Back in the day, most businesses would advertise themselves via promotional mail or billboards. While that still happens today, advancements in technology have made other forms of advertising possible. In particular, the email newsletter has become a wonderful format for communication with customers.
Once opted in, customers are greeted with all the important things going on for your business. However, the tricky part is keeping them engaged. Newsletters can be unsubscribed from if you aren’t engaging your customer. Today, we’ll be tackling exactly what kind of newsletter your business needs.
Why Do People Like Newsletters?
Newsletters are a personalized way for businesses to communicate with their customers. Promotional events, new products, and PSAs, of them, are done through this medium. The best part about newsletters is that they are non-invasive. Customers can choose to open them at their leisure or sort it into specific folders.
Still, there are some common mistakes that businesses do with their newsletters. What we’ll discuss are the qualities that make a great newsletter. It’s not just a simple information dump, nor should it be an encyclopedia. These qualities ensure that your newsletter will be clicked on and read more often.
Relevant
The first thing to note about a professional email newsletter should be how relevant it is to the people you’re sending them to. For example, if you are a restaurant owner, your emails should be going to locals and patrons. Otherwise, you’re just sending irrelevant information to people who won’t even click on your newsletter.
Informative
A newsletter should leave the reader with something important or new. By the end of it, their lives, in some small measure, should have been slightly improved. It could be as simple as letting them know that you have a new product, or that your company has undergone a massive sustainability effort.
Entertaining
Nobody likes to read dry walls of text, especially when it’s optional. Newsletters hold the weight of responsibility in keeping readers engaged. One such way is by keeping a light and conversational tone in your newsletters. Treat the customer as good friends, not just as numbers to fill out the statistics.
Focused
Your newsletters should have a single focus topic for every message. Do not try and fill out the word count of an e-mail with data dumps. People are less likely to read newsletters that can’t keep track of what it’s talking about. Keep your topics few and the words focused on the specific topics at hand.
Concise
In addition to being focused, newsletters should avoid being long winded. A lot of newsletters make the mistake of being too long. As discussed earlier, long emails simply won’t do. Keep your messages to a minimum, no more than 300 words. If there are things that need further information, simply attach a link to an in-depth article, not in the newsletter itself.
Trendy
Another key to successful newsletter marketing is staying on top of trends. It’s one of the best ways to capture a reader’s eye from the header alone. Incorporate recent trends into your newsletters to maximize engagement. For example, if you are a toy store, and a recent movie just came out, send out newsletters of toys from that movie.
Human Touch
Some newsletters make the mistake of sounding “too corporate”. Remember to keep a diverse marketing team so you know exactly what you sound like to customers. Many customers do not like businesses that come off as “distant”. What “distant” means is very vague depending on your customers, so have regular meetings with your team about it.
Integrate Friendly Brands
Newsletters could also be used to build goodwill amongst friendly businesses. If there is a business complementary to your own that you have a great relationship with, don’t be afraid to integrate them. This also keeps your customers happy, as they are now informed of great new service.
Consistent
Consistency is key to a successful newsletter. Whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, make sure the date is consistent. The best days to send out your newsletter are Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. CRM software for small businesses helps you keep your newsletters consistent.
Fulfills a Niche
Lastly, make sure your newsletter has content not available anywhere else. Whether that’s exclusive promotional events, discounts, or information, make sure it’s all in the newsletter. Don’t get drowned out in a sea of newsletters that provide the same niche that you do. Include content that makes you stand out from the rest.
Conclusion
Email newsletters are a fantastic way to keep your customers informed and happy. It’s one of the few passive ways that you build a relationship with them. That’s why it’s crucial to have these qualities for your newsletter.
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