Most people think that "publishing" is a big secret. They keep hearing that publishing an ezine is "the way" to promote their business, but they have no clue what is involved or where to start. I just want to start by saying that this is NOT rocket science and it doesn't have to be time consuming! Don't let the concept of publishing scare you!

So, what is publishing?

Simply stated, publishing is the act of distributing information. The traditional sense of publishing involved a printed format, such as a newspaper, a magazine, a newsletter, ad sheets and books. The modern definition expands to include websites, email newsletters, online newsletters and other forms of electronic information delivery, including websites.



Why publish on the internet?

The answer to that question can range from simple sharing of craft or club information to serious pursuit of customers or prospects. Most of you are reading this ebook in search of a way to promote an online business, so I'll continue with that thought in mind, but these concepts and solutions can apply to anyone who wants to share any type of (legal, family-friendly) information.

Many online businesses fail because they have no idea that you need to advertise and promote your online business even more agressively than a brick and mortar (traditional) business. The "build it and they will come" theory simply does not apply to websites. You MUST PROMOTE your site, service, product or organization in order to grow your business. Search engines and other forms of online and print advertising are fine, but the most widely recognized way to promote online businesses and is "building a list".

"Building a List", simply means getting the email addresses of people who are, in theory, interested in the type of product or service being offered by the business owner.



The most well known and widely used method of list-building is through ezine publication. A ezine is typically a compilation of articles, advice, and other relevant information delivered via email.

Through the use of autoresponders, website-based subscription links and list server utilities, from the technical side and use of advertising in other ezines, on ad boards, FFA posts, search engines and listing their publication in free and paid ezine directories (a compilation of ezine information).

Another popular means of amassing subscribers was through advertising cooperatives,in which publishers agreed to run advertisements at a reduced rate, or even for free, in exchange for a subscriber sign-up. This reduced the cost and effort required to build the list quickly. Co-ops, especially the free advertising co-ops, are most effective for FAST list building, but the subscribers tended not to stay around after their ad ran and many would never read even one issue of the ezine, so they offered no value to the list.



Enter the SPAM wars era of the internet. I'm sure you've seen the smut mail and other unsolicited email offers in your inbox. I receive literally hundreds of these emails per day! These messages, coupled with the malicious, virus-laden messages, have spurred ISP's to employ spam filters in an effort to reduce delivery of these messages. Unfortunately, most of the filters are ineffective, filtering out even messages to legitimate subscriber lists.

Many publishers, myself included, attempted to overcome the hurdle of ISP filters by using creative wording and spam buster utilities to get publications throught to as many subscribers as possible. I personally moved to a format of creating my newsletter as webpages and just sending an announcement email when each issue was ready. Even these announcement emails would often be filtered.



So why bother publishing at all?

Because the theory of list building is still valid, but with the degradation of email delivery and the threat of shutdown or prosecution due to spam complaints, we need to find smarter ways to distribute and promote our publications. The key to successful online promotion is to build a relationship and build trust with readers who are interested in topics related to your product or service. These are the people who, once that trusting relationship is established, will be your best customers. Make no mistake, it takes time and effort to publish successfully. It's easy to build a huge email list, but what good is a list if nobody is reading what you send to that list?





One problem with publishing the traditional way is that advertising got out of control. Subscribers would run screaming from their PC never to return again!

I have to admit that I was guilty too. My initial intention was just to cover expenses. Then the ad requests were rolling in so fast and everyone wanted them out NOW! I acquiesced to the requests, always eager to please, and that's where the trouble began. Honestly, my net earnings were way below sub-minimum if I factored in the many hours I spent plugging away formatting my ezine, my website, etc.

Hindsight being 20/20, I way undersold my ad services and bombarded my subscribers with "canned solos" from clients pushing every program imaginable. All were family-friendly, of course, but every single solo ad was virtually the same as the last. I finally learned that content is key. Instead of canned solos, I now encourage the use of articles for business promotion. Writing articles and publishing them yourself is good. It's even better if you can get someone else to publish them for you too. But how do you do this without a list? How do you do this without using email?



Well, there is a way to publish articles and get those articles noticed without relying on traditional email. I'll discuss one of the easiest and fastest ways to do this, in a manner that is publisher friendly, subscriber friendly and extends beyond the bounds of your known subscriber base. It's a mindset change for those of you who are reading this after researching ezine publication or already publishing an ezine.

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