Posted by Grammyzoom on 3/29/11 8:31pm
Msg #377898

Shout Out

For those of you (over 50) who requested a copy of the newsletter, I sent them out today. If for some reason you did not get it, please send me an email.

If you did not get your copy I apologize and will send to out to you tomorrow.

Reply by Grammyzoom on 3/29/11 9:17pm
Msg #377907

Someone sent a request just now and I erased accidentally

Please send me a message again.
Sorry

Reply by Grammyzoom on 3/29/11 11:52pm
Msg #377921

If you would like a copy of the "Shout Out"

please go to notary2pro.com and enter your email address. You will see a box at the bottom of the home page where you just need to type in your email address.
I was so overwhelmed with requests I set up this more convenient way to get everyone's email addresses. You will get the April copy and each month copy thereafter.

Thank you so much for your enthusiasm over our newsletter, it is sincerely appreciated.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 3/30/11 7:00am
Msg #377926

Carol, I think you've advertised yourself enough for one

day, don't you?

How about reading the Rules and Guidelines and abiding by them? We all have to..why not you??

Reply by NJDiva on 3/30/11 9:03am
Msg #377943

Re: Carol, I think you've advertised yourself enough for one

I actually thought it was a newsletter Notary Rotary put out.

Reply by NJDiva on 3/30/11 9:05am
Msg #377945

Re: Carol, I think you've advertised yourself enough for one

But it seems like an interesting concept. Not so sure I'm into the advertising in it though. It does seem a bit self serving. JMHO

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 3/30/11 9:17am
Msg #377948

Has nothing at all to do with Notary Rotary...

totally separate, unrelated entity

Reply by Grammyzoom on 3/30/11 9:53am
Msg #377965

Yes, I am advertising to sell everyone a Free newsletter.

I am getting a lot of requests for the "Shout Out" and everyone seems to be enjoying it. I feel that there is a need for a newsletter. One that is on the lighthearted side but also a place where a people can share their special stories, information, tips and gripes.
As of now the readership is about 500 and growing everyday.
Now with this new VA bill having passed I am looking for a volunteer to write an article giving all of us the information we need to digest how this will impact all of us nationally.
Any volunteers? Please email me.
Thanks
End of Advertisement!

Reply by NJDiva on 3/30/11 10:38am
Msg #377971

Re: Yes, I am advertising to sell everyone a Free newsletter.

Yes, Carol, it is free. And it's a WONDERFUL idea. I really enjoyed it. But it is very evident that there is the advertising of the training program. Are you monetarily benefiting from the training program? Because quite honestly it's the training program that seems to be one of the focus's of the newsletter. Listing the "Graduates". The graduates acclamations. etc.

Upon reading the first page, I felt a bit mislead even though I really liked it. I almost considered taking the course...lol...(not that I needed to but because of the person that took it after YEARS of being an SA...)but then I reconsidered just because of the way it was presented.

I'm not attacking or belittling you in any way, but please don't undermine my intelligence by proclaiming the innocence of it being posted here. And what an awesome venue to get it off and running. But you should really present it in a way that does not infer it's coming from NotRot.

Honestly, I would like to continue getting it. I thought and still think it's a great idea. If you remove me from your list, that's okay. But I would prefer the training stuff not to be so in my face and enticing...lol.

JMHO

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/30/11 10:23pm
Msg #378066

GrammyZ, been busy all day, no time to comment earlier.

It's Harry's/Traci's forum and if they have no problem with your ad for your free newsletter, then no one else can say much about it.

However, a good many of the posters have been here for a long time. The longevity of this site has been because this forum was kept free of ads.

Notary trainers, signing agent coaches, notary organizers and competing premium membership sites came here to be born. Every single one denounced the mean members here, scraped NR members' emails off the site, and guided members off of this site and onto theirs...three times that I know of. When that happens to NR, it takes money away from the owners who promote this site and it trickles down to the promotion dollars spent on the members' interests.

Most of us took this post of Harry's to heart way back in June, 2006:

"Whether using our site as an advertising platform for competing products and services is done overtly, covertly, inadvertently, knowingly or unknowingly, we do not consider it acceptable. On one end of the spectrum is "clueless" and on the other end is "unscrupulous" and, in all cases, these are people we do not want as patrons.

...(those like that)...will have their accounts disabled (usually abruptly and generally after we have given them the benefit of the doubt) and will be left to their own devices to generate leads."

Advice for building a following of readers on NR who may convert to referral sources or clients:

Put your wares in your profile and leave them there out of respect for other posters and Harry.

If readers and info seekers think you're a great contributor on NR (assuming that you poster regularly and not sporadically) then those who need a training course will look at your profile and purchase it. You will get a slower, but steady, organic growth of followers and students. You may find that your name is pm'd around exponentially, and occasionally posted with praise on the forum by others. Experienced posters will get to know your input and be glad to refer you.

Most promotions take a little trial and error. In addition to the above,
--do a page for your newsletter on Facebook (notaries will find you!); use the page to promote your next issue and your sign up link.
--put a regular ad on Craigslist in the obvious section,
--do regular press releases to venues that can use the content (and that you are not competing with),
--offer a link exchange from your newsletter sign up page to notaries who have websites, especially your past students who want to refer you to others,
--write an article for ehow, associatedcontent.com (and other sites) about Shout Out by Carol Ray,
--list it on every free advertising site on the internet;
--start an ezine on a popular site ezine site; publish part of your newsletter there, as well, with a "Sign up for the full version!" link.
--use one of those awesome mailing list management sites for a small fee. It will manage your list for you. Subscribers and unsubscribers. It's worth the few dollars they charge to keep out of the spam trap.
--be known as a smart marketer who can teach smart marketing; don't promote (a newsletter, product, biz op, or service) here without Harry's permission. Historically, that causes loss of endorsements and referrals by people who can really help get your site noticed. Experienced marketers know that using a focused interest forum or email group to promote one's offerings is usually considered questionable internet etiquette and is a route that quickly burns out for lack of internet marketing saavy.
--finally, be more creative than to use the old, "I am sorry if some of you are getting this twice! Something went wrong with my email and many of you didn't get it the first time." reason for repeat emailing. The posted version is known as, "If for some reason you did not get it [the newsletter], please send me an email. If you did not get your copy I apologize and will send to out to you tomorrow." Notaries inboxes are crammed full of these messages already.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 3/30/11 11:52pm
Msg #378067

Excellent post - and great advice, Brenda, on many levels! n/m

Reply by MW/VA on 3/31/11 12:44pm
Msg #378119

Re: GrammyZ, been busy all day, no time to comment earlier.

Well said, Brenda. The only problem I have with all this is that there are several people who built businesses after participating here, used contacts or NR's database, and then come back to advertise their business in some way. While I fully support those who started up outside of NR, I'm not thrilled to see them use this forum for any form of self-promotion.

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/31/11 1:18pm
Msg #378128

Re: GrammyZ, been busy all day, no time to comment earlier.

The "put in profile thing" is a great way to share notary related things. In the dark ages somewhere it said on,"Do not use the forum for marketing ourself. That's what your profile is for."

It's very nice that Harry provides that and this forum for us.

Reply by Stephanie_CA on 3/30/11 11:29am
Msg #377980

Thank you for thw publication.

Reply by Stephanie_CA on 3/30/11 11:30am
Msg #377981

Re: Thank you for the publication.

Reply by NJDiva on 3/30/11 12:04pm
Msg #377985

Re: Thank you for the publication.

Agreed! Thank you for the listing!