What’s it all about?
Email newsletters are one of those marketing platforms that some businesses are still unsure of. They take time, they require relevant ‘news-worthy’ topics and they need an audience. It’s also difficult to judge how successful newsletters are. Sure, you can track the open rate and click-through via your analytics. But how much business do they actually help generate?
I am a big advocate of them due to their simplicity and relatively low cost to run. In my experience, they are a quick way to reach a wide audience that isn’t restricted to just 140 characters (that’s Twitter in case you’re unsure).
I am going to share with you some simple but effective advice from my time writing newsletters for the public sector. I hope you find these points useful.
Getting the right platform
Two of the biggest newsletter platforms are Dotmailer and MailChimp, but there are hundreds more available online. I have used Dotmailer, which can be clunky, but it is great for those starting out. The templates are often basic, but the functionality is easy to use. MailChimp, offer a range of slick, clean templates which come across as very professional. There are free options available on both of these websites.
Make it ‘newsworthy’
The aim of newsletters is to inform readers and encourage them to click the links included in your articles. Make sure you use original content that is not copied from other sources and make it relevant. Include keywords and images as long as they relate to your subject area.
Scheduling
How often do you want to post your e-newsletter? Once a month, weekly or quarterly? This is key! You need enough information to have unique content for every edition, but you don’t want to ‘scrape the barrel’ with unnecessary content because you have run out of things to talk about. If you only have enough to say once a month, then stick to it!
Make sure you are consistent. If you miss a month, people will notice and this can lose you subscribers!
Develop your database
My last piece of advice relates to the customer. In order to write a newsletter, you need an audience. For this you may have to invest in ‘Subscribe to our e-newsletter’ buttons on your website or market like crazy on social media, but it is worth the investment.
I helped build up subscribers by attending trade shows, networking events and carrying out email marketing. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can gather a following. There are also websites where you can buy databases for certain industries.
If you are going to invest money anywhere, then make sure it’s on your database. You can always create a more visually pleasing template at a later date!
If this blog article has been useful, then please feel free to share it with others.
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