They're YOUR Subscribers ... aren't they?

By Michele Royster
Posted Wednesday, August 18, 2004

When I went to the hair salon recently I was a little distressed to find that my favorite stylist was no longer there!

I didn't want to seem rude to the owner by refusing to let her do my hair instead but -- I was.

I couldn't help it! It costs $30 - $50 a pop when I visit and I didn't want to risk spending my cash on a hairdo that just ... didn't ... do!

I found out where Shari, my regular stylist, was and proceeded to follow her to her new place of business. As it turned out, I saw several other 'familiar faces' from the old shop, had followed Shari to her new shop as well.

Let's take a lesson from this experience shall we?

It has become quite popular these days to feature the articles of well-known marketing 'gurus' in our ezines or at our websites. Many well-known marketers are actually providing a script that you can upload to your webpage that will automatically refresh itself and display a new article at your site every week!

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a GOOD thing to feature one another's articles as we network together to establish a network presence.

What's NOT so good, is getting carried away with it by allowing your subscribers and visitors see NOTHING BUT someone else's content at your website or in your ezine.

If each and every time I visit your site I see articles from Michele Royster, and every time I read your ezine I read articles and tips from ... Hmmm ... Michele Royster, then wouldn't it be safe for me to assume that Michele Royster's ezine is the one that I should be subscribed to?

People visit your site and read your ezine to get YOUR take on a particular subject. YOU must develop a personal relationship with them; YOU must share YOUR experiences with them; YOU must show them what you know; YOU must establish credibility with them so that when YOU teach them something, they can believe what you say because you've taken time to build their trust.

Again, I DO advocate networking and helping one another rise on the internet. I'll do it in a heartbeat as long as the content is relative to my ezine and that it will benefit my subscribers. But understand, it is NECESSARY for your visitors and subscribers to hear from YOU.

After all, you don't want your subscribers doing what I did -- I followed the hairdresser whose work I trusted and had become familiar with. Likewise, YOUR subscribers may follow the marketer whose articles are published most at your site or in your ezine.

You don't have to be a guru to share your knowledge with someone else. Your experiences are valid and should be shared to help others. Besides, if you're anything like me, you've purchased a gazillion guru's ebooks and found yourself more confused than ever! So ...

Trust Yourself -- No one knows your business like you do. If your methods are not what's "hip" or "cool" on the net, then that's even more reason to share them because they are the methods that are most likely to work!

It has been my experience that the Most Popular marketing methods are not always the best for EVERYONE. Take a
chance and give us all something fresh and new 'kay?

About the Author
= Michele Royster is the author and publisher for the =
= Christian Women's Network Ministries newsletter. =
= To read more articles and publications by Mrs. Royster=
= visit the Christian Women's Network: =
= (http://www.chrisitanwomensnetwork.org) =