What You Should Know About Ezine Advertising Coops

STANDARD CLASSIFIED EZINE AD SERVICES
By Theresa Cahill
(C) 2003

There are numerous ezine co-ops on the internet and it seems new ones spring up overnight. The new publisher may be quite anxious to get their list growing, and join several.

While this can be a good idea, I'd like to urge you to use caution when joining any ezine co-op, including this one.

The primary service a co-op provides is sending you new subscribers, along with one classified ad (typically no larger than 6 lines, 60 characters).

In exchange, you agree to personally^* contact this new subscriber, confirming that they've been added to your list (or requesting that they double opt into your list), and also letting them know when their ad will appear in your ezine.

Doesn't sound hard does it? And it's not, but I still urge you to think it through - first.

I'm 100% FOR joining a few co-ops, if I wasn't this one (My Wizard Ads) would not exist :)

Join too many, or ones not right for you, and the next thing you know you are scrambling to display the ads sent (since you have an obligation to that co-op to display that ad).

Many new publishers (and some older ones!) find that by joining too many co-ops, they run into trouble.

I was, at one time, a participating publisher in over a dozen co-ops. Yes, it was a full time task - I went from publishing once a week to daily, back down to three times a week, then two - it was insane!

So, I took a careful look at which ones I wanted to keep and narrowed it down to two - my own and one other (a terrific friend of mine who helped get me started).

Life is pleasant again LOL!

So, think it though...

^* Like you, co-ops don't allow autosubscribe email addresses since the order (subscriber and ad) comes directly from the co-op. Your autosubscribe sees only the email address the request COMES FROM and tries (over and over) to confirm the CO-OP, not the subscriber!

CO-OPS THAT ALSO OFFER SOLO ADS
By Theresa Cahill
(C) 2003

Before you go, please do take the time to read this section - since the solo ad will either make or break you - in a heartbeat!

Your first obligation when running solos is to your SUBSCRIBERS. They've agreed to hear from you, but did not give you permission to flood their inboxes!

There's a fine line even for a publisher on what is quality contact and what is spam.

Your second obligation when considering solo advertising is TO YOURSELF! The solo is the primary means of generating an income FOR THE PUBLISHER! Do not give this away lightly.

Many co-ops now offer additional services to advertisers - with solo advertising heading up the list. Unless you "read the fine print," this can have disastrous results for you!

DO NOT get involved with sending solos UNLESS THE CO-OP WILL PAY YOU (and pay you well!) for helping that co-op out!

The "get a subscriber for running a CLASSIFIED ad" is an equitable exchange since you are probably offering free ads anyway to new subscribers. Co-ops help cut back on your own advertising expenses and time promoting your business.

SOLO ADS are a completely different story. DO NOT sell yourself short when agreeing to participate in anyone else's solo programs. Just check your own inboxes, if you subscribe to other ezines, and you'll see immediately what I mean.

Typically what happens is the co-op owner tells you "if you sell one, you'll make money." But heck, any affiliate can do that... or at least try.

The reality? A small percentage of publishers end up selling, and the rest are stuck trying to fill the orders. Truth! Just ask around :)

My Wizard Ads solo participating publishers are paid each and every time their ezine is ordered for a solo. I pay through PayPal once I receive a copy of your confirmation to the buyer.

You decide if you'd like to participate. The only agreement I ask is that you charge what you'd normally charge for ONE solo, but agree to run that solo two (2) times to your list (the get 1 free part).

In other words, I act as an agent on YOUR behalf and provide another selling spot for your own solo service.

(Complete details arrive you in Benefits Package Welcome email.)

Whether you join me at My Wizard Ads or not, please... Make sure you GET PAID, and get paid well, for helping any co-op grow!

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE JOINING ANY EZINE COOP