Greetings,
Going over 1,000 subscribers must have pushed the magic button. The January issue had the highest "opens" rate since May 2007. I'm still scratching my head to understand why. Was it the subject line-- "We did it!"--or the fact that the holidays were over? Or something else? Please let me know why you opened our last issue, especially if you haven't looked at Web Words for a while. But in any event, thanks for reading.
This issue is all about email marketing, featuring an answer to the most frequently asked question: How long does it take to do an email newsletter? Then we consider a really successful business--Constant Contact, the premier provider of email marketing for small businesses, which offers the service we use and resell.
Our new contest will help you push the magic button. Get started with your own email marketing for newsletters, announcements and invitations. For details, see the column to the right.
We got lots of kudos for the 1,000th subscriber milestone and applause for the anti-recession article. Thanks to Paul Cashman for suggesting another free file transfer service for up to 1GB. That would be Pando.
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Full Disclosure
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 How much time does an e-zine take? That's usually the first question I'm asked when anyone gets serious about staying in touch with customers and prospects on a regular basis.
Bearing in mind that each situation is different, it takes a day--about 8 hours total. I base this estimate not only on anecdotal information from my clients, but also on my own experience.
Last month was unusual. My schedule required that I do Web Words in a single day. I got up on Tuesday morning with nothing done and went to bed with the issue complete. And I tracked my time, so I'd have some quasi-scientific data for this article.
On the Clock
It took me about two hours to do the writing for the January issue. That includes the research for the two main articles and other miscellaneous copy. Usually, I do very little editing, but I do reread frequently. And I often get lost in the research. Last month, I watched three Loony Tunes cartoons while checking out Wile Coyote.
The photo research is very time consuming. "Make Hay" was mostly about networking, so I scoured my photo source for business gatherings. It took me a long time to find almost nothing. Then I showed the photo to Will (husband for those of you who don't know). He said, "You should have a photo of hay." Duh! I found several great ones in no time.
This leads me to a sweeping observation. We don't have photos of the commonplace. Look through your own pictures--how many do you have of the things you do every day? Your family around the kitchen table? Or the roads you travel to the grocery store? Likewise, stock photo sites feature the unusual and ignore the ordinary.
Then there's loading the text into the template and sizing the graphics. Constant Contact makes the process very simple--but it still takes time.
The Rest
With content and photos in place, my work was not done. It took time to find and add the 14 links in the issue (to which there were 41 clicks). Links provide additional information to readers and produce inbound traffic for products and services mentioned in the issue.
Then there's adding new subscribers and checking bounced emails. No matter how hard I try, about 2% of my emails don't make it. I spend time following up and have reinstated many subscribers with a phone call or Web research. So if you change your email address, please let me know.
Now that you know what it's going to cost you, today is the perfect time to start your own e-zine. There's more competition for less business and you want to be on the minds of your customers when they are ready to buy. Get started now.
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Mother Ship
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I visited Constant Contact's Waltham, MA headquarters last month. I've been a business partner for three years and much has changed in that time. The staff has nearly doubled, they launched a successful IPO, began a nationwide radio campaign, opened a second office in Loveland, CO and now have more than 4,000 business partners.
You'd think a small partner like Shawenon Communications wouldn't be worth the time of day. But award-winning Constant Contact is different. I spent an hour with the senior director of partner programs along with my direct contact in the program.
Then came the fun part. I got to test drive a new version of the business-partner console. This product controls how partners view new and current customers and receive revenue reports. Back in the days when I was a groupware guru, I was frequently consulted about new software. At Constant Contact, I was delighted to learn that I hadn't lost my touch. I didn't bring the software to its knees, but I found some bugs and offered a few welcome suggestions.
The fact that they would go to the trouble of testing this software with actual partners speaks to how the company is run. Their customer service is extraordinary. Not only do they support their email marketing products by phone from 9 AM to 9 PM five days a week with real people in Waltham and Loveland, but they also provide prompt email response and online chat support. When a potential subscriber signs up for a free 60-day product trial, the prospect receives a personal welcome call. Who else does that?
In These Times
I wouldn't say Constant Contact's business is recession proof, but these are really good times to increase visibility with customers, prospects and stakeholders. While it's true that there is a lot of information out there--more than most of us can handle--visibility is crucial when things get competitive. Like now.
As an added incentive to get you--and people you know--started with email marketing, I'm offering a free hour of consulting for every two new Constant Contact customers you bring to Shawenon Communications. For all the details, check the column to the right.
With your newsletter up and running, you can watch your business grow. Constant Contact's revenue increased 69% in 2008. How's that for inspiration?
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| Web Tips |
 Ever wish you could map your thoughts on your computer? A new client introduced me to PersonalBrain, a product that allows you to organize information more effectively. Like mind mapping, you can construct your thought process visually.
On the one hand, it's the product I've always dreamed of. On the other, I'd have to take two weeks off to learn how it works and move everything over to it. The good news is they have lots of excellent tutorials, phone support and live webinars.
You can use the Pro version free for a month. Then you must downgrade to the free version or pony up $249.95 or $149.95 for the Core version.
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And Finally . . .
Shawenon Communications collaborates with small businesses, solopreneurs, professionals and not-for-profits to get their messages across in the written word.
We specialize in electronic communications, including e-zines and other forms of email marketing, and Web site content. We also ghostwrite articles and other business communications. As a business partner, we resell Constant Contact's email marketing service.
Thanks for reading. If you liked this issue, please click on the Forward email button below to share this newsletter with others.
You're also welcome to reprint material in this newsletter as long as it is unaltered and credited to the author. Be sure to send us a copy, too. If being reproduced electronically, the following link must also be included:
www.shawenon.com
Sincerely,
Susanna Opper
Shawenon Communications
413-528-6494
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 2009 Contest
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You can win a free hour of communications consulting on any project from your newsletter to your Web site.
To enter, sign up for a free Constant Contact 60-day trial and let me know you're going for the prize. Then enroll a colleague and when you both buy the service, the hour is yours.
If you are already a Shawenon Communications customer, you just need to enroll one other person for your free hour. And if you are using Constant Contact, but are not under my umbrella, let me know.Special rules apply.
We've got the 1,000th subscriber, but we're going for more. Please forward this email
or talk up Web Words to your business colleagues.
Contact us for more information
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