How well do you know your list?

Who are the people on your list that receive your newsletter or blog? Do you have hundreds on your list? If so, do you know where they all came from? If you had to write each one of them an individual message, could you include something specific that you know they would want to hear?

We have an extensive network of people around the world that we stay in touch with via blogs, emails, newsletters, forums, etc. Some have opted-in to a newsletter or blog that we don't personally know. Otherwise, I can tell you something about just about everyone we to whom we send out a  mailing.

Joel and I were recently getting ready to send out a mailing about our web design company, Spinhead Web Design. We wanted to announce our new service, Kindle Formatting. It had been a while since we'd sent anything out so we decided to review the list first to make sure that only people who would really be interested received our email.

We started out with over 300 on the list and pruned it to about 120. But I could tell you where every one of those 120 contacts came from - how we met, whether in person or online. We knew these were people that had either done business with us or were fans of ours. These all are people who are our fans. If they don't need our service, we know they'll refer someone else who does.

It's not effective to send eblasts out to those who are either going to ignore you or feel annoyed. But targeting our fans - that's effective!

Thank you to all our fans!

Marketing your Virtual Assistant services with a newsletter, or ezine, is an excellent way to provide valuable information to prospects and clients. However, there are some US Federal requirements to keep in mind. These requirements are a:

• Real, clearly identified Sender address
• Real, working Reply To address
• Real, working Unsubscribe link
• Clearly identified physical address

In addition, there are two vital factors in getting your ezine opened:

1. The From line - Use a consistent, recognizable name and a real email address (this is the law). You can also use a permission reminder (such as: You are receiving this email newsletter because you subscribed on our website or signed up in some other manner).
2. The Subject line - This needs to be something that will catch their interest and be relevant. Don't: Your VA Newsletter; Do: 5 Simple Steps to Creating a Twitter Account.

Our next group coaching call for virtual assistants on June 15, 2010 will be about Effectively Marketing With Your Newsletter. To help us create the best possible content, we'd appreciate it if you'd take a few minutes to answer a few questions.

The questions are:

Do you currently publish an ezine or email newsletter?

If you do currently publish a newsletter, does it have a name?

If you do not currently publish a newsletter, briefly explain why not.

How often do you currently publish your newsletter or if you do not yet publish one, how often do you think you would publish it?

What program do you currently use to publish your newsletter? If you are not currently publishing one, what programs have you heard of? Constant Contact, iContact, Aweber, Infusion Soft, MyEmma, others?

What do you like most and least about the newsletter program you are currently using?

Who are you targeting with your newsletter? Prospective clients, current clients, other virtual assistants, someone else?

What topics does your newsletter cover?

Click here to take our short survey.

We all receive a ton of messages every day, maybe hundreds and even thousands, through email, radio, TV, magazines, etc. Does your prospect remember your message among all those they receive each day? When they are ready to use a product or service, do they think of you first?

Here are 4 ways to connect with your prospects on a regular basis so they will think of you first:

1. Ezine. Consider sending your ezine out weekly instead of monthly. A note of caution though. If you decide to send weekly, keep it short! If you're blogging several times a week, your ezine could be the title and first paragraph of each post for the week with links back to those blog entries where your prospect can read more.

2. Blog. Post a blog entry at least three times a week, even daily. Conclude each entry with a call to action directing your prospects to your products and services.

3. Teleseminars. Promote your teleseminars in your ezine and blog. There are many sites you can promote your teleseminars on also. One site is www.seminarannouncer.com. You can also use Facebook and LinkedIn to post these events.

4. Auto responders. Creating an auto responder series is an excellent way to grow your list and stay on top of your prospects minds. It could be an e-course, weekly tips, daily inspirations, etc.

Remember to use balance and do not inundate your prospects with too much, too often. The information you send should be relevant and valuable.

A virtual assistant can help you set up systems and manage these for you so you can stay on top of your prospects minds. Are you ready to start a blog or monthly newsletter? Contact Awesome Assistant and let's get started.

What are you doing that makes your prospects think of you first?

As a virtual assistant, accuracy is vital to my business. That means paying attention to details is important. When we get in a hurry, it's easy to overlook the details and then put out inaccurate information. This can cause embarrasment to ourselves and our clients.

It's always a good idea to double check your work, whether it's bookkeeping or sending out an ezine. If possible, have someone else proofread before sending out written materials. A new pair of eyes can often see some small error that you may have overlooked.

What tips can you share that help you to maintain your accuracy?