You may have heard about e-zines but you may not realize the sheer power they have. If you have an online business, putting out a monthly e-zine will help keep your company name in your customer's minds.

You don't have to be a great writer to put out an e-zine; in fact it is probably better if you aren't. People don't want to read words off the SAT; they want to read something entertaining and conversational. Think about when you write to a friend, your tone is upbeat and you write like you were sitting there talking to your friend across the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee.

Use the same attitude in your e-zine. If you're carrying some new products, tell about it. If you're upgrading your computer system and it might delay orders a day or so, let people know. Thinking of having a sale? Let your subscribers know.

One popular e-zine includes the following in this order: A greeting message to subscribers, new products, something silly one her under the age of 5-years old kids did (you can rely on kids for that), product lines she's working on carrying in the near future, some information about a couple of affiliate programs she's a member of, and a coupon for 20% off a customer's order just for reading the e-zine to the very bottom. And it works. She reports sales go up for about 2 weeks after an e-zine is sent out and she usually gains 10-20 new subscribers and she puts out her e-zine once a month.

Protect your mailing list. Don't sell your customer's names or information. You will gain a loyal customer base if they know their personal information stays personal with you. State that fact on your website where you have a subscriber sign up box.

An e-zine can be a great marketing tool, look into starting your own e-zine this month!