Some businesses tend to think that creating a newsletter is a waste of time, that no one really reads them, or that they are already covered by their blogs or articles. Those things may be true some of the time, but not all of the time. As an avid reader (and sender) of e-newsletters myself, I tend to think that your market or customers may find it useful to hear from you without needing to go to your site. Here are a couple of tips and thoughts in creating your business e-newsletter:
- Your newsletter should have a compelling "offer", be it a coupon for discounted service or a piece of valuable information. Make sure your readers come away from your newsletter with a tangible benefit.
- Hook them with an interesting subject heading or topic.
- A little of something is better than a whole lot of nothing. Short and simple is always better, and you don't need to have a ton of graphics either. Graphics are distracting.
- Connect your e-newsletter to your blog or web site by linking to a post, a web page, or even a landing page specially created to support the newsletter.
- Provide important information about your day-to-day business. Are you going to be open or closed on the holidays? Do you have a new product coming out soon? Do you have a new schedule of events that they can sign up for? A change in your rewards programs? These are topics that will motivate your customers to open that email and feel connected.
- The right frequency and consistency are vital. Too frequently, and your reader will delete your newsletters as quickly as they arrive. Too infrequently, and your reader will mistake your newsletters for spam. Once a month is about right. And timing is important - giving your email recipients an edge in terms of getting news on specials/sales or seasonal promotions before they happen should make them feel compelled to open your email in the future.
Additional reading below:
Newsletter Marketing
Score's Guide for Small Business Newsletters
Here is the other side of the coin - Converting a Newsletter into a Blog
Top 10 Myths
