How to create an eGroup for eNewsletters and more -01/25/2003 This is a constantly changing topic (thus the date). You are encouraged to try this on your own. If you run out of time or get frustrated - contact us. mark@hightechministry.org << return to training home pageQuick Overview - The Process: An eGroup is simply a list of email addresses of people who have opted to hear from you in a newsletter by email. You should keep in contact with those people who are always interested in hearing from you. This is best done with an e-newsletter. It is more professional looking then an email and the membership database is handled by the server thereby removing the largest headache of eGroups. ie. adding members, removing members, etc. Moreover, eNewsletters will not disclose all of the members on your list. This enhances privacy. Only people who have agreed to be part of the eGroup will be sent an eNewsletter. Start a free one at www.injesus.com and have the opt in option on your website. Don't overdo it and provide news of interest to THEM. You need to get everybody's email address that is interested in hearing from you.
e-Newsletters properly done are likely your best source of 'business' - often more effective then your website. Again,www.injesus.com has a free service that DOES NOT have the typical yahoo.com banner with scantily clad women or spy cams. Pay attention. To be effective at this you need to have their voluntarily given email address. Hold a drawing and collect email addresses, put a fish bowl out to have people put their email address in ... get creative. Put a 'subscribe to' button on your website so people can sign up. Put a link at the bottom of your email signature's eg. "Sign up for my eGroup at .... " Do's and Don'ts - Do provide an easy way for people to subscribe (join) or unsubscribe (leave). This is generally handled automatically be the eGroup server. Don't send them a bunch of jokes or forwarded emails. How is the egroup related to the website?: It is the interactive part of your website. People visit your website, get information, and hopefully join your eGroup. Your eGroup is used to communicate on a regular basis via email. People will more readily look at their email then remember to surf back to your site. How to be effective: Start an e-Newsletter with information that would be of interest to your visitors. Maybe a weekly devotional...maybe 'how to's', etc. Maybe a monthly update of your organization activities. When composing an eNewsletter, it is best to start a week ahead of time. Create an outline first. Then fill in your rough draft as ideas come to you. Lastly, do a final draft and paste that into the eGroup message post. It is best to create a Table of Contents at the beginning of your eNewsletter something like this - IN THIS NEWSLETTER Then start your first paragraph with the first item eg. TOPIC 1 - ;lsjd;lsafljdsa;fjsdafjsajfdsaasda;jdsaj;fjsafj;fjdsaf;dsa and so on.... Contain each paragraph to say a maximum of 50 words. If more information is available, put a link to your website like - If you would like some examples of expertly ( ha! ) written enewsletters, see mine :) http://htm.injesus.com Don't ya just love how I slipped that one in there?! How to setup an eGroup: How to create a free eGroup atwww.injesus.com or at www.associate.com ------------------------------------ 1. Go to www.injesus.com. On the left margin click on the mailbox icon to start your own group. Next screen, create a login account with your email address and a password of your choosing. Click yellow button. Next screen, complete the form. Click yellow button. Next screen, complete the form again. Note: Use your ministry name for Group Name. Use part of your ministry name for the Custom URL question. If you have a website, put in the website address where it asks. Enter a brief description of your ministry egroup where asked. Enter a welcome message where asked, such as: "Please join my egroup where we can ......... " Click yellow button. You now have an eGroup. Time to add members: Once you login go to MyInJesus and click on your group at the bottom left, then click on the Add/Remove link and add in all your members email address. 2. Go to http://associate.com and follow the icon link at the top to EGroups. Note, you must start the group with a minimum of 25 members. This free eGroup has no ads and allows for html newsletters with pictures. Sign up is here: http://associate.com/user.php
Click the Post Message link. Once finished with typing your message ( or after copy/pasting your draft into the message box ), click either preview or publish. Publish means it is sending it to everyone on your eGroup list. ------------------------------------ |