Once you've created your newsletter, you will need

Once you've created your newsletter, you will need subscribers. One simple, often overlooked method of getting subscribers is to place a sign-up box on the front page of your web site. Include a brief description of your free newsletter and what will be in it; for example: "Sign up free! The Flowers Forever Gazette features tons of free gardening tips, fresh flower care, arrangement advice and more each month." As with the rest of your web copy, make it short, sweet and enticing without overusing your keywords.

Another way to get subscribers is to list your newsletter or e-zine with as many e-zine directories as possible. There are many free directories online to showcase the thousands of newsletters available, so make sure your newsletter title and the short description of your content are enticing enough to make it stand out. You can also automatically add any customer placing an order with you to your newsletter mailing list, as long as you include a disclaimer somewhere on your order page or confirmation e-mail that by ordering from you, the customer agrees to receive periodic special offers via e-mail.

Your subscriber list can rapidly become too large to handle manually. Like other tasks in your virtual corporation, you should automate your newsletter with list management software specifically designed for e-mail newsletters or e-zines. Several web sites offer this software for free, which often includes lots of bonus features. It is important to remember to always provide a way for subscribers to opt out of your list-most list management software does this automatically.

PPC (Pay-Per-Click) campaigns. Pay-per-click campaigns are one of the least expensive and most effective forms of internet advertising available. If you have ever used Google's search engine (and chances are if you use the internet, you have), you may have noticed the links listed in a column along the right-hand side of the page. These links are the result of pay-per-click advertising campaigns.

Getting your web site to show up on the first page of results in a major search engine like Google, Yahoo or MSN can be a difficult and time-consuming process. PPC campaigns allow you to do so much faster-sometimes even on the same day you begin your campaign. The way it works is:
1. You sign up for a PPC campaign with a major search engine. The most popular programs are Google AdWords and Yahoo Search Marketing.
2. You generate a list of keywords relevant to your web site, and write a series of four-line ads describing your business: the first line is your title or headline, the next two lines are descriptive text, and the last line is your site's URL (http://www.flowersforever.com). Note that both AdWords and Search Marketing will write your ad text for you on request.
3. You deposit a minimum amount of money in your PPC account, usually $20 to $50. These funds remain in your account until they are used; you pay only when someone clicks on your link and visits your web site.
4. You "bid" a certain amount on each keyword you provided for your site. The minimum bid for both AdWords and Search Marketing is two cents. Raising your bid amount changes your results position relevant to other PPC advertisers who are bidding on the same keyword: for example, if you bid 10 cents on "fresh flowers" and the remaining advertisers with flower companies set their bid amounts lower, your web site will hold the top position on the first page of results when a web browser searches for "fresh flowers."
5. Internet users search for terms related to your company and see your web site listing. The amount of your bid for the keyword used to generate your ad is deducted from your account only when someone clicks through to your web site, and not each time your listing is viewed.
6. The PPC company provides you with a report detailing which of your keywords and ads generated the highest number of hits. You adjust your bids accordingly by raising the amounts on the keywords with high activity and lowering them on less active ones.
7. Your web site traffic increases exponentially and your virtual corporation grows.