Newsletters have been an email staple for a very long time. Despite what many think, email is still the most powerful way to get in front of your audience. Newsletters definitely feel a lot more personal than endless social media posts.
Obviously, we don’t want any newsletter going into a spam folder. When customers subscribe to your newsletter you are giving them easy access to your information without raising eyebrows. Email newsletters are a form of permission marketing. Due to some very strict anti-spam laws, it can become a violation, let alone an annoyance, to some if you email them without asking first. Sending out newsletters to those who have not subscribed is never a good idea. Make sure there is an option to sign up on your website and through your social media.
When you start building up your email list, follow these tips to follow to keep it all running smoothly:
1. Keep your email newsletter information rich
If you are going to set up a newsletter make it full of good content. Some ideas that resonate with readers are business news, upcoming events, useful articles with news they can use, tip sheets, DIY and don’t forget great images.
2. Leave out the sales pitches
We love to be informed but the hard sell is never received well by many readers. Therefore, save your pitches for your promotional materials. To pull in your audience, you need to connect with them on a human level. This can be achieved with great ideas, humor, images of products, product descriptions and by helping your customers solve problems. All this lets them know you care!
3. Remember less is more
The average reader spends about a minute looking over an email newsletter. Grab their attention with specific headers and information. Also, adding images to your articles gives them an idea of what the article is about. Avoid too much clutter in a newsletter and make it easy to follow and easy to read.
4. Always add useful links
We love links so if your article is about food, add in some recipes. If you are a personal trainer, add a monthly exercise to try with a link to a youtube video. Spotlighting a new product? Direct them to your website that describes it in full detail.
5. Remember consistency is key
Definitely, try and schedule a newsletter the same time every month or week depending on what you want to achieve. The more great information you consistently have, the more your audience will look forward to getting it and reading it.
6. Don’t bomb your customers
It’s never a good idea to send too many newsletters or emails to your customers. We have all been subscribed to someone who sends out five emails in one day. This can become an annoyance and can leave you getting complaints. If it was done in error, apologize and go back to your regularly scheduled program.
7. Always offer the chance to opt out easily
It’s always sad to see our subscribers go, but this does happen from time to time. If your subscriber has chosen to not stay on your email list, allow them to opt out easily.