How to Name Your Newsletter for Maximum Profit & Subscriber Signup (Part II of II)

In yesterday’s post, we discussed two stumbling blocks you may come across when trying to name your newsletter.

Here, we will discuss two more stumbling blocks, how to overcome them, and how to tell when a name is right. Here goes:

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c) Another Stumbling Block: Falling in love with a name that doesn’t fit. I started to name the newsletter This Freelance Writing Life. I also thought of calling it simply, The Inkwell Editorial Newsletter, which was the name of Inkwell Editorial’s last newsletter.

The reason I decided against This Freelance Writing Life is that while it was somewhat catchy and had “freelance writing” in the title, it didn’t speak to the “what” of the freelance writing life.

The lesson here: The name should clue potential subscribers into what the newsletter is about – in as specific a way as possible.

d) Another Stumbling Block: Branding your brand or attracting new subscribers. The reason I decided against naming the newsletter The Inkwell Editorial Newsletter is that it would fail to attract new subscribers.

While the name mentioned my company, Inkwell Editorial – which is important – those who didn’t know about Inkwell Editorial would have no idea what the newsletter was about. Thus, I’d have to work harder to attract new subscribers.

The lesson here: An effective name should do both – further your brand AND attract new subscribers.

The name How to Start a Successful Freelance Career will attract subscribers who know nothing about Inkwell Editorial – because their interest is peaked by the subject matter, which the title clues them in to.

How to Determine When Your Newsletter’s Name is “Right”

Perhaps the number one thing to remember when you are trying to come up with a name is to think of your prospects’ wants, needs and problems.

Don’t think of your newsletter as “your publication,” think of it as a solution to problems for a specific group. And, in simple terms, what “one liner” would clue them into what your newsletter is all about.

Many times, a name will just fit – you’ll know it in your gut. Following the advice above will put you well on your way to choosing an effective, profitable name for your newsletter.

Sometimes, a name may not be one you’re crazy about. But, it will be one that will increase your profits and enlarge your subscriber list – which, if you write for profit, should be your main goal.

Good luck!
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How to Name Your Newsletter for Maximum Profit & Subscriber Signup (Part I of II)

Inkwell Editorial will publish a new newsletter* starting tomorrow entitled, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Sign up and receive a FREE e-book. Details.

I vacillated on the name, which surprised me because I’ve been writing about marketing and business for over a decade. I know tried and true marketing “isms.”

So, what made me wishy washy on the name? My passion. It got in the way. This happens to most small business owners. No matter how smart we think we are, sometimes, our passion gets in the way of solutions.

Once I figured this out, I decided on a name quickly. Following is some in-depth advice on how to name your newsletter for maximum profit and subscriber signup.

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Steps to Naming Your Newsletter for Maximum Profit & Subscriber Signup

Ask yourself, "What does it do?" Several things can cause you to stumble when it comes to naming your newsletter or e-zine, eg:

a) You don’t want to alienate any potential readers: For example, my genre is freelance writing. I don’t want to alienate any freelance writer. BUT, although I write within a niche, it’s a broad niche.

So, I need to speak to those my products are mainly targeted to. And, that tends to be freelancers who are just starting out.

So, because my primary market within the freelance writing community is those who are just beginning (ie, have less than three years of experience), the name How to Start a Successful Freelance Career, fit perfectly.

Remember, your newsletter is a marketing vehicle. So, treat it accordingly and speak directly to your core audience at all times.

b) You want to be everything to everybody: This is the flip side of the previous point.

Trying to be everything to everybody will cause you to publish a newsletter that is of no measurable benefit to any one group.

When you hone in on one group, you can solve a multitude of problems for them, making you a go-to source. This leads to trust, which leads to referrals -- which eventually leads to sales.

So, make your newsletter extremely valuable to a few, rather than marginal to many. A good example of this is Darren Rowse’s site, problogger.net. If you want to know about blogging for money, this is the first site you should visit – and possibly the only one you’ll ever need to.

Many are afraid to speak to a niche because they’re afraid they’ll run out of things to write about. I had this fear with my first newsletter – and when I started my blog over two years ago.

But, you know what? LIFE will supply you with endless topics. Not to mention your subscribers. I get questions that I never would have thought of from readers of my ebooks, blog and website.
AND, when you really focus on a group, you will begin to think broader and deeper about their lives – over and beyond say, their freelance writing needs.

You will start to think, for example, of how their freelance writing needs impact other areas of their lives. This is when you really start to make yourself valuable to readers.

For example, primarily, readers of my material want freelance writing advice and tips. BUT, they want it to increase their income because they want to spend more time with their families, get out of debt, leave a job they hate, etc. These are their real desires.

Case Example: I recently did a few articles on freelancers and debt. On the face of it, these two topics don’t go together. But, thinking about the totality of my readers’ lives, it makes perfect sense.

Freelancers have sporadic incomes. Many use credit cards – and other types of credit – to weather dry spells. So, the articles, How to Get Out of Debt on a Freelance Salary and Debt-Free Living: A freelancer's Personal Tale of Getting -- & Staying -- There were not only timely going into the slow summer season, they were necessary.

When you start to think about the breadth of your prospects’ lives, you will literally be overrun with ideas.

In conclusion, select a niche and go deep within it, instead of playing on the surface. Your readers will thank you for it -- in sales, subscriber sign-ups and referrals.

*Inkwell Editorial published a newsletter a couple of years ago on a sporadic basis.

Tomorrow: Part II of this post. We will discuss more things that can block you from coming up with an effective name for your newsletter/e-zine, how to combat them, and how to tell when a name is “right.”
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Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.
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