When I purchased my very first computer, not too long ago, \rI signed up for many Internet Marketing Newsletters. Though\rit's been a few years, I still have them.

I've subscribed to at least 300 Newsletters and it affords\rme a broad outlook. My idea was to track and compare them.\rThe plan was to see how each one of them changed over time\rand look for any discernible patterns, any nugget of\rinformation.

Well, I've been able to spot changes and the view isn't a\rpretty one!

The general trend is to give preference to sales instead of\rcommunication with the subscriber base. Perhaps the first\rfew issues are well balanced and in favor of the reader.\rHowever, as time goes by, the universal tendency is to\rdisregard the needs of the reader.

The Newsletters I'm talking about are very easy to spot:\rthey'll devote a single paragraph to the reader and\rimmediately insert a product hyperlink. It's gotten so bad,\rI've received Newsletters with a multitude of stingy 3 or 4\rline paragraphs, each leading to a sales link!

Try as I might, I can't understand the reason for such\rNewsletters? Can you? What they are saying is this: Hi, this\ris Joe Blow and let me tell you how this is going to work:\rI'm gonna send you this irrelevant, so-called Newsletter.\rI'm going to offer little content and a mountain of product\rlinks! To do your part, we expect you to click on the links\rand buy, buy, buy!

Oh my! I can't wait a week for the next one!

They are insulting and a complete waste of time for the\rreader, as well as the author.\rSadly, they keep pumping them out, week after week! Why\rwould anybody publish such utter rubbish? There must be a\rgood reason eZine Publishers limit submitted articles to a\rhyperlink in the resource box!

I know we all have to make a living. Should it come at the\rexpense of insulting our readers? Why send out a Newsletter\ranybody with more than three brain cells would trash in a\rsplit second? Little wonder all Internet resources are being\rchoked with garbage!

What a sad state of affairs! It appears like priorities have\rgotten very confused, to say the least! We all need to take\rstock of the true reasons we write.

These are two questions every Newsletter or eZine Publisher\rshould ask:

(a) Is the readership a byproduct of the marketing process or its reason for existence?

(b) Should product sales take precedence over communication with your readers?

I think Newsletter writers should keep the above questions\rin mind when practicing their craft. Yes, the pressure to\rsell is great, no doubt. However, continue looking for the\ranswers and it will help keep you centered, time and again.

About the Author:

Francisco Aloy is the creator of The Newbie Business Guide.\rFor more resources dealing with writing and copywriting,\rvisit Mr. Aloy's Website.

http://www.newbie-business-guide.com/writing_and_copywriting.html