Published by
Webbers Communications
PO Box 3214
North Conway, NH 03860
603-447-1024

First, the basics...

• What is a Newsgroup?

A newsgroup is a kind of electronic bulletin board where people who are interested in like subjects can post and respond to conversational 'threads' or topics. Literally thousands of newsgroups are categorized under a limited number of 'super-categories', or 'heirarchies' as they are known. Examples of these super-categories include...

• alt - short for 'Alternative'
• rec - short for 'recreation'
• soc - short for 'Societies'

There are many more examples of these heirarchies, but the real meat is underneath, in the categories and sub-categories below them. Here is a short list of some of the newsgroups I read regularly. I choose groups according to industries I am interested in marketing to as well as groups I have a personal interest in, like my hobbies of cooking and hiking. OK, before we go any farther let me answer the question I hear you asking...

• How do I Access Newsgroups?

First you need a piece of software called a newsgroup reader. The good news is, you probably already have one on your computer. Most web browsers include one as a matter of course. If you don't, there are good news readers available for download online. Here's how to use them...

• If you use Windows 95 then you already have "Internet News" as a choice on your Start button menu. After you have established an online connection choose Start --> Programs and select "Internet News".

• If you do not already have a news reader I recommend Free Agent, available for download at http://www.accenttravel.com/accent/fa_send.htm. It's operation is simple.

OK, now that you've figured out how to use your news reader software, let's get on with the real subject of this chapter...

• How to Market Your Business in Newsgroups

Marketing your business in newsgroups takes time, but the rewards are well worth it. Not only do you become a part of the 'communities' you will participate in, but you will gain a reputation as one who gives before they expect to get back... a long-standing internet tradition that separates mere advertisers from the true online marketers.

• Selecting Appropriate Newsgroups to Monitor

Using your news reader, set your software so you can see all of the newsgroups available, not just those you have previously subscribed to. With a complete list of available groups you then perform keyword searches using words and phrases that relate to your product or service.

For example, if you are selling camping gear you might search for newsgroups that contained the words camping, tenting, hiking, outdoors, mountains, canoeing, etc. You get the point. The more words you can think of that relate to your products/services the more newsgroups you will find where potentially interested customers hang out online.

For power searching of newsgroups I recommend Deja News, a website service that allows you to search for individual posts that contain keywords you define. You get back a series of clickable links to each post. My search for the word "canoeing" returned over 600 posts! That could mean a lot of replying to related posts, but it could also mean a lot of potential customers reading my replies and seeing my signature file.

• Watching for Opportunities

Our example of a camping outfitter might watch for posts like "I ripped my tent. How do I fix it?", or "Where's a good place to hike in the region of X", or "When is the best time to canoe the Snake River?". Each of these types of questions offers the newsgroup marketer a chance to give the poster some valuable advice - as long as the info being passed on is real - while exposing their signature file to everyone who reads the post and reply.

• Give Before you Get

This is the real key to successful newsgroup marketing. There are thousands of people out there shouting their wares on every 'streetcorner'. These people are wasting time and bandwidth. The giving of yourself in the form of real advice or solid information builds your reputation as one who knows their subject. Repetition of this giving of yourself in these related forums will build an awareness, a presence for you that will bring customers to your 'door', whether it be a website or an autoresponder address.

• Repetition, repetition, repetition

Need I say more? Repetition is key to building a presence in newsgroups. Stopping in once in a while to see if there is something you could offer to someone just to get your message out will not be nearly as effective as becoming a regular participant in these forums. Be there every day. Be involved every day. Be helpful. Give of yourself. Every day.

Home || Subscribe to The eMarketing Digest || © 1996-2000, Webbers Communications