Ezines are hot. It seems every small business owner and independent professional on the web has an ezine these days. And for good reason. They continue to be one of the easiest, cheapest small business marketing techniques available.

But if you don't know what you're doing, your ezines may get caught in a spam filter or end up in a deleted items folder without ever being opened. There are some simple steps you can take to make sure your ezines get through to your readers.

Here are 5 things you can do to increase your email deliverability rates:

(1) Only send your ezine to people who have opted-in or double-opted-in to receive it.

If you meet someone at a networking event and they give you their card, this is not a license to add them to your list. Send them an email with an offer to subscribe and let them be the ones to add their email to your list. The last thing you want is someone accusing you of sending out spam.

(2) Use an autoresponder program or an email marketing/list management program.

Do not use Microsoft Outlook or a similar email program to broadcast your ezine. If you're sending email to large groups of recipients you may be accused of spamming, or your emails may be blocked.

There are many free and low-cost email marketing programs available.

(3) Use an email marketing program that provides broadcasting statistics.

Make sure the autoresponder program or email marketing software you choose gives you access to statistics on all the messages you broadcast. Ideally, pick one that will automatically remove email addresses from your list after they bounce a certain number of times.

(4) Monitor your deliverability stats.

Keep tabs on your deliverability percentages. As your list grows, unfortunately so can your percentage of emails that get bounced or are not delivered for one reason or another. You may be stuck with a small percentage of undeliverable emails no matter what you do, but you want to do everything possible to keep these numbers down.

(5) Try changing the day or time you publish to improve deliverability.

When I first started publishing my ezine, I read research that said Tuesdays were the best day to publish. So guess what day I chose to publish my ezine?

Well about a year later, when my deliverability numbers started going down, I read another article that said Sundays were a great day because the volume of email was lower. So I switched and my deliverability immediately went up to 100% and has stayed pretty close to that ever since.

If you publish an ezine or you're planning on publishing one, it's important to you keep up on the research and regulations. Be familiar with the Can-Spam Act and abide by it. Follow these five tips and you'll increase your ezine deliverability and your marketing effectiveness.

(C) Copyright 2006 Debbie LaChusa, 10stepmarketing

Debbie LaChusa

Debbie LaChusa is a marketing veteran with 20 years in the business. After 13 years in the advertising and marketing agency business, Debbie founded DLC Marketing, Inc., a marketing consulting and coaching business. Her goal? To give entrepreneurs and small business owners affordable access to the same high-level strategic marketing and advertising expertise that typically only large companies with big budgets can afford.

Debbie's commitment to making marketing expertise accessible to small business also led her to pursue speaking engagements and teaching. She has spoken at meetings and conventions across the United States and in Canada. She also is on the faculty of Wellcoaches Corporation, where she teaches wellness coach trainees around the world how to successfully market their new coaching practices.

Debbie has written and self-published two marketing workbooks, "A Step-by-Step Marketing Guide" and "A Step-by-Step Marketing Guide for Your Fitness Business" which have sold copies worldwide. Her advice is also featured in Entrepreneur Magazine's "How to Start a Personal Training Business," part of the magazine's Business Start-Up Series. And she is a contributor to the San Diego Business Journal.

Debbie created The 10stepmarketing? System to provide small business owners, coaches, consultants and other independent professionals with all the tools they need to market themselves.

This simple, step-by-step system, features an easy-to-use question-and-answer format that walks business owners through every step they need to take to develop and implement their own marketing plan designed to achieve the success they desire and deserve.

On a more personal note, Debbie LaChusa is a fraternal twin. In 2004 she launched Twin Connections, a web site that celebrates the unique and mysterious bond shared by twins. She collects twin stories and hopes to compile them into a book.