What's the first thing you do when you go online? Check your e-mail, right? People like e-mail, they just do. Even the newest of Internet users get e-mail and start sending messages to friends and relatives. It is quick and easy and keeps you in communication with the rest of the world.

This is very good news for business owners who want to create relationships with their customers. Getting people to visit your web site can be a tricky thing. They are so flooded with communications and so busy that even if they really like your site, bookmark it and intend to return, sometimes they forget. But they never forget to read their e-mail!

An e-mail newsletter or magazine is delivered directly to their e-mail inbox. Sending an e-zine directly to their inbox jogs their memory. There must be a hotlink to your site in the e-zine so that they can click right back to the site. What you need on your site is 'returning users.' They are better visitors because they already know about your product or services. Building a loyal customer base just by putting up a website is not easy.

Say a visitor comes to your website - they may like what they see, but they don't know you yet and they can't interact with you directly. The biggest challenge on the Net is to build the trust. How can you do this? Show them consistently that you have excellent knowledge in your field and that you care enough to give them good information each month that they can use immediately. Turn the tables, instead of waiting for them to come to you - go to them.

E-mail publishing is a powerful tool. It is relatively simple and very cost effective. What you do need is a well-researched, well-written newsletter. Every business owner has a wealth of knowledge in his/her field. Share yours through an e-zine and watch your customer base grow by leaps and bounds.

Sally Falkow