I have enjoyed learning about becoming a better Virtual Assistant through your newsletter and forms. My question now is I have a client that wants me to manage his membership database and newsletter formatting & sending. Is there a system that you have used or recommend for this? His database contains over 800 email addresses & names and is done as an excel spreadsheet. His newsletter content is coming from another source and it is expected that I manage that. Any Hints? Recommendations? Thanks –BD

I’d need a bit more information about the context of his membership database to share any thoughts there (e.g., who is added and how and when, and what are his objectives for collecting and using the information?), but as far as ezines, I always encourage clients to go with a list management, autoresponder and distribution tool such as Aweber.

Managing ezine subscribers via an excel spreadsheet is just so inefficient and archaic. Tools like Aweber not only automate the function of opting in subscribers, it provides the tools to create ezine templates, schedule them ahead of time for publication, utilize autoresponder capabilities, allow subscribers to manage their own subscriptions and the client to leverage and maximize their networking and marketing to a greater, more consistent degree.

With Aweber, you can use one of the many basic ezine templates they provide for free, modify one of their templates or upload your own ezine format in HTML. It’s super flexible and easy to use. And you can upload as many issues ahead of time as you wish and set each of them to publish automatically according to whatever dates you have indicated. The broadcast messaging allows you schedule ezines or any other kind of one-off communications you wish to go out to your lists. And you can have as many lists as you wish–one for your ezine subscribers, one for your members, one for teleseminar registrations, etc.

The autoresponders are another great tool you get with Aweber. With autoresponders, you can set up a series of communications to go out automatically and scheduled to publish  not by date, but rather by intervals of days. For example, some people use autoresponders to offer e-courses. Subscribers who are interested will opt-in to the list and the autoresponders will issue the first lesson, then the second lesson 7 days after that (or however many days interval you indicate), and so on and so forth.

Aweber’s tracking, reporting and analysis tools are incredible, and it’s got the highest whitelist ratings and best delivery rates of all the other services.

So you see, simply storing names and contact info in a spreadsheet really doesn’t do much for you. With an autoresponder/list management service such as Aweber, not only are you streamlining all the work and processes that go into list building, but also automating and making dynamic use of the information and actually putting it into action. I would definitely encourage your client in that direction.

Aweber will allow him to import an existing list, but it must be washed clean first of any obsolete email addresses and the subscribers will have to confirm their desire to re-optin so to speak. Moving to any new system like that he can expect to lose some of the people on his current (some experts say the rule of thumb is about 50%) so it’s not entirely painless. But you want to help him understand that communicating or trying to maintain a relationship with folks who aren’t interested in the first place isn’t effort that is well-placed. Aweber will help him build his list back up and what’s better is that he’ll be gaining people who really do have an interest and want to hear from him (as opposed to continuing to send out messages to people he’s just collected biz cards from and who may not have any interest in his business or hearing from him).

I have seen a lot of Virtual Assistants putting “sign up for my newsletter” on their websites. Who would sign up for them? And why? Does it generate future clients? Also, where do they get the content for monthly newsletters? I can’t imagine that each of them are writing their own, but maybe they are. This is an area I’m a little confused about, but would love to get up-to-speed if it’s something that generates clients. –MM

Hi, MM. You’re seeing a lot of Virtual Assistants doing this because a newsletter is one way to continue the dialogue with your prospective clients. By building a list through an opt-in offer (such as a newsletter), you can continue to talk with those folks on a regular basis, keeping your name and face in front of them and thereby helping them get to know you and your company better and developing a rapport with them.

You’ll hear it said often that “the list is the thing,” and it is very true. Your list keeps prospects in your pipeline which is a very good thing because there will be times in your business when your roster isn’t full. If you build a list of subscribers with whom you follow-up and stay in contact, you’ll always have a ready-made audience of prospective clients and referrers who have already indicated (by virtue of their continued subscription) that they are interested in you and your company.

Some things to keep in mind… I see a lot of Virtual Assistants put out newsletters that are either talking to other Virtual Assistants or are very self-centric. To do well with a newsletter, always keep in mind who your intended audience is–your would-be clients!

Write about things that are going to be of interest to them. Write from their perspective and talk directly to them. If you’re using a lot of “I,” “we” and “us,” flip those sentences around to use more “you” and “your.” Offer advice that is genuinely helpful to them in their businesses. Doing so will also demonstrate what a smart cookie you are (and what a great partner you would be to work with).

If you’re going to do a newsletter, I recommend also interspersing your articles with news about your company that is client-centric. Clients aren’t going to care so much that you joined your local Chamber of Commerce. Big woop, right? Save that stuff for filler.

What will be more interesting and relevant to them is hearing about how some work you just completed for a client simplified their business, automated part of their operations saving them X hours a year, brought in X number of new subscribers, or generated $X more in revenues. That’s the kind of stuff that will perk up their ears because they’re looking to achieve those things in their own business and it gives them a clear illustration of how your support could be implemented and what kind of results they can expect.

And don’t assume they know or remember all that you can do. You have to keep reminding them. Each week (or month), talk about a different skill you have or special service you offer and give your readers ideas and suggestions on how they can leverage your expertise in their business.

Of course, you don’t necessarily have to do a newsletter. There are lots of ideas for building your list including offering a free report (something that is highly relevant and of keen interest to your target market), weekly tips and quips, or an e-course to be delivered over the period of several weeks.

Now, to start building your list, you really want to use an autoresponder service to automate things and save time. I highly recommend Aweber. It’s easy to use, it’s very affordable, the uses and functions and integrations they offer are virtually limitless, and they have absolutely fantastic customer service. If you don’t invest in any other tool in your business, this is definitely one you should not go without.

Oh, and I should add that your offer should be free. You’ll hear this referred to frequently as your “pink spoon” in the marketing funnel strategy. It’s a way to get them in the door so that you can become a resource and maintain regular communication thereby increasing your “know/like/trust” quotient.

Rather, what I’m referring to are those simple autoresponders that most hosting packages provide for where you can set up a generic message that will automatically be sent to anyone who happens to email the address you set it up on.

Used appropriately, they can be a useful–albeit limited–tool to facilitate communication.

But having recently been on the receiving end of someone’s autoresponders when they went on vacation, I can tell you for sure that they can be annoying as all get-out when used without foresight.

I also spent the last week trying to communicate with someone whose autoresponder was doing a great job of telling me she’d get back to me within 24 hours. Not only did I get the same impersonal, generic message every time I emailed her, she also never got back to me–even after an entire week!

I surely don’t appreciate having my IN-box cluttered up with unnecessary messages that create more work for me and my assistants to delete. And if we find it annoying, just think what your clients and prospects trying to communicate with you will think!

Before adding an autoresponder to your business email, think it through carefully. Will it be more annoying than helpful to those who email you? What do your clients and prospects really think about them? If you begin an email exchange beyond initial contact, are they getting your generic autoresponder every single time they email you? How annoying or offputting might they find that?!

If you are intent on using an autoresponder, here’s what you might do:  Create a special email address, one that was connected and used ONLY in very specific situations, such as your online client contact form, for example. That way, anyone using that form would get the autoresponder only once. If you then began an email dialogue, you would switch to your regular business email address–the one with no autoresponder attached.