Many of our clients agree that launching a regular e-zine is an easy, efficient, and inexpensive way to stay in touch with their customer base. But when it comes to sitting down and writing it, they're at a loss for words. Here are seven ideas to help combat writer's block:

1) FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Include commonly asked questions with your answers, and invite readers to submit questions for future issues.

2) Products and Services
Make sure your readers are up to speed on any new products or services you've added to your inventory.

3) Offers
There are lots of offers you can promote in an e-zine, including:
• Offers for educational articles you'll send by e-mail
• Offer for a complimentary initial consultation
• Offer to answer questions via e-mail
• Offer to speak to groups that include your prospects
• Offer to download a special report
• Offer to attend a free seminar

4) Business- or Life-Enhancing Information
Provide tips, techniques, and other valuable information that will help your target market do something better, for example:
• How to prepare your home for sale
• Top tips for buying commercial insurance
• Running your best 10K ever
• How to write headlines that sell
• Organize your office for maximum efficiency

5) Make it Personal
Clients and prospects will feel they've made a connection with you if you share some personal tidbits, like places you've traveled; sports and hobbies you love; fun or interesting things you're doing; restaurants you enjoy; etc.

6) Company Updates
Share what you and your staff are up to, like company outings, charity projects, sports teams, and so forth.

7) Announcements
If you'll be making special appearances, conducting workshops, hosting seminars, debuting on national television, etc., your e-zine is a great place to spread the word.

8) Shameless Plug
By all means, promote your company and any products or services you're hankering to promote. There's nothing wrong with a little shameless self-promotion. Just make sure you don't spend the entire e-zine touting your business … give readers valuable, relevant information, so they'll perceive you as the expert and be inspired to buy.

And before you hit send …
Decide which e-zine interface program you'd like to use. We Turtles use Constant Contact, but there are scores of other great services out there. The top 10 are ranked here: http://email-marketing-service-review.toptenreviews.com