Writing a regular ezine/newsletter can sometimes feeling like hard work. So if you're putting in the time and effort to give your readers valuable content, consider implementing at least a few of the strategies in this article to help your efforts pay off in profits.

Here are 4 ways to help your ezine make you more money:

1. Self-promote

Besides giving valuable content in each issue of your ezine, don't forget to add a little self-promotion as well. After all, it is one of your best marketing tools, and you want to make sure that you are letting your subscribers know what products and services you have available for them. It's best to do this in a separate section of your ezine, instead of in the copy of the article you write for your readers. A short blurb about you and what you offer, as well as a bit about one of your products and services with a link to more information is all you really need to do.

A tip: If space allows, consider adding one or two short testimonials from your clients/customers who are raving fans, too.

Depending on the method through which you are publishing your ezine, you can track how many times your links are clicked on, which gives you valuable market research information about what your readers are interested in finding out more about.

2. Give Options

If you are a service professional, know that there are many people who would like to hire you one-on-one but that option doesn't fit into their budget just yet. If you offer them other options, and promote those offerings in your ezine, you'll turn some of those prospects into paying clients.

For example, if you coach or consult one-on-one, consider offering a group coaching program with a price point that would be much more accessible than your private fees would be. Or take your knowledge and package it into an ebook, or a series of teleseminars, or an ecourse, and price them reasonably.

3. Offer specials

Your readers may find the content of your free ezine valuable and would really like more, but they might need a bit ofencouragement to buy from you. So give your subscribers a special discount on something you offer, with a time limit for purchasing (which really does encourage people to "act now").

For example, offer a 2-for-1 deal on your ebooks, or 20% off one of your programs if they register within a week. This strategy will move some of your readers from the "free" part of your funnel into the "fee" part of your funnel, which is exactly what you want.

4. Offer recommendations

I get so many questions about the services I use in my business that I decided to give one recommendation in each issue of my ezine. These products and services are ones I truly believe are of high quality, because I have used them personally or because they come highly recommended to me by my mentor coaches. Some of these I am a reseller of (an affiliate), meaning I make a small commission on every sale I make, and others are products and services I love and know would be of value to my subscribers.

Don't forget that your number one priority with your ezine is to provide valuable content for your subscribers. Proportion 10-20% of your content with promoting you and your offerings, and you will be working smarter and not harder.

Also remember that with each issue you put out, you are building trust and rapport with your list, becoming known as an expert in your niche, and gaining lots of exposure (especially if you submit your ezine articles to article submission services), all of which are so important to the overall success of your business.

Copyright 2005 Alicia Forest