For those of you who arent familiar with the term, The initials FFA stand for FREE For All and my advice would be dont waste your time! FFAs DONT WORK!
FFA sites are directories where anyone can place their ad for free. And thats exactly what you get--a zillion people posting free ads.
When you post your ad on an FFA directory or site, heres what will happen. Youll immediately get back in response to your ad a truckload of autoresponder e-mails from every Tom, Dick and Harriet soliciting you to join their programs. Hardly anyone ever actually reads your ad. FFAs will produce next to zero new subscribers to your newsletter.
Here are some suggestions to help you build your newsletter subscriber list:
1. Put a subscriber box on your web site. People can easily enter their email address and send it to you. A percentage of people who visit your web site will sign up for your newsletter. Just dont scare them off by asking for a lot of personal information. Put their minds at ease by promising not to share their e-mail address with anyone else.
2. Announce your newsletter in the e-zine announcement directories. There are several sites with searchable catalogues of ezines. These sites get lots of visitors and are a surefire way to find hundreds of new subscribers. Here are a few to get you started:
3. Trade ads with other e-zines. Find newsletters that focus on topics similar to yours. Theyll run your ad in exchange for you running theirs.
4. Consider emailing a press release to the media. Your release should announce your newsletter and explain whats interesting or helpful about your newsletter. There are a number of press release services that will email your release. Here are just a few:
Whatever you do, DONT add people to your newsletter list who havent asked to be on it. The spam gods will come down on you like a ton of bricks! Thats why many newsletter publishers insist on double opt-in. Whats double opt-in
Double opt-in is your protection against the sending of unsolicited email. For example, after visitors register at your site, they will receive a confirmation email. By replying to the confirmation email, your visitors have double opted-in which means that:
1. They are the owners of their email addresses
2. The address is working
3. They indeed want to subscribe
Usually the confirmation action is as simple as replying to the confirmation request or clicking on a link.
About The Author
Dean Phillips is an Internet marketing expert, writer, publisher and entrepreneur. Questions Comments Dean can be reached at mailto:
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Too often, people forget theyre anonymous in the internet world. Your friends and colleagues might know you as being a tireless worker, a great friend and loving parent, but I dont know that. To me, youre just a font. Youre a font in an email, or in a forum post. If you give me access to your website, then youre whatever impression the website creates. But largely, youre anonymous. So if you want to establish trust in your internet business dealings, make it your goal to paint a professional image via email.
Im a copywriter, so Im constantly combing the web for possible clients and cohorts. Recently Ive encountered some internet personalities who have left me scratching my head in puzzlement. Might we have had a fruitful business relationship Ill never know, because within days of crossing paths, they managed to display one of the Scary Seven - that is, the seven quickest ways to scare people away by email. Lets review them now.
Scare Tactic 1. Send an email from a cryptic address. Theres nothing that says unprofessional like an email inquiry from Binky24 or Shanaynay_7. Email addresses like this strike me as being one of two things: 1. someone young and foolish, or 2. a spammer. I understand if you dont have a website up and running yet; after all, as a writer, many people contact me to help them get their businesses started. But at the very least, reveal your first and last name. Provide contact information, and a brief background. If no one knows who you are, its not likely theyll do business with you.
Scare Tactic 2. Send an email that contains virtually no information. Yesterday I responded to a post on Craigslist that requested an editor. In my email, I gave my name, contact info, a little background information and directed the potential client to my website. I asked a few questions about their needs. In response, I got one line, and a very uninformative one at that. Do you see why I dont plan to contact this person again
Scare Tactic 3. Send too many emails! Want to make people think you have absolutely zero going on Then send someone a barrage of email after having just met. I recently got an onslaught of emails from a potential client - NINE in total, over the course of a day. YIKES! This is a busy world. People dont have time to pore through your information. Organize your thoughts, and send in ONE email- maybe two, max.
Scare Tactic 4. Send emails of a personal nature. Never, EVER send email jokes or personal anecdotes to someone you plan on doing business with over the internet. I dont care how promising the initial phone conversation was or how friendly they seem. This behavior screams unprofessional, and can even be a bit disturbing. Many marketers swap information, and this is fine. But it should be done in moderation. Theres a fine line between helpful information exchange and email harassment. Dont cross it.
Scare Tactic 5. Send out a group email, and forget to blind copy. I recently signed on to work for a company that contracts out writers. I liked the spirit in which business was being conducted and the site owners honest approach. But there is such a thing as too much honesty. The first project came through via email - and I could see the name of EVERY writer who was competing with me for work! Not only does this have trouble written all over it, but no one wants their email address shared. A Privacy Policy is the hallmark of a real business. Implement one, and assure people their information is safe with your company.
Scare Tactic 6. Send an email that you havent proofread. Were all in a hurry, its true. But haste makes waste! If you request information on barbecue girls, you might just get some unexpected feedback! Double-checking your message can ensure that the recipient can respond properly. Ultimately, youll get an answer to the question you asked - and not one you didnt.
Scare Tactic 7. Send an email thats either too enthusiastic, or too austere. People are people - and Ive encountered personalities from both ends of the spectrum. Those who are SO EXCITED to make your acquaintance that they CANT STOP SHOUTING!!!!!! and those who apparently are so wrapped up in themselves that they cant spare a courteous hello. My advice: take the middle ground. Keep it friendly yet professional, and dont go to extremes in your correspondence.
Dont want to frighten people away with your email Then avoid the Scary Seven! Above all, discuss the who, what, when, where, how and why of your message, and be sure to include any information that will help your future colleague get to know you better - a website link, some articles youve written, your resume, etc. Dont be overly pushy on email, and avoid over- or under-communicating. In time, youll get the feel for the type of emails people respond to. And once that happens, youre on your way to cultivating fruitful internet business relationships!
Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.
Dina Giolitto is a New-Jersey based Copywriting Consultant with nine years industry experience. Her current focus is web content and web marketing for a multitude of products and services although the bulk of her experience lies in retail for big-name companies like ToysRUs. Visit for rates and samples.