A good newsletter can help you build not only your brand and company, but also your relationship with your customers. If your newsletters are interesting, helpful, and something that customers want to hang onto, your customers are not only more likely to enjoy doing business with your company, but they will also develop a better relationship with your business. In fact, if your newsletter is good enough, your customer may recommend your newsletter to others.
The best newsletters:
1) Are shaped by readers. Do you know what your readers are looking for? If not, ask. Ask what readers want to see in upcoming issues, set up an email where readers can suggest future newsletter news stories, or set up polls on your website to learn what readers want. Asking and then providing relevant advice and help is the best way to ensure that readers continue to love your newsletter. Consider adding a “your questions answered” section to your newsletter to make it more interactive and relevant to readers.
2) Get through. Today’s filters do their job very, very thoroughly and as a result some legitimate mail does not get through. You can certainly remind your readers to add you to their “safe” list but not all readers will do this. Your best bet is to avoid using words that can keep your newsletter from getting into inboxes. Words like “free,” for example, or “special offer” sometimes trigger filters. Keep in mind, too, that not all email programs display HTML correctly. Some filters and email programs even block logos, graphics, and animation, so make sure that your newsletter is easy to read even without special formatting. Use flat text with hyperlinks and check your newsletter in a variety of email programs to see how it looks.
3) Use psychology. Research has shown that email readers respond best to ads that appear to the left of a picture. Changing a call to action link into a prominent button or image can also enhance response. Read about sales and marketing psychology so that you know what design elements are most effective in your industry.
4) Are reliable. Good newsletters arrive when they are supposed to, are consistent, and project similar messages. If you are always playing around with the look of your newsletter or just send your newsletter whenever you want to, you risk coming across as flaky. Use a program such as Relenta CRM to easily manage your newsletter. It will allow you to always send your publication out on time.
