June 16, 2011

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Hello!

First I want to give a big welcome to the 608 new subscribers who've joined us in the last week. Glad you're here.

While today's ezine has some great, practical info on newsletters and newsletter sign-up boxes, I'm starting it on a very personal note, sharing with you one of the most significant events of my life that happened on another June 16.

Ten years ago today, my son, his father and our dog were in a serious car accident in Los Angeles. Fortunately, my son and his new puppy survived with barely a scratch. Unfortunately, his father did not survive.

It was a huge, life-changing event, as you might imagine, for all of us.

Just 2 hours before the accident, I was suddenly moved to tell my ex-husband how much I loved him and how grateful I was for his presence in my life. I am forever thankful for the grace that urged me to speak those last words to him.

This video tells a little more about that experience. I made it about 9 years ago for the Center for Nonviolent Communication, where I had done some training. NVC, as it's known, is the brilliant work of a true hero of mine, Marshall Rosenberg.

Here's the link directly to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ih2FLtzG0

I just want to encourage you to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. And if you want to experience more peace and harmony with someone, check out Marshall's work.

Much love to you,

When Strange Characters Take the Place of Punctuation

If you've ever seen -- or sent yourself -- a newsletter possessed by weird characters inhabiting the place of puntuation marks, you'll know you've been bit...by the Word Gremlins.

For example, you mean to write, this:

Set aside a portion of your bedroom or den as a “humor corner” to house your collection. Then, when life gets you down, don't hesitate to visit.

But it comes out looking like this:

Set aside a portion of your bedroom or den as a ‰€œhumor corner‰€œ to house your collection. Then, when life gets you down, don’t hesitate to visit.

What's happening is actually very simple -- and very easy to correct. The characters are the result of pasting text from Microsoft Word directly into your newsletter (even into your email subject line) when you send through an email service provider, such as Constant Contact. The usual culprits are apostrophes, quote marks, long dashes and ellipses.

The problem originates with a preference setting in MS Word called "smart quotes." When enabled, this preference is what gives the "curly" or "slanted" quotes and apostrophes in a Word document. But in HTML (web language), these curly or slanted quotes and apostrophes, etc., render as a grouping of weird characters.

There are two ways to avoid it -- and please do one or the other, cuz it makes your emails look really bad! The first is to turn off "smart quotes." Go to wherever the AutoCorrect preferences are in your Word program; under "Replace as You Type," select the straight quotes option. This way, everything you type is good to go in your newsletter.

The second way to remove these gremlins is to first paste your Word text into a text-only word processor (e.g., Notepad), save it and then paste it into your newsletter.

Exquisite Client Support

Extending the Ripple Effect of Your Coaching to Increase the Longevity of Current Clients, Build Referrals and Create Raving Fans!

Join me for this exclusive, 1-time teleseminar with Melinda Cohan and Kate Steinbacher, founders of The Coaches Console. During my interview with longtime colleagues Kate and Melinda, you'll discover:

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• The distinction between Good Support vs. High-Level Support vs. Exquisite Support (and why you'd better know the difference if you want a thriving business).
• How to gain back 55 minutes each day; 27.5 hours each month and 2 months a year (imagine how many more clients you could work with if you had that kind of extra time).
• 4 specific strategies you can implement immediately to integrate this level of service in your business.

Reserve your spot now -- it's happening June 29, 2011 at 2 pm Eastern!

Save your spot now ==> http://www.coachesconsole.com/ecs

Coaches rave about Melinda and Kate's work. This topic is hot and SO needed. Check it out!

5 Newsletter Sign-Up Box Essentials

There is no piece of virtual real estate more valuable than the newsletter sign-up box.

This is where visitors to your site can raise their hand to say: I'm curious. I'm interested. Tell me more. Keep in touch. (And this is why it's so important to HAVE a newsletter…to develop a relationship with the people who raise their hand!)

Follow these 5 practices with your newsletter sign-up boxes to maximize the effectiveness of your website and attract more interested folks to your contact list.

1. Make your sign-up box easily visible on your website. A great high-profile location: the right-hand side of your header. Put your sign-up box on every page of your website. You never know which page of your site someone's going to land on; it would be a shame if they missed the opportunity to sign up for your newsletter.

2. Give visitors an incentive to sign up. For example: an assessment, an e-book, a special report. Long gone are the days when "Sign up for my newsletter" was all you needed. Today, you MUST give folks a freebie that gives value and introduces them to you.

3. Describe the benefits. Let people know the benefits of receiving your newsletter. In other words, what do they "get" from the content in your newsletter? This can be brief, or you can link to a page that describes the benefits and content in greater detail.

4. Don't ask for too much information. When you ask for too much information, you risk what's known as "form abandonment." All you really need is first name and email address. You can ask for more later in the relationship.

5. Include your privacy policy. People want to be reassured that their contact info is respected. This stated policy doesn't have to be legalese or bureaucratese. It's just an extension of your voice. My privacy policy states: "We NEVER rent, sell or share your information. Period." (That's because I LOVE to use all caps for emphasis, and I really enjoy one word sentences!)

The bottom line: don't ignore this little box. How you treat it will make the difference between a drizzle and a flood of new contacts.

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If doing a newsletter or writing articles isn't your cup of tea, you don't have the time or the technology part scares you, you'll find all the resources you need to have what you want -- without having to do it all yourself -- at these websites:

www.Ready2GoArticles.com
www.Ready2GoEzines.com
www.Ready2GoArticleBrochures.com

Linda Claire Puig is a newsletter marketing expert and founder of Ready2Go Articles, Ready2Go Ezines, Ready2Go Article Brochures and other Ready2Go services, which all provide independent, service-based professionals with high-quality, professionally written, done-for-you content to grow their businesses.

An award-winning writer for 25 years, Linda's articles have appeared in newspapers, magazines and newsletters throughout the world.

She has produced newsletters for associations, small businesses and solo-professionals since 1990 and has trained thousands of individuals in "the way of the newsletter."

Linda is also an actor, she loves to travel, and all manner of dogs catch her eye.