By Sean Cohen
Over the years technology has provided us with more options for sending and receiving content over the internet. One of the newest is a delivery system called Real Simple Syndication or "RSS".
Definition:
RSS is a format for delivering news and other content through a syndication channel. The most common sites that publish RSS feeds still include major news organizations whose information is broken into different stories and can be delivered to recipients once published.
This delivery concept has also been adopted by other non-news related sites such as the blogging community who publish posts (similar to news stories) and allow other people to subscribe through RSS to receive their blog posts automatically.
RSS Usage Rates:
RSS has been in use since 1999 but still hasn't been adopted by the mass Internet community. According to an October 2005 White Paper published by Yahoo, "Awareness of RSS is quite low among Internet users. 12% of users are aware of RSS, and 4% have knowingly used RSS." [http://publisher.yahoo.com/rss/RSS_whitePaper1004.pdf]
A publisher looking to distribute their content can't rely on just RSS alone.
Tools to Read RSS:
To read an RSS feed you need news aggregator software to capture, read and store all the content that is delivered through RSS. There are many popular aggregators on the market today, many of which are free of charge.
Two popular types of aggregators are web based readers (Bloglines) or a desktop reader (SharpReader). The web based reader is an online free service that you login and can subscribe, read and manage all your RSS feeds. The desktop software is similar in features to its online counterpart but is installed and runs on your computer.
Will RSS Replace Email?
I'd be willing to wager that anyone reading this article today checked their email, in fact going a bit further I bet you not only checked your email but also replied to some of it as well. Will RSS replace email? - I think we can collectively say -- no, email is far to important but the beauty of email is that you can marry the two technologies together to deliver information that subscribers want, in the format they want...
Sean Cohen, Director of Client Relations & Development of Newtown, PA based AWeber Communications, Inc. an opt-in email service provider. Learn how you can incorporate RSS and email automatically with our newest feature -- Feed Broadcaster. Learn how you can incorporate RSS and email automatically with our newest feature -- Feed Broadcaster. Looking for FREE, high-quality web site or email newsletter content?
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
How to write a follow up message
[by: Beka Ruse] Smart marketers know that follow up autoresponders drive sales. But, many don't know how to write the e-mail messages they need in order to use these tools. Don't let that keep you from increased profits! Write masterful messages with these simple steps:
Pull the Reader in
Introduce the Product
Explain the Product's Significance
Tell the Reader to Make a Purchase
(Examples in this article use the fictional product "Green Garden Lawn Fertilizer". Any similarity to actual products is unintended and coincidental.)
Pull the Reader in
First, convince your audience that your text is worth reading. Make your first sentence or two very interesting: Make a bold statement, say something seemingly ridiculous, or appeal to your prospect's emotional side. Later, tie this grabber in with the rest of your copy. For instance: "Want to make your neighbors jealous? How about with a lush, green lawn in just 2 weeks?"
Introduce the Product
What is the product you're advertising? What does it do? Directly after your grabber, give a compact explanation of your product. Keep this explanation short, while still being very clear. For example: "Green Garden Lawn Fertilizer is taking the landscaping industry by storm. What else can give you the lawn of your dreams in just 15 minutes a day?"
Explain the Product's Significance
What will it do for me? This is the time for details - make this section long and rich. Suggest a variety of product uses, and give examples. Make the most of this opportunity to directly target your unique audience! Clearly explain how your readers will benefit from your product.
Tell the Reader to Make a Purchase
You've come so far - you've laid out exactly what the product is and how it will help your unique audience. Now, seal the deal - tell your readers to purchase the product! This step may sound strange, but it's necessary. Often, people hear about a product and are genuinely interested, but fail to actually make a purchase. A clear call to a simple action cuts down on buyer ambivalence. Don't be pushy - just change your verb tenses to the imperative. Instead of: "If you think that you fit this profile, you might want to think about buying Green Garden Lawn Fertilizer." Say:
"Click here to order Green Garden Lawn Fertilizer today."
An Eye for Continuity
More and more opt-in e-mail is being sent around the Internet. Remind your prospect that he requested your messages by keeping an eye on continuity. Start and end each message in a similar way. At the top, let your prospect know who you are, why he is getting e-mail from you, and where he is in the follow up sequence. This can be as simple as saying: "Last week, you requested more information about Green Garden Fertilizer..." Then, end each message with your own contact information. Use your autoresponder's personalization features to list details about your lead. Also, include a way for the lead to unsubscribe. For example: "This message was sent to Dusty Dan at dustydan@needsanewlawn.com. On April 5th, Dusty Dan requested information about Green Garden Fertilizer. Questions? Call us at 000-000-0000. Or, to unsubscribe, click here."
Create With Confidence
Don't sweat over follow up messages - your prospects are waiting for you! Print and follow the guidelines in this article, and follow up with confidence. Beka Ruse fights spam as the Business Development Manager at AWeber Communications. Ad tracking, live stats, and a strict anti-spam policy. http://weprosper.aweber.com
Looking for FREE, high-quality web site or e-zine content?
Pull the Reader in
Introduce the Product
Explain the Product's Significance
Tell the Reader to Make a Purchase
(Examples in this article use the fictional product "Green Garden Lawn Fertilizer". Any similarity to actual products is unintended and coincidental.)
Pull the Reader in
First, convince your audience that your text is worth reading. Make your first sentence or two very interesting: Make a bold statement, say something seemingly ridiculous, or appeal to your prospect's emotional side. Later, tie this grabber in with the rest of your copy. For instance: "Want to make your neighbors jealous? How about with a lush, green lawn in just 2 weeks?"
Introduce the Product
What is the product you're advertising? What does it do? Directly after your grabber, give a compact explanation of your product. Keep this explanation short, while still being very clear. For example: "Green Garden Lawn Fertilizer is taking the landscaping industry by storm. What else can give you the lawn of your dreams in just 15 minutes a day?"
Explain the Product's Significance
What will it do for me? This is the time for details - make this section long and rich. Suggest a variety of product uses, and give examples. Make the most of this opportunity to directly target your unique audience! Clearly explain how your readers will benefit from your product.
Tell the Reader to Make a Purchase
You've come so far - you've laid out exactly what the product is and how it will help your unique audience. Now, seal the deal - tell your readers to purchase the product! This step may sound strange, but it's necessary. Often, people hear about a product and are genuinely interested, but fail to actually make a purchase. A clear call to a simple action cuts down on buyer ambivalence. Don't be pushy - just change your verb tenses to the imperative. Instead of: "If you think that you fit this profile, you might want to think about buying Green Garden Lawn Fertilizer." Say:
"Click here to order Green Garden Lawn Fertilizer today."
An Eye for Continuity
More and more opt-in e-mail is being sent around the Internet. Remind your prospect that he requested your messages by keeping an eye on continuity. Start and end each message in a similar way. At the top, let your prospect know who you are, why he is getting e-mail from you, and where he is in the follow up sequence. This can be as simple as saying: "Last week, you requested more information about Green Garden Fertilizer..." Then, end each message with your own contact information. Use your autoresponder's personalization features to list details about your lead. Also, include a way for the lead to unsubscribe. For example: "This message was sent to Dusty Dan at dustydan@needsanewlawn.com. On April 5th, Dusty Dan requested information about Green Garden Fertilizer. Questions? Call us at 000-000-0000. Or, to unsubscribe, click here."
Create With Confidence
Don't sweat over follow up messages - your prospects are waiting for you! Print and follow the guidelines in this article, and follow up with confidence. Beka Ruse fights spam as the Business Development Manager at AWeber Communications. Ad tracking, live stats, and a strict anti-spam policy. http://weprosper.aweber.com
Looking for FREE, high-quality web site or e-zine content?
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