If you follow 10 simple rules, you'll soon be able to write great newsletters and get paid for it.
Newsletters from a business can be a very effective way to market. Whether you want to upsell or cross-sell, build your brand or your authority, or just reach more people, a newsletter can help you do all of these things. Just make sure you write it correctly.
Advertising on TV, radio, and in print is often too expensive for many businesses, especially small ones, to pay for. There is a better option, though. Because of the internet and email, company newsletters are a very cheap and surprisingly effective way to advertise. When it comes to newsletters, both big and small companies can now compete on the same level.
So, what exactly is a newsletter?
A company newsletter is pretty much the same thing as an email newsletter. Think of it as a short newspaper about your business instead of one about a town, city, or country. You can include articles about new products or services, awards, recent success stories and case studies, promotions, specials, share price increases, company events, research, etc. And if it's a slow month, you can just write articles that your customers might find useful.
10 Ways to Do Well
If you follow 10 simple rules, you'll soon be able to write great newsletters and get the results you want.
Make it fresh! Don't waste your readers' time with information they already know. Instead, give them news they can use.
Make it personal by always using the person's name. Make sure you get people's names when they sign up, and then use them in the subject line, greeting, and anywhere else you can.
Know your audience. Figure out what your reader wants to hear about. Do some proactive research, ask for feedback, or find an email marketing service like Ezemail that keeps track of which links your readers click on and what they do.
Let them get to know you. Show them who you are. If people feel like they know you, they are much more likely to stick with you. Include something about yourself in the newsletter, whether it's humour, personal information, a personal story, or your own opinions.
Subject is Headline: The subject line of an email newsletter is similar to a newspaper's front-page headline. You need to get the reader's attention, so make it interesting and relevant (maybe promise a benefit), but don't use more than 25 characters so the reader can see it all before opening the email.
Use a title bar: Use the title bar to make your site look better and raise brand awareness.
Make it easy to scan. Most people don't read online, they scan. Make sure you use bullet points and subheadings that are easy to read. Don't lose the attention of your reader. Reading online is physically harder, so make sure you are clear and to the point. Instead of writing long articles, use links to other places.
Use white space! If your page is too crowded, your reader will lose interest. Give them a chance to take in important information by leaving about 30% of your screen space blank.
Easy to unsubscribe: Make it easy to find your unsubscribe link. If it's clear, they'll feel safe and be able to enjoy what's being said. For many people, how easy it is to stop getting your emails is a sign of how honest your company is.
