Greetings Family,
(Contact Information At The Bottom Of The Page)

As a Digital Drummer, I'm always looking for something good to put on this virtual drum line...smile

Arlena Richardson, is a relatively new friend, I met on We Are Creative People (see www.wacptv.ning.com) I've watched this sister selfishly put out positive, proactive and empowering information for the last year.

She exemplifies what social networking is all about; sharing, supporting, and encouraging those of us in the Black online Diaspora. The sister has her act together and is quickly becoming a recognized name on the Net.

Seeing her background as an established sports publicist and Dot.com entrepreneur, her rise in popularity is understandable (see http://www.arlena.com/arlena_richardson.htm) Arlena is doing big things and deserves our acknowledgement and support.

Please take the time to send Arlena Richardson an email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and/or public comment, thanking her for all her time and efforts to make the Net a better and more vibrant place for Blacks online.

Remember, We Must Share The Knowledge (Network)... To Share The Dollars!!!

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"Top Ten Tips For Email Marketing" 
Republished From http://www.arlena.com/

1. You need to get your email opened and read, how do you help your cause? Through the subject line! But remember, email readers cut off the subject line if it's too long so get your message across with a few short words.

2. "From Label" faux pas - make sure that your email comes "from" whomever your recipients have established a relationship with. If they see that it's coming from someone with whom they aren't familiar, you're likely to see an increase in your unsubscribe rate and possibly receive some SPAM complaints.

3. Personalization is key! It's a great way to get your message read and Vertical Response can help you set it up easily. Catch your recipient's attention using it in the subject line, in the introduction or even the in closing of your email. Personalization is a powerful way to bring you closer to your recipient.

4. Identify with your recipients in the first paragraph "You told us you wanted to receive information on [Product X] so we're sending you this information today!" Help them remember the connection you've had with them from previous correspondence. Sparking the memory of your recipient can also help to lower your unsubscribe rate.

5. Pictures, pictures, pictures. We see up to 10 times the response rate for emails using pictures vs. those with only text. Vertical Response has the tools to help you easily upload your images so why not give yourself the advantage. Just make sure the images aren't too large (i.e. file size) as it will take longer to load for your dial-up recipients. Don't run the risk of losing a potential customer because they got frustrated waiting for your images to load.

6. Got a product? Make your offer up front and provide only the most pertinent information (i.e. price, model #, availability) in the email. Don't waste your customer's time by making them search for these details as this can have a negative effect on your sales. As long as you also provide them with a link to get more information about your offer they should have everything they need.

7. Create urgency with your offers. Apply expiration dates and enforce them. This can jump start your recipients behavior if they feel like a delay on their part will result in a missed opportunity.

8. Keep it short and sweet. If you send a monthly email and have a lot to say, try to convey your message in a concise manner. Get your message across with a few sentences and then include a link where they can get more information. You might think about switching your monthly email to a bi-weekly one to prevent your newsletters from being too long.

9. When you mail can be as important as what you mail. Keep in mind that certain times of the year people will be focusing more of their attention on get-togethers with friends and family than to their email inboxes. Schedule your mailings accordingly for the holiday seasons (i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, 4th of July) to ensure that your messages are not left unread for longer than you expected. This is especially important for any time-sensitive offers or announcements contained within your email.

10. For success in the future you'll want to consult the past! Study campaign performance to learn from your achievements (and your mistakes!) by monitoring your clicks and open rate. Test, Test, Test: try different offers with your lists and compare the results. See which days of the week and especially subject lines garner the best response

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Jim Neusom (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Executive Director/Publisher
InterServe Networks/City Lights Software, Inc.
www.citylightssoftware.com
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www.myspace.com/jimneusom
www.myspace.com/freshfaces2u

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