While ezines are great for sharing information and positioning yourself as an expert, don’t think for a moment that there aren’t opportunities to create some additional revenue streams through your ezine.
Everyone loves to save money. Perhaps that’s why more than 100 billion coupons course their way through the economy each year. In fact, 96% of respondents in a recent poll said they clip or print coupons and that 51% redeem almost all the coupons they gather.
At first glance it may appear strange to tell you to offer money saving coupons to make more money. But the strategy does work.
Here’s why:
* Coupons are an ideal way to introduce your services or products to new customers or to customers that haven’t purchased from you in a while. Even a small savings is a savings and will get a response.
* People who use coupons typically buy more than those who don’t. They may go to your site to purchase the item that’s promoted but more than likely they will plow the savings into buying more from you.
* If you require an email address to redeem a coupon, you will build your mailing list, extending your marketing reach to more prospects.
* Special offers build customer loyalty. Customers like to feel they are appreciated and offering a discount on their next purchase reinforces this perception. When offering a coupon, be sure that it is a worthwhile promotion. $5 off on a purchase of $100 isn’t enough to warrant a response. Try $10 and $20 off and see which garners a greater response and generates more sales. If you offer a service, consider offering your client a “free initial consultation” to generate leads and sales.
Of course, coupons are just one way to make money through an ezine. A well-executed ezine is a great way to promote new products and services. Remember that you don’t want to use your ezine as a soapbox for promoting you and your business. Weave your products, services and capabilities into the rest of your ezine’s content.