How I Attracted My First 100 Newsletter Subscribers

First, I want to thank each of my fantastic subscribers for joining my free newsletter! I know how many free sign ups are available to each of you and how hard it can be to trust yet another Internet marketer with your email address. I am honored to have the chance to stay in touch with you and hope to provide you with honest feedback and lessons from my online experiences for many years to come!

Now, some of you may be thinking, “100 – that’s nothing.” Well, it may be nothing for huge name Internet marketers, but remember I’m the new kid on the block. Even though I’ve made my living online for over 4 years, I just started getting my name out there as a young Internet marketer on May 8th, 2009 (the day I launched FresheVenture.com).

I have provided 1 on 1 phone consultations with small business owners for many years, but this is my first time broadcasting my experiences on the World Wide Web!

Prior to my blog launch, none of you had ever heard of me. If you were to Google my name, the results would have shown articles I published years ago for my ecommerce stores and perhaps my MySpace profile. I wasn’t on Facebook, Twitter or Digg. I had never put my name or picture on my websites before (expect for my web marketing site).

So, why have over 100 people trusted me with their email address?

Transparency

First, I’m honest about what you can expect from me and who I am. The second you load my blog on your browser, you see my picture, a quick description of why I’m here, and a link to learn more about me. I’m not hiding anything, though I may not discuss what I had for breakfast on my blog :).

I’m here to help you succeed online. This means I had better have my own experience with online success, right? Right! On my about page, I explain how I make a living online and provide you with links to each of my stores and websites so you can SEE FOR YOURSELF!

I want to know who I’m giving my email address to – and many of you do too.

Choice

You don’t have to join my newsletter to learn from me. You can add my blog to your favorites and read my articles, watch my videos, and listen to my podcasts for free. As opposed to many sales-letter type websites that require your email before providing you with free info, I give my info away for nothing.

In time, I hope to convince all of you to join my newsletter so you can stay updated with my new posts and hear from me on a more personal level, but that’s a choice you will have to make.

If you have issues with privacy, you have the option of signing up for my RSS feed. This allows you to stay updated with my latest posts, but offers no personal feedback from me. If security is a concern for you, RSS is the best option.

Ease of Use

My newsletter signup requires only your first name and email address – that’s it! Simply submit your information and then confirm your subscription. Your confirmation ensures you have officially given me permission to contact you.

Repetition and Reminders

You’ve probably noticed this already if you’re a regular here at FresheVenture.com, but if not, let me point it out. I not only display my newsletter signup in my header, I also display it immediately after every post on my blog and my about page. This way, you are constantly reminded of my newsletter.

I don’t expect first time visitors to use my signup displayed in my header. Why? Because they don’t really know who I am yet. That’s why I’ve added it below my posts – by this point my visitors have read through my posts, gotten an idea of who I am and determined whether or not my content works for them.

My Free Report

Whether you provide a free report or e-course, freebies are a great way of attracting subscribers. My free report is my special gift to my newsletter subscribers. It offers you INSTANT ACCESS to information.

Internet users are looking for information NOW – not 7 days from now when you get a chance to send out your next email! Entice your visitors and give them what they want. Take some time to write a free report or 5 day e-course and offer it to your newsletter subscribers. Oh, and make sure it’s easy for them to access.

My Sales Letter

I’ve noticed many websites do NOT offer detailed information of their newsletter or free report/e-course. They simply add their signup box with a headline and perhaps one sentence of copy. You know –“Sign Up Now to Receive My Free 5 Day E-Course: How to Tell If You’re a Human.”

I actually got the inspiration to write a sales letter for my free report from Yaro Starak’s Blog Profits Blueprint page. Rather than just teasing the report, I wrote a full sales letter post describing what’s in it, why you need it and why I wrote it. Plus, I decided to go one step further and list the table of contents.

With this information available to my readers, you know exactly what to expect from my report. No surprises -and hopefully no disappointments :).

To see my sales letter post, visit Fresh Start for Your Online Business.

Your Choice to Say Goodbye

Of course, I don’t want to lose any of my subscribers, but it happens. After receiving a few of my emails, you may find that I’m not the right source of info for you. All that’s required then is for you to click the “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom of my emails. You don’t have to explain why you’re abandoning me :) or jump through several hoops to remove your email from my list. One click and you’re out.

Whether you use AWeber, Constant Contact, or some other email marketing software, you must ensure you provide an easy way for your subscribers to unsubscribe. After all, why would you want them on there if they don’t want to be? Don’t become a spammer – be a friend, consultant or mentor and say goodbye when it’s time to.

I use AWeber for my FresheVenture.com Newsletter.

Nine people have unsubscribed to my newsletter so far. Yes, it hurts to see them go and I can’t help but wonder what I could have done to keep them. But, that’s the way it goes. It just didn’t work out for them. Hopefully, they will find the source of information they’re looking for.

Giving people assurance that they can unsubscribe at any time helps motivate them to click that button.

Privacy Policy

I doubt many of my visitors have read or even visited my privacy policy page, but it still remains an important component of my blog. Your visitors will want to know that their email address is safe with you. I make sure a link to my privacy policy is at the footer of every one of my emails and every one of my blog pages.

If you need help creating a privacy policy, just use the one below and change it to reflect your website information.

Privacy Policy

I created this privacy policy in order to demonstrate my firm commitment to your privacy and the protection of your information.

This site contains links to other sites. YOURDOMAIN.COM is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such Web sites.

YOURDOMAIN.COM employs the services of YOUR EMAIL MARKETING PROVIDER (AWeber for example) for the YOUR NEWSLETTER NAME. I agree not to sell or rent the email addresses of any YOUR NEWSLETTER NAME subscriber to any third party.

Why You Received Email/Mail From YOURDOMAIN.COM:

If you received a mailing from YOURDOMAIN.COM, (a) your information is either listed as someone who has expressly shared this address for the purpose of receiving information in the future (”opt-in”), or (b) you have registered or purchased or otherwise have an existing relationship with YOURDOMAIN.COM. I respect your time and attention by controlling the frequency of my mailings.

Sharing and Usage:

I will never share, sell, or rent individual personal information with anyone without your advance permission or unless ordered by a court of law. Information submitted to me is only available to employees managing my information for purposes of contacting you or sending you emails based on your request for information.

How You Can Stop Receiving Email From YOURDOMAIN.COM:

Each email sent contains an easy, automated way for you to cease receiving email from me, or to change your expressed interests. If you wish to do this, simply follow the instructions at the end of any email. To cease receiving mail from me or if you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.

How Do You Entice Visitors to Sign Up for Your Newsletter or RSS Feed? Have You Had Trouble With It? Let Me Know By Commenting Below!

Topic Tags:

Free Report, aweber, constant contact, email marketing, fresh start for your online business, newsletter, sales letter