any people join e-mail lists so they can receive updates or e-newsletters from various businesses. Such lists often don't attract my attention, but when I see one pertaining to products and topics that are key to my business, I want in. I subscribe to several e-mail lists, including those of Authorize.Net, VMWare and The Green Sheet.

At Nubrek, we send out a monthly e-newsletter telling our customers and potential customers about new posts to our blog, recent articles published, updates to our product and other things we think they will find of interest. I've always been impressed by the degree of customer loyalty and new business volume these lists can engender. As an ISO or merchant level salesperson, you, too, can use this highly effective tool.

In this article, I'll help you map out the steps involved in sending out your first e-newsletter, spec out a few applications, share some dos and don'ts and recommend some helpful print resources.

Preparation, preparation, preparation

Before you do anything else, you'll need to do some initial planning:

• Decide who your target audience is: current customers, potential customers or both?
• Determine how often you are going to send out your newsletter: weekly, bi-weekly or monthly?
• Determine your publication's content. What do you want to cover in each issue? Will you have departments? Themes?
• Choose the best application for your e-newsletter distribution needs, and be sure it is easy to install and use.

Software solutions

Dozens of tools can make it a snap to send e-newsletters to a voluntary recipient base: everything from a simple feature in your current e-mail program to comprehensive e-newsletter software suites.

Here are some software options I've looked into:

The inexpensive route

Zeop: This is a free Web-based service that helps you build a subscription list through your Web site. It keeps tabs on users as they subscribe and unsubscribe. When you are ready to send out an e-newsletter, Zeop enables you to export your subscribers' e-mail addresses to a text file. It also integrates nicely with many e-mail campaign tools. For more information, visit www.zeop.com.

Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft Outlook: Publisher and Outlook are part of Microsoft Office's small business software package, so you might already have them on hand. At Nubrek, we use a combination of Publisher and Outlook.

Publisher, a $169 application when purchased separately, is perfect for designing in-house brochures and printed materials. You can use its templates to design a snazzy newsletter without spending hours on layout. Then, a click of a button gets your e-newsletter ready to send. For more information, visit www.microsoft.com/office/system/overview.mspx

Recommendation: A low-cost alternative can be sufficient if you merely want to keep current customers in the loop. You may spend a little more time maintaining lists, but if you don't plan on e-mailing many different groups, this could be a good choice.

If you intend to use Outlook, try using Zeop for managing your e-mail address database. Also, before sending bulk e-mail, check with your Internet service provider (ISP); some ISPs will restrict the number of recipients to whom you can send e-mail.

A complete package

Email Marketing Director: This product was developed by the same company that created Zeop. If you intend to send a lot of e-mail to specific groups, this tool has just about everything you will need. It has capacity for unlimited lists, a built-in delivery system, professionally designed e-mail templates and more. It retails for $495. For more details, visit www.arialsoftware.com/emailmarketingdirector.htm

Recommendation: This system is rated one of the best on the market; however, I have not used it, and it comes with a hefty price tag.

List generation

List Builder: This is another Microsoft product. It provides templates, sends your newsletter in text format or rich HTML, and offers many of the features of Email Marketing Director. List Builder is unique in that you can receive e-mail contact lists from the system, based on demographics you preselect. This is perfect if you are trying to attract new business. For more information, visit www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/online/email-marketing/list-builder/detail.mspx

Recommendation: List Builder's main advantage is the ability to customize e-mails to specific demographics. I haven't used this service though. The cost ranges from $19.95 to $29.95 per month.

Other applications provide similar capabilities and come in a range of prices: Mail Bomber, Bigfoot Interactive and Ariel Software are just a few. Many have free demos and trials; research several before you commit to one. Keep in mind that recipients need the ability to unsubscribe as well as subscribe to your list.

Creating killer content

First, remember that no matter how "tight" your prose is, it will be useless to people who don't want to read your bon mots. Be vigilant about updating your database so that it contains only contacts who will welcome your communiqu‚s. Most people abhor unsolicited junk e-mail; the last thing you want is to be known as a spammer.

Once you have a workable list, you can write about anything from new products to new security measures. If you aren't sure what your audience wants to read, take a poll. Ask current customers what they would find most helpful. Or, poll sales reps to find the most common reasons they are unable to close a deal, and then write about how to overcome those obstacles. The possibilities are boundless.

Also, a wealth of helpful printed material is available. I recommend E-Newsletters That Work: The Small Business Owner's Guide to Creating, Writing and Managing an Effective Electronic Newsletter by Michael J. Katz (Xlibris Corp., 2003) and Sue Hershkowitz-Coore's Power Sales Writing (McGraw-Hill, 2003).

A good company e-newsletter can be an effective business-building tool. If you spend a few hours each month producing one, it will likely help maintain customer loyalty and bring your name to mind when a potential customer is looking for additional payment processing services.

If you'd like to see how Nubrek is using an e-newsletter, send an e-mail to subscribe@nubrek.com .

Joel Rydbeck, Chief Technology Officer of Nubrek Inc., brings his strong background in e-commerce and business process automation to the merchant services industry. Nubrek offers eISO, a Web application for ISOs that tracks leads and provides automated residual and commission reports. For more information on eISO or to view a free demo, visit www.nubrek.com/eiso.html . E-mail Rydbeck at joel@nubrek.com