Writing a persuasive invitation - help!

[AshNZ]

Hi

I run a fairly busy forum and in a new strategic step, I want to invite few low-medium profile bloggers around the web to come blog on my forum. I'm writing an invitation for them but it's not very persuasive at the moment. My regular editor is away for some time so I need your help. Please advise me on how to make this invitation more inviting and persuasive. I've replaced name of my website with Blah.net

Dear _____

I am the new owner of the website www.blah.net. We recently renamed it to blah.net from blahblah.com. We have been online for over 5 years now and have more than 5000+ registered members and have over 350k posts.

During a recent strategic change, I decided that I would like to have good bloggers like yourself blog with us so we can produce more original discussion. As a blogger, this has many benefits for you as well:

- Established base of readers who would love to read what you have to say. We have a very family-type atmosphere and I am certain that regular members will make you feel welcome.

- Possibility of getting featured in the newsletter that will go to over 5000 members. You can even have a link to your current blog in your signature and or in the post.

- Your own personal address eg: www.username.blah.net. In future, we may offer full domains to our regular bloggers eg: yourname.net.

- In future, we will be looking to share our profits with bloggers. As of now, we have very little advertisement on our website but that will increase .

All we ask from you is register with us and blog on a regular schedule – this schedule will be up to you. You could blog daily, weekly or even monthly. If you feel ready to grab this opportunity, please register with us, send me a quick email here: and I will take you through further steps.

Looking forward to seeing you at blah.net.

[Sherri Frost]

I would start with an attention getting sentence. Something that tells them immediately what's in it for them. Tell them the benefits they will receive right away. Start by talking about their favorite topic - themselves. Sorry to say their favorite topic is not YOU and your website.

[MyEyeIsOpen]

"- In future, we will be looking to share our profits with bloggers. As of now, we have very little advertisement on our website but that will increase . "

That sounds like ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. Honestly, it's a pie in the sky--you have no concrete plans, no numbers, no way to redistribute profits and you're not actively working toward any of that. Adding this sentence just loses you a lot of credibility because it makes you seem either slimy or naive, neither of which is good.


What bloggers want to know is,

1) How much am I getting paid?
2) How many people will actually be reading the posts I write for you?
3) How many of those people will funnel back into my site and readership?

You can find out the answers to 2 and 3 by looking at your own historical data. The average post gets X views, and Y people click through to the personal blog.

Good luck 8)

[AshNZ]

Originally Posted by MyEyeIsOpen

"- In future, we will be looking to share our profits with bloggers. As of now, we have very little advertisement on our website but that will increase . "

That sounds like ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. Honestly, it's a pie in the sky--you have no concrete plans, no numbers, no way to redistribute profits and you're not actively working toward any of that. Adding this sentence just loses you a lot of credibility because it makes you seem either slimy or naive, neither of which is good.


What bloggers want to know is,

1) How much am I getting paid?
2) How many people will actually be reading the posts I write for you?
3) How many of those people will funnel back into my site and readership?

You can find out the answers to 2 and 3 by looking at your own historical data. The average post gets X views, and Y people click through to the personal blog.

Good luck 8)

I get your point. I do intend to share revenue in future but not quite sure how (eg, what percentage..). I have very negligible income from the website at the moment because of very limited ads that I'm running. I think I will just leave that part out for now. I will post a revised version here soon. Cheers for the reply!

[AshNZ]

Originally Posted by Sherri Frost

I would start with an attention getting sentence. Something that tells them immediately what's in it for them. Tell them the benefits they will receive right away. Start by talking about their favorite topic - themselves. Sorry to say their favorite topic is not YOU and your website.

Thanks, I think you are right.. now if only I could come up with a catchy opening sentence!