Good email newsletters can be a very valuable way of building and maintaining communications with your customers. Bad email newsletters can be a turn-off. This article outlines the basic rules to follow to make your email newsletters an effective communication tool.
Any business considers a person that walks into their shop a potential customer and offers them attentive service and all the information they ask for, to convert their interest into a sale. If you do not do the same for website visitors, you are very likely limiting your growth potential.
So how can you give the right information to people who visit your website, given that you may never meet them? The answer is an email newsletter that sends information to prospects.
Newsletters are a valuable tool because when someone visits your website, they are often at the 'browsing' stage. At this stage, they see your content as interesting or useful, but if you do not provide a way for visitors to 'opt-in' to receiving more information from you, your competitors will be the ones that convert their interest into a sale.
There are a number of ways to start your email newsletter. Many businesses spend lots of time trying to use their standard email system to send their e-marketing or managing lists in spreadsheets. This can be problematic and time consuming. It is quicker, easier and more accurate to use specialised e-marketing providers that support the whole e-communication process.
Look for tools or providers that can import any lists you already have. And make sure the tools include 'opt-in' forms, tracking features, automated subscribe/unsubscribe, bounce-back management and the like.
Once you have those tools, place an opt-in form on your website and in the e-newsletter itself. That way it is not just people on your list who will receive it, but also those that they forward it to!
You can use a template for the newsletter or have one custom-built to match your website and other marketing material. A good program or provider will offer an easy-to-use editor for you to publish content within the template.
What content does your e-newsletter need?
Planning is essential when choosing relevant content. Think in terms of email campaigns, not just e-newsletters.
- Target your audience
- Follow your business objectives
- Include and support a 'call to action'
Ensure you are always focused on these goals when producing your e-newsletter. Your subscribers are also essential, so make your e-newsletter totally relevant to them.
Most recipients are going to be very busy and you will be competing for their attention. The top section of your email is therefore very valuable real-estate. Many users view each incoming email in their preview pane before choosing to open the mail or discard it.
Ensure you appeal to the 'what's in it for me' aspect. Don't be preoccupied with telling your customers how brilliant you are or recent company 'wins'.
Include a catchy headline that asks the subscribers a question they will want to know the answer to. Even if they don't read it then and there, they will be less inclined to hit the 'delete' button.
Your content must have substance and be fresh. Examples of relevant content include:
- Industry news
- New products and services
- Changes on your website
- Offline events
- Content provided by the 'experts' in your organisation
In the online world, people 'scan' more than 'read'. Headlines are more important than ever. Use bullet points whenever possible to attract readers' attention. And edit scrupulously for brevity. If you can say the same thing in one sentence rather than two - do.
You don't need to include the entire article in your e-newsletter, It can be more effective to provide an interesting 'lead-in' and then have the user click to view the 'full story'. This gives the subscriber the choice to delve more deeply into your content and allows you to compare the 'click-through' rates for different articles.
When should it be sent?
Just as you need to consider what to send, you need to also plan when and how often to send.
Send your newsletter often enough that people don't forget they have subscribed, but not so much that it becomes a nuisance. Consistency is the key if the communication is sent outside of the scheduled date. It should be a 'special' communication of some sort and subscribers should be told this.
A regular e-newsletter will help the recipient feel more 'connected' to your business and allow you to keep a 'thread' or 'theme' going that you can refer back to. There really is no cut-and-dried formula. Factors such as your business type, audience and content will help you to decide.
As a general rule, on Monday mornings people are generally too busy and Friday afternoons people are in wind-down mode. Much research has shown people tend to be more responsive to business communications Tuesdays to Thursdays.
Spam and privacy - Get it right
Spam and privacy laws should be part of your marketing strategy. Don't just be motivated by the law and spam filters. Caring about email etiquette will project a credible and positive image of your business. Readers generally react more positively to commercial information they have asked to receive. Trust is an essential element if any sale is to follow on.
You should therefore only send your e-newsletter when you have the recipient's consent and ensure every email includes:
- An unsubscribe link/instructions
- Contact information including a phone number
- A note about why they have received the email
- The subscriber's email address so that they can see which address they subscribed with
Deal with unsubscribe requests as soon as possible or use a program that allows this to be automated.
Keep your email list in a secure password-protected database and never provide your subscribers' email addresses to a third party. The subscribers' choice to join your list is also confidential. Respect their choice by developing a strict privacy policy, making it available on your website and linking to it from your e-newsletter.
If your list is grown correctly and your communications carefully planned, your list will be made up of interested people not just expecting your communication but looking forward to it. You will be rewarded.