ASK MR. INTERNET
Michael Russer answers your Internet marketing questions.


Mr. Internet is the alter-ego of Michael J. Russer, an internationally recognized Internet speaker, trainer, author, and consultant. He's dedicated to helping real estate professionals leverage their people skills into profit on the Internet. You'll see his column on REALTOR^® Magazine Online every month and in the magazine quarterly. Got a question for Mr. Internet? Send it to help@askmrinternet.com.

DEAR MR. INTERNET:
I'd like to periodically send my clients and prospects an E-mail newsletter, but I don't know where to start. Help!
Dan Eastes
Dan Eastes Real Estate
Kerrville, Texas

DEAR DAN:
By recognizing that E-mail newsletters are a powerful and inexpensive way to stay at the forefront of your clients' and prospects' minds, you've already taken the right first step. An
E-mail newsletter offers many advantages over the traditional paper kind (see the comparison chart).

3 Ways to an Effective Campaign
Creating an E-mail newsletter isn't just a matter of slapping your sales figures into an electronic memo. Follow these three steps:

1. Create an attention-getting format. Decide whether you want your E-mail newsletter to be text or Web based. You may want to try text first, since it's easier to create and more forgiving of mistakes. However, an HTML (hypertext markup language), or Web-based, newsletter, though more work, may have a greater impact on recipients. Here are guidelines for each type:

TEXT ONLY (Click here for an example of a well-designed text-based E-mail newsletter.)

Keep margin width narrow. Word wrap to no more than 72 characters because some E-mail software will cause line breaks in places you didn't intend, making the text look choppy.

Keep it concise. No one has time to read long Web articles--this one notwithstanding. Articles should be short and punchy.

Include a table of contents. Use grabber descriptions so that readers get the essence of the content with a quick glance.

Visually arrange content. Use special characters (asterisks *, arrows >) to break up content in an attractive way.

Include your E-mail signature at the bottom of the E-mail so that your contact information is always in front of recipients.

HTML (that is, Web-based E-mail newsletters) (Click here for an example of an HTML newsletter.)

Let a pro design it. Hire a professional Web designer to create a template you can use for each edition.

Keep it concise.

Make it easy for recipients to forward it. Have your designer put a Send to a Friend button on the page so that recipients need only input an E-mail address and click the button.

Provide full contact information. Each page should include your complete contact and broker affiliation information--for marketing and regulatory purposes.

Send it in a format that anyone can access. Not all E-mail software can display your HTML-based newsletter. It's safest to send the link to the page rather than embedding the HTML code in the E-mail message.

Important: For either text- or HTML-based newsletters,make sure you always include instructions on how to unsubscribe from your newsletter.

2. Create wow content. If you invest in an E-mail newsletter, make sure your content reflects the needs and wants of your target market. If most of your clients and prospects are first-time buyers, feature information on how to qualify for financing or include questions and answers on the purchase process and schools in your area. Keep in mind that the more general the content—that is, nontargeted--the less impact it will have.

If you generate your own content, use the newsletter as an opportunity to share something personal about yourself. In this age of high tech, people crave genuine human connection. And employ the services of a good editor to check for spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. An editor can also help you tighten your writing so that it's concise and reader friendly.

You can also use ready-made content, such as the reprint service offered by REALTOR^® Magazine Online through its news feed provider, Information Inc. For about $40 a month, the company lets you reprint news stories in your electronic marketing materials.

Important: Always obtain written permission to use third-party content in your newsletter.

3. Send newsletters consistently.Probably the biggest mistake salespeople make as "publishers" is not disciplining themselves to stick to a schedule. Whether you intend to send your newsletter weekly (lots of work), monthly, or quarterly, stick with your chosen schedule like clockwork. Your recipients will come to depend on its delivery.

To increase your newsletter's chances of being read, personalize the E-mail that announces your newsletter's delivery. The easiest way to do that is to use E-mail merge software, such as WorldMerge, that puts the recipient's name right in the message or newsletter itself.

A well-written and well-designed E-mail newsletter is a powerful and affordable way to maintain close contact with your clients and prospects at little expense. The best part is that you don't have to be a media mogul—all it takes is planning and a touch of the Send key.