Wishing for more subscribers to your company's e-newsletter? Then create a co-registration campaign to connect with a new audience--visitors on other websites will be able to sign up for your newsletter on the spot.
Newsletter owners with a list size comparable to yours might do a free cross-promotion. Search the web for newsletters with content similar or relevant to yours. For example, if you publish a parenting newsletter, look for newsletters on pregnancy or children's sports. You can also try finding partners at the Co-Registration Directory, a free service run by Co-Reg Complete.
If your newsletter contact list isn't big enough for cross-promotion yet, or you want to boost your subscriber numbers quickly, work with an agency that brokers co-registration deals, such as Aptimus Inc., PermissionDirector SilverCarrot Inc. Rates can range from 4 cents to more than $1 per subscriber, with a minimum investment of $1,000 to $2,500. But before you buy, make sure you ask these questions to prevent being accused of sending spam:
1. Where will my newsletter opt-in form be posted? If the co-registration agency won't tell you which sites will post your sign-up form and won't give you tracking data, then the agency might be sending unsolicited e-mail.
2. How will my newsletter sign-up information look? Make sure your company or newsletter name and a description are included. People should sign up for your newsletter specifically, not one on a particular topic, or your e-mail could be mistaken for spam.
3. What kind of tracking information will I get? At a minimum, you should receive the times, dates and IP addresses where newsletter sign-ups occurred. Get actual websites whenever possible.
Customize your confirmation e-mails sent to new subscribers. Thank them for subscribing from the referring site, and offer newsletterlike content. This helps safeguard your company against potential spam complaints--and it makes new subscribers feel welcome.
Speaker and freelance writer Catherine Sedaowns an internet marketing agency and is author of Search Engine Advertising.
This story appears in the August 2005 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
