I was recently doing some research for a coaching client that took me to several virtual assistant websites. I was amazed at the number of sites I visited that did not include an ezine or newsletter for visitors to register to receive. At first I thought "Why on Earth are they not doing an ezine? It's the simplest thing in the world to do!" But as I thought through it a little more and began to look back at my own experience, I realized that it didn't always seem so easy to me, either.
I've been doing ezines as a regular part of my marketing strategy for so long now that it's become almost second-nature for me to find interesting topics, create useful content and send them out on a regular basis. But I do understand how it can cause a little anxiety if you've never done them, or if you think you can't write well enough, or don't understand the value they can bring to your business. So let's talk through some of this and you'll see that it doesn't have to be intimidating at all. It can actually be fun once you get started.
Why is an ezine important? Ezines are one of the best online tools you can have to help build your contact list; the list of people you're going to market or sell to. Ezines build your credibility-they showcase your expertise not only in the content, but through the ezine creation itself. People in your target market will take note of this when they read your ezine. They'll remember the information, ideas and resources you shared, and when they need someone with your expertise, they will remember your name.
What are the biggest obstacles? One of the biggest obstacles (or excuses) I hear from so many people is a lack of content. My response to them is always the same; "Look around you. There's content in everything!" If you're currently doing articles or blog posts, there's your content. Are you on Facebook, Twitter or other social media sites? There's content there, as well. You can also find great topics in client emails or interactions (not divulging anything confidential, of course), instructions, coaching, or simple conversations with your peers, colleagues and other entrepreneurs. And then there's always content in your own thoughts and opinions. You know you have them; we all do, so use them to your advantage. And you don't have to be an English major to write a good ezine. Just write on topics that will generally inform or help others in some way, and keep it real. People read ezines for good content from real people; they're not looking for the next great novel.
Another obstacle (excuse) I hear a lot is lack of time. People tell me they just don't have the time do an ezine on a regular basis. Funny thing is that the same people who say they don't have time are the ones desperate for more clients. If you have time for more clients, then you have time to do a weekly ezine.
Other obstacles (excuses!)-Not knowing how; but if you had to learn how for a client, you would, so why not do it for your own business? Fear; thinking it's not good enough or that people will judge you when they read it. These are all just false fears and limiting beliefs.
How do you start? Look for topics throughout your daily work. As I mentioned earlier, content comes from everywhere. When something comes to mind or catches your attention, write it down. Keep a list of ongoing topics that you can pull from. Then establish a schedule for yourself each week to spend writing and sending out your ezine. It doesn't have to be long. In fact, my favorite ezines are the ones that share just a quick tip or two once a week. That's ALL that's needed, really. The idea is to keep your name in front of your target market. And one last thing that really helps is to start out sending it to just a few people on your list. Once you see there's no judgment or "hate mail" it becomes easier and you can expand your list.
The key to starting is simply just to start. If you don't, you'll stay small. Your business will remain at the same level, and your target market won't get the benefit of your knowledge and expertise. You do have a lot to share or you wouldn't be where you are. And believe me, there are lots of us out here just waiting to hear from you!
Donna Toothaker is a Virtual Assistant, Author, Speaker and VA Success Coach. She is CEO, founder and coach of Step It UP VA Coaching (http://www.stepitupva.com/), and the creator of the 6 Steps to 6-Figure VA Success System. Her highly sought-after VA coaching programs have been created for success-driven VAs who wish to create the 6-figure business of their dreams. Visit http://www.stepitupva.com/ to receive the free report, Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid in Creating a 6-Figure VA Business.
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