Search
Related Links
Best Practices Guide: Discussion Lists & Web Forums
Email discussion lists and web forums are very important because they offer you a chance to get highly targeted subscribers. For example, if you are interested in web developing you will want to join to lists that discuss about these topics. If those lists are popular they can have several thousand members!
If you are a software company it is recommended that you track list and web forum threads that cover the same or similar industry like your products. If your company is one of the leaders in your area of business it is most likely that some of your products will be mentioned and commented there. Some people will recommend them but some people can write some negative comments. It can also be your competitor. You can see that participating on discussion lists and web forums is not only important because of getting more email subscribers. It is important because of goodwill. If you are a member of a certain list and someone asks something related to your product you will be there to assist. More important, you will be there to reply if you read negative comments about your product. You will be able to clarify that issue and save your goodwill. It is very professional to see that there are companies which find very important to have their people on different discussion lists and forums.
Speaking about getting more email subscribers, you will achieve that if you participate in discussions. You will ask and answer questions and at the end of your posts will be your signature lines. You can also post the latest news or article from your newsletter if it is appropriate for that list or forum. For example, if you make an exclusive interview with some VIP person you can announce it on relevant places. You can tell them that you publish exclusive interviews on a regular basis and it is most likely that they will subscribe to your email newsletter.
You have to choose your signature line very carefully. Beside your name, you can include your job title, company name, service name, slogan, phone number. However, don't make your signature look like an ad. It is recommended that you have at least two types of signatures, one shorter and one longer. Different places have different rules so some places will allow only shorter signature lines and some places will allow longer signature lines, as well. It is best to lurk a while, to only read messages and later to participate.
My shorter signature:
--
Best regards,
Dejan Bizinger
Group Mail 5 :: Email Marketing Software
http://www.infacta.com/gm
--
My longer signature:
--
Best regards,
Dejan Bizinger
*Infacta :: Your Message - Your Way
* http://www.infacta.com
PS: Need Message tracking? Use GroupMetrics and get results now!
Find out more at: http://infacta.com/gms/
--
If your email newsletter covers IT related topics we can suggest you several great email discussion lists and web forums.
Email discussion lists
Online-Ads
http://www.o-a.com
Link Exchange Digest
http://www.led-digest.com
Web forums
SitePoint Forums
http://www.sitepointforums.com
Web Hosting Talk
http://www.webhostingtalk.com
DB Forums
http://www.dbforums.com
High Rankings
http://www.highrankings.com/forum
It is not enough that you participate, it is important to help others to solve their problems, that you provide value-added answers. Give to get. Give them solution for their problems and they will appreciate it very much. Even if they don't subscribe to your email newsletter or visit your web site, your company will have a good brand-awareness and positive goodwill because of your help.
About the Author
Dejan Bizinger is a Contributing Editor for Infacta. Infacta is email messaging services company providing powerful, yet easy-to-use award-winning Group Mail, software for sending highly-personalized email messages and Group Metrics, software for email tracking. For more information visit: http://www.infacta.com