Upload.it - resources tools tips for the shareware software developer author programmer® 
The sharewarist’s central 
Resources, tools, tips for the independent developer 
(trialware, shareware, freeware, commercial software)

EasyWebEditor
Create your Web site in minutes!
 
 
Create help system software documentation HTMLHelp WinHelp CHM HLP for web based and desktop applications...
 
 
THE SHAREWARE ARTICLE
 
 
Home 
 
 
 
 
 
Start your own Newsletter - by Rachael Haring* 
 
Like some huge universe expanding away from itself after a big bang, the Internet is continually growing and shifting. Internet shoppers travel between the sites, one after another, searching for the best 
information and the most attractive deals. The fluidity and ease of their motion brings a disturbing consequence for online merchants: no longer are shoppers bound by  the concept of "customer loyalty." Even if your site is remarkably well-designed, useful, and popular, there is no guarantee that your customers will remember 
you and check back with you later. After all, they can always find what they need somewhere else. 
 
So what can you do to ingrain your URL in the minds of your visitors/customers?  How can you encourage repeat business and announce site news to an interested audience? 
 
Write a Newsletter! 
 
First of all, you have to build a readership base by collecting as many interested email addresses as you can.  Notice the use of the word "interested."  Unless you want to alienate lots of potential customers and waste valuable email resources, you can't just randomly sign people up for your newsletter. 
 
The simplest way to gather names is by simply asking your site  visitors to sign up for updates.  However, the more casual or merely curious shoppers will most likely not be encouraged to give their information to you. 
 
To sweeten the deal, add a contest or sweepstakes to your site, and devise an entry form which contains an area for registrants to sign up for your newsletter.  If you want to risk it, you can automatically place your registrants on the newsletter subscription list; in this case, you had better make sure that there is a  
statement on the entry form informing registrants of this policy and reminding them that they can cancel the subscription at any time.  Display an "unsubscribe" email address for their convenience, both on your entry page and on your actual newsletter.  After all, why would you want to waste time and money sending newsletters to uninterested and/or annoyed parties? 
 
Now, you have to devise content for the newsletter.  Of course, you could make your newsletter a mess of extensive advertisements, mindless hype, and self-serving promotion, but this approach ignores the fact that you are trying to draw your visitor's loyalty. 
Through your newsletter, you are trying to express a sense of community, of shared interests, of an accessible, customer-oriented company.  Instead, try to think like your visitors.  Wouldn't they like to read something a little more useful, a little more fun, a little more attuned to their lifestyles?  If you give them the content that they want to read, they will remember your company's name.  They will remember that you care about entertaining and informing them. 
 
1.) Announcements: There are ways to announce new web site content, sales, and upcoming contests without sounding like a pushy ad.   
Emphasize the benefits of promotions by naming prizes that can be won from your site.  Subtly highlight discounts and new product lines without resorting to a hard-sell. 
 
2.) News:  Find interesting tidbits or news regarding  your retailing sector.  For example, if you have a skiing newsletter, you could include a short, fun history of the sport.  Make it  
informative and different.  
 
3.)  Links:  Give links to helpful and/or site-related information, or choose a "Link of the Month."  For extra exposure, trade newsletter links with another partner site!   
 
4.)  Polls:  Ask your readers a question, and then print the results in the next newsletter.  For best results, pick a well-known topic and allow your readers to send in simple responses.  If you want deeper insights, make a contest out of it and give a prize to the most interesting and/or well-stated opinion. 
 
5.) Various fun stuff:  Anything goes, as long as it is entertaining, cool, and has at least a tenuous relationship to your site.  Recipes, famous quotes, funny anecdotes, jokes, and riddles are all good ideas. 
 
Now you've got a web site newsletter chock full of fascinating information that your visitors will actually want to read.  Be creative, be informative, and above all, be remembered.  
 
 
-- 
* Rachael Haring is the Internet Marketing Assistant for Interflex, Inc. Interflex provides custom e-business solutions, Internet marketing strategies, and commercial web design.   
Visit their site at http://www.interflex.net or write for a free consultation! 
 
This article: (C) 2000 Rachael Haring - Used with permission 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Home 
 
If you distribute your software on CD, you need a good FrontEnd! Try this one: 
 
 
 
Submit software file - Advertise 
Upload.it is a collection of useful resources for software developers. Here you find everything a programmer must know. 
If you are a programmer, a shareware developer, a software guru, this is the place for you! 
 
Site built and maintained with Hyper Publish PRO - the fastest tool for managing large websites and CDs 
Upload and the Upload logo are registered trademarks 
(C) 2000,2008 Visual Vision 
Shareware resources,shareware sites,upload sites,shareware distributors Risorse shareware,siti shareware,distributori shareware Commercial freeware software download purchase try trial demo shareware DVD video audio business office download free cell phone software Shareware video business dvd mpeg ipod audio mp3 software Software shareware commerciale freeware programmi download acquista prova trial demo valutazione gratis Mac OS Linux Windows XP Vista Giochi gratis Software shareware commerciale freeware programmi download acquista prova trial demo valutazione PlayStation Xbox Nintendo Gameboy Palm PocketPC Mac OS OSX Linux Windows XP Download free games RPG simulation roleplay arcade action trial demo freeware Cell phone PlayStation Xbox Nintendo Gameboy Palm PocketPC Mac OS OSX Linux Windows XP Software per la creazione ipertesti Software per la creazione CD, catalogo, sito Web, cataloghi Software creare siti Web, pagine Internet Software per creare manuali, WinHelp, Html Help, .CHM .HLP Programma per creare ebook libri elettronici software per creare proteggere CD autoavviante software proteggere CD presentazioni password scadenza software siti Web creare un catalogo CD, Website, ebook, brochure, catalog, Hypertext, Hypermedia creation software publishing Software for product catalog, CDROM, Internet pages, Web sites publishing, Html Help, WinHelp Software for Website publishing, Html authoring, Internet Web sites creation, Html editor WYSIWYG Create Web site hypertext authoring Create manual software Make electronic manual Create software documentation help system Make software online guide Ebooks software E-books software protect ebook create manuals cd frontend software autorun cd cd presentation software protect protected cd software website builder websight software web site creator software crear elibro libro electrónico crea páginas Web personales, para el Internet Logiciel de Création de Sites Web  
 
Adware Software Companies... - Software Industry Associations, mailing lists... - Software Distributors, Publishers, Retail... - Computer Software Magazines... - Other third party services for shareware developers... - Press release services, distributors... - Programmer’s sites and utilities, software tool for programmers... - Programmers for sale... - Software Promotion services... - Registration services, e-commerce, sell software, ecommerce... - Search engine tips, search engine ranking and resources... - Softwre Shareware sites, sites where to submit your programs... - Shareware tips and resources, how to sell more software... - Submit software file, submit your programs, advertise your programs... - Software for shareware developers... - Various on-line services... - How to make a good Website, Web site tips and resources...