broader range of people.

That's something you can easily  do with your own newsletter, right?