Using Mailing Lists

Mailing lists and newsgroups have quite a few shared characteristics. Both are categorized by subjects and both allow members to send email to every member in the list or group. The key difference is that you must subscribe to a mailing list. This means asking permission from the list administrator or "gatekeeper". Anyone can view messages in a newsgroup simply by logging onto a news server, but you must be an accepted member of a mailing list to read and share content.

Mailing lists come in a variety of flavors: public and private, moderated and unmoderated. A moderated list has an administrator that keeps members on topic and removes any inappropriate messages before they are passed to members.

For listings of public lists try Catalist or Topica. The same rules apply to mailing lists as they did for newsgroups. Research, target, lurk, read, and post when and where appropriate.

Start your own Private Mailing List

There are a number of advantages to having your own mailing list. When you coordinate other marketing elements with a targeted and permission-based mailing list you reach your audience like no other method can. Here's a few reasons to have a mailing list and use it:

• Permission marketing - people have asked that you provide your content to them because they believe you are offering them something of value. Don't disappoint them.
• Reputation building - establishing yourself as the expert in your field
• Networking and conserving contacts
• Generating repeat and new traffic - Give people a reason to visit your website. Example: Provide a short synopsis for an article and create a text link to your website for the full story.
• Promotion of your goods and services

How to Mix and Match Your Promotional Elements

For a mailing list to work you need subscribers. This can be accomplished with your website. You could have a What's New page where you give facts about current events in your field. You also include a button or text link which reads "Was this helpful? Sign-up on our mailing list now."

This technique can also work with signature files. If you are posting professional advice in newsgroups and other mailing lists, you could include in your tag line a text link to your sign-up page.

How do they sign-up? Where does the link lead? You can do this the simple way and create your own mailing lists using an email client like Microsoft Outlook, try mailing list software, or you can outsource it to a company like Topica Email Publisher. The advantage of a service such as Topica is the ease of use, the statistical reporting, the target market information, and the ability to allow customers to add, delete, and modify their contact information.

Once you've got members, it's time to send a newsletter. Every few weeks you should send out information of value to the members on your list. Avoid writing plain ad copy. Try offering directions for a small project, information about current events, class schedules or a short column from other invited authors, followed by a limited-time only special with instructions on how to cash-in on the offer. Be sure to include a bit of viral marketing like a Tell-a-Friend feature with directions on how to sign-up for the newsletter.

Helpful Websites
L-Soft - Offering e-mail list management software including LISTSERV
Topica Email Publisher - a third-party service providing email list management
NTarget.com - email list manager solution
MailWorkz - bulk email software solution
CoolList - a free mailing list service

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