Why You Should Have A Newsletter
A HOW-TO GUIDE
Expert content and technical writer, Angela Smith, breaks down why you need a newsletter, best practices for having one, and your first steps in setting up an email newsletter marketing strategy.
BREAKING THROUGH THE NOISE
In today's age of digital communication, everyone is suffering from content overload. From flashy ads filling the once-empty space on our websites to short clips littering our social media feeds, it's enough to desensitize even the most patient of potential customers. Small businesses need something to help them be heard and seen. They need a way to compete against the noise of the larger companies in a way that makes them stand out without breaking the bank. Enter the humble and often overlooked Email Newsletter.
THE KEY BENEFITS OF NEWSLETTERS
Cost-effective marketing tool
Direct communication with customers
Builds brand awareness and loyalty
Drives website traffic and sales
Provides valuable customer insights
Why Newsletters? When done right, email newsletters are one of the most cost-effective marketing tools available. They allow for direct customer communication, enabling you to build a relatable persona for them to identify and interact with. By engaging with customers in a correspondence-type way, you can create carefully crafted brand awareness, increasing brand loyalty; the personal nature of the communication often strengthens the connection between the customer and the business.
Newsletters drive traffic to your website, helping you grow your business. They are a great way to showcase new products and offer promotions and special offers, increasing traffic and sales. By including simple analytics, business owners can gain valuable customer insight, including audience interests, demographics, and even possible pain points.
BEST PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVE NEWSLETTERS
1. CREATE COMPELLING SUBJECT LINES
Subject lines are like book titles: They need to grab the reader's attention and give them a reason to click on your content. They should also match your brand and spark interest in your audience. Studies have shown that readers typically only read the first 20% of an email message, so it is important to really focus on the subject line and opening lines of your newsletter.
2. INCLUDE CLEAR CALLS-TO-ACTION (CTAs)
Newsletters are an excellent way to drive business to your website, and including clear calls-to-action is the best way to do this. This could be in the form of product spotlights or special offerings. Newsletters enable you to quickly put together short campaigns with minimal work and overhead that can increase user engagement significantly. Identifying products that all fall into a Holiday theme and presenting them as perfect gift options with links directly to your website -- possibly even offering a special discount or incentive -- is one way to attract customers. This is not limited to businesses with physical products. By showcasing past events, you can spark new ideas for potential customers, enabling them to see how working with you can benefit them.
3. PERSONALIZE YOUR CONTENT
As your information on your audience grows, you can expand your newsletters to include personalized content, such as goods and services based on past interest or sales.
4. MAINTAIN A PRODUCTIVE SCHEDULE
Sending your newsletters at the right time and in the right format is one of the best ways to avoid having them go to the spam folder. It is important to maintain a consistent and productive schedule, one that keeps your customers interested without irritating them. It is equally important to limit the length and content of the newsletters so they are compelling and easy for the reader to act upon.
5. OPTIMIZE FOR MOBILE DEVICES
Most people read their email on their mobile devices, so it's critical to ensure that your newsletters are optimized for this smaller format. This means keeping them concise -- leave the in depth writing for the company blog. In fact, linking to additional information on your website is a great way to drive traffic to your website and increase your SEO rating. Keep the images used to a minimum, they can make the messages slow to load and do not always look the same on different devices. The most important thing design-wise is consistency. Come up with a simple and elegant email template that reflects your brand, and use it consistently.
HOW TO GET STARTED
1. CHOOSE AN EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM
This can be as simple as leveraging the tools included in Google Workspace, to signing up for a more dedicated platform such as MailChimp. Most website platforms come with some form of email marketing tools, either available by default or through plugins. For ease of use, sticking with tools that work seamlessly with your website are best. It is typically through your website that your subscriber list is built, and having everything in one place can make the process of producing and tracking your newsletters seamless.
2. BUILD YOUR SUBSCRIBER LIST
You need emails to send your newsletter to - and this means building up a subscriber list. Though the exact rules differ from state to state, and even country to country, privacy laws stipulate that people need to give you permission to email them. Make sure your site has places for people to subscribe that are easily visible. Another easy way to increase signups is by implementing pop-ups on your site when people first visit.
3. PLAN YOUR CONTENT STRATEGY
Take some time to plan out your content strategy. Create a spreadsheet with the topics you want to cover in your newsletter. Then, use this to create a publishing schedule that best aligns your topics with seasonal trends or special events.
START TODAY
Building a successful email newsletter strategy takes time and effort, but the rewards are well worth it. Start small, experiment with different approaches, and always keep your audience's needs and interests in mind. This is about creating long-lasting connections.
So, take that first step. Start building your email list, craft your first newsletter, or refine your current strategy. Your small business has a unique story to tell and value to offer – let email newsletters be the messenger that helps you share it with the world.