One of the best things about the Internet is that it offers a myriad of business building opportunities. E-mail discussion groups (also called "mailing lists") and e-zines are powerful examples of this -- once you know the secrets of using them effectively!

Community Without Boundaries

A mailing list is basically a group of people who share an interest in a particular topic and communicate via e-mail using either an online discussion list service or a server with appropriate list server software. It is a way for members of the list to communicate their views about the topic to all of its members. It is a powerful and convenient way to keep up on the forefront of a topic and to establish relationships with some of the top people in a field. There are tens of thousands of mailing lists in existence on just about every topic imaginable, and several on real estate.

Mailing lists operate very simply. Someone on the list sends an e-mail comment to a special mailing list address where the list server software resides. Once the list server receives the message, it forwards it on to all the other members on the list.

Are You A "Poster" Or A "Lurker"?

Posting is when a list member sends an e-mail comment to the list for the consumption of its members. In even the most active of lists, only a small percentage of members post on a regular basis. Members who choose to just review the discussion but not contribute to it are known as lurkers. While there is nothing wrong in being a lurker, there are real advantages to being an active, contributing member of the list...

You will get referrals! Net-savvy agents tend to refer business to other online agents and mailing lists are a perfect place to find those people.

You will be seen as a leader! Being well-known and respected by other members of the list is a tremendous way to network.

You will generate great ideas! Participating in an online discussion will likely spark many more ideas than if you were just lurking.

You get by giving! It is a "Law of Success" that the more you contribute, the more you will receive -- this is especially true with the Internet.

E-mail discussion lists are also a tremendous (and free!) way to stay on top of just about any subject. Liszt is a directory of over 100,000 mailing lists searchable by topic or keyword and typically offers instructions on how to subscribe to each one.

E-Zines -- Your One Way Ticket To New Business

Although e-zines (e-mail newsletters) do not allow for discussion among subscribers, they can be an important source of valuable information on just about any topic (see eZINESearch). There must be hundreds on Internet marketing alone! Most are free and typically are sent via e-mail on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

One aspect of e-zines (and some very active mailing lists) that few people take advantage of is that they represent highly targeted groups to which you can advertise. Costs can be very reasonable and response rates potentially high (depending on how well the message was crafted).

If you do choose to advertise in e-zines or mailing lists, it is important to structure the ad properly and track how well it pulls.

Most Web site log analysis software will be able to track if the ad hyperlink was clicked because of the identification code at the end of the link (shaded area). This is a very clever way to see if your e-zine ad dollars are paying for themselves!

Cutting-Edge Information -- Delivered Right To Your Door

Unlike the Web where you actually have to "work" to find things of value -- mailing lists and e-zines do all the work for you. All you have to do is subscribe and read your e-mail.  There simply is no more powerful way to stay on top of any subject. And, the best part is the collaborative participation with your peers that not only supports your business development, but your sense of community as well!

Article Resources:

Liszt - One of the primary mailing list / discussion list directories searchable by topic.

eZINESearch - A great searchable directory for high-value e-zines / e-mail newsletters.

RealTalk - Perhaps one of the most active discussion lists in residential real estate. A broad range of real estate topics are discussed and it is tightly moderated (be sure to put SUBSCRIBE in the subject line when requesting to be added to the list).

Published: September 9, 2003

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Michael J. Russer (a.k.a. Mr. Internet®) is an internationally acclaimed speaker, trainer, author, and strategic consultant to the real estate industry and small business. He is also the exclusive Internet columnist for REALTOR® Magazine, the architect of the revolutionary e-ProductivityTM system and leading voice for the use of Virtual Assistants in small business. You can subscribe to his free monthly leading-edge newsletter ePOWER NEWS by going to ePowerNews.com.