Re: [epub] Why press releases work

["Dr.MANI Sivasubramanian, M.D." <sivaraj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: "Dr.MANI Sivasubramanian, M.D." <sivaraj@giasmd01.vsnl.net.in>

Hi Monique:

I read your recent posts with interest - wasn't aware that you
were on E-pub before !

To fellow list members, I have to say Monique is one of the
online marketing experts I respect a lot.  A year ago, almost
casually, she dropped me a few words of advice - free of course - 
on marketing my e-report, AFTER THE FONTAN.  By simply
implementing those two or three strategies, which didn't
take too long, btw, I have consistently been able to sell one
or two copies of the highly targeted not-for-general audiences
report, every week - an achievement I wouldn't have thought
possible earlier.  I'd publicly like to thank Monique for her
help, and tell fellow e-pubbers that this is a girl who knows
what she's talking about when it comes to e-publishing !!!

> >You have to think outside of the box to be noticed.

Now to the point that Eva and Monique have been discussing -
being unique in terms of ezine content.  

Today, entry barriers into just about any facet of online
publishing are becoming higher.  Gone are the days when
you could slap together a collection of thoughts, ramblings
and a few interesting websites, find a few gullible advertisers
to run three line classifieds on it for $10 apiece, and call
yourself an ezine editor and rake in big bucks :-)

It is now hard work consistently developing and putting
out a quality e-pub.  And when someone of the caliber
of Eva writes about thinking of getting *better* - well, it
is time for the rest of us to wake up and look afresh at
our publications, because Eva's is one of the best ezines
I've ever read !

I also subscriber to Monique's newsletter, and can honestly
say I read it *only* because it stands apart from the crowd
in terms of *presentation of content*.  The format of writing
like a daily diary entry probably kindles the voyeuristic
instincts of many readers, making them curious to learn
what's been happening in her life today.   A winning strategy.

But I'm also sure that if many people start *copying* the idea,
it's novelty will wear thin.  Instead, what we e-publishers should
be doing is try and think of more out-of-the-box styles, 
which may be better suited to our unique readership, to add
appeal to our ezines.

For instance, from a long monthly e-letter, I changed over to
a shorter version with only one aspect of the content (feature
article, OR news, OR first person story) per issue. It not only was 
simpler to put together, it brought down my unsub rates, since 
readers knew what an issue was about, and either read it or
trashed it :-)  It also made each issue much shorter.

Thanks Monique for sharing your experience with the e-pub
list, and for pointing out the value in thinking out-of-the-box.
I'm sure we all can benefit from such a strategy.  

Brian, maybe we should have a contest for the best unconventional
e-publishing idea list members can come up with by end-March ?!

Sincerely

Dr.Mani Sivasubramanian, M.D.
Cardiothoracic Surgeon



****************************************************

Dr. MANI Sivasubramanian, M.D.

Heart Disease Guide - About.com
<http://heartdisease.about.com>

Heart Disease Online
<http://www.drmani.com>

Join me in remembering the millions of people affected by
CHD on 14th February, 2000:

"A Day for Hearts: Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Day!
   <http://heartdisease.about.com/chdspecial.htm>

****************************************************

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