If you’re like most business owners, you understand the importance of marketing and promotion.
You may already be using social media, email marketing, and other channels to reach your target audience. But have you considered creating a newsletter?
Newsletters are a great way to keep your customers and clients up-to-date on what’s going on with your business. They can also be used to promote special deals, announcements, and events.
Plus, newsletters help you stay top-of-mind with your audience so that they think of you when they need your products or services.
What Exactly Is A Newsletter?
A newsletter is a type of email that contains updates and information about a company or organization. Newsletters are typically sent on a regular basis, such as monthly or quarterly, and can be used to promote sales, events, or special offers.
Newsletters can also be used to share news and updates about a particular topic or industry.
For example, a newsletter about the healthcare industry might contain articles about new laws and regulations, updates on research and developments, and profiles of industry leaders.
Types Of Newsletters
Next, let’s clarify a bit more about the types of newsletters that exist. There are four main types: corporate, product, customer, and e-newsletters. Each type has its own purpose and can be used to achieve different goals.
- Corporate newsletters keep employees informed about company news, changes, and events. They can also be used to promote company culture and values.
- Product newsletters provide customers with information about new products, services, and features. They can also be used to upsell or cross-sell products.
- Customer newsletters keep customers informed about company news, changes, events, and specials. They can also be used to thank customers for their business or to promote customer loyalty.
- E-newsletters are newsletters that are sent electronically, typically via email. They are often used to promote special offers or discounts or to keep customers updated on company news.
The Benefits Of Starting A Newsletter
Now, as we’ve already mentioned, a good boss or manager knows that you need to maximize your marketing if you want to get customers and conversions.
You can achieve that through better websites, stronger content, and graphic design, but also by outsourcing assignments you can’t handle to managed services agencies, not just relying on your strengths.
However, of all the above, newsletters are rarely mentioned. This is a shame, because there are many benefits that distinguish them from other marketing systems. Let’s talk about a couple of them now:
- Newsletters are highly customizable
You can create a newsletter that is specifically tailored to your business and your audience. This means that you can include the information that is most relevant to them and that will be of most interest to them.
- Newsletters are cost-effective
Compared to other marketing channels, newsletters are relatively inexpensive to produce. You can even create them yourself using a template or tool like MailChimp or Constant Contact.
- Newsletters build relationships
By regularly sending newsletters to your audience, you’re building relationships with them. They begin to see you as a trusted source of information and someone who is always keeping them updated on what’s going on. This can lead to loyalty and repeat business down the road.
- Newsletters are easy to share
Your newsletter can be easily shared with others, which means it has the potential to reach a larger audience than you might think. As your newsletter gets shared, it can help promote your business to people who may not have heard of you before.
Now that you have a solid understanding of newsletters, let’s start writing one…
Goals and Finding Your Voice
But, wait! Before you start writing, you need to ask yourself: what is my voice?
Your voice is the unique perspective and personality that you bring to your writing. It’s what makes your writing distinctive, interesting, and enjoyable to read. And it’s an essential element of any successful newsletter.
To find your voice, ask yourself these important questions:
- What do I want my newsletter to achieve?
- Who is my target audience?
- What kind of tone do I want to set?
- What topics am I passionate about?
- How can I make my newsletter stand out from the rest?
Answering these questions will help you start developing your own distinctive voice. From there, it’s just a matter of practice and experimentation to find the style that best suits your newsletter and your audience.
How To Write A Newsletter – General Tips
Once you have your voice and have actually answered the questions above, it’s time to start writing. Below is some general advice you should consider when writing.
- Start with a catchy headline. This will be the first thing that people see, so make sure it’s something that will grab their attention. For example, “5 ways to improve your blog traffic” or “3 easy tips for a healthier lifestyle”.
- Include interesting facts and statistics. People love interesting facts and statistics, so make sure to include some in your newsletter.
- Write in a casual and friendly tone. Remember, you’re writing to real people, so make sure your tone is casual and friendly.
- Use images and videos. People are more likely to read your newsletter if it includes images and videos. So be sure to add some.
- Keep your sentences short and to the point. No one wants to read a wall of text.
- Use helpful formatting, such as bullet points and headings, to make your newsletter easy to scan.
- Use strong calls to action. Encourage your readers to take action, whether it’s visiting your website, signing up for a free trial, or making a purchase.
- Make sure that the content you include is engaging and relevant to your audience. No one wants to read a boring, sales-y newsletter. Instead, focus on creating content that will educate, entertain, or otherwise interest your readers. If you can manage to do this, you’ll find that people are much more likely to actually read your newsletter – and maybe even subscribe to it.
By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to writing a newsletter that people will actually want to read.
Content Ideas and Suggestions
Now you might be thinking – sure, you have a couple of good ideas, but how can you turn this into a weekly or even daily thing? Well, check out some of the suggestions below.
1) Seasonal content: As the seasons change, so should your newsletter content! Share recipes for summer BBQs, tips for staying cool in the heat, or fun ways to enjoy the autumn leaves.
2) Feature a different employee each month: Get to know the people who make your company tick! Each newsletter can feature a different member of your team, with a Q&A and information about their role in the company.
3) Local events: let your readers know about any upcoming events in your area that may be of interest to them. This could include concerts, festivals, fairs, and more.
4) Industry news: Keep your readers up-to-date on what’s happening in your industry, whether it’s new regulations, trends, or exciting innovations.
5) Company news: Use your newsletter as a platform to share any news or updates about your company, such as new products, expansion plans, or recent awards.
6) Tips and advice: Share your expertise with your readers! Offer tips on everything from using your products to tackling common problems in your industry.
7) behind-the-scenes looks: Give your readers a peek behind the scenes of your company! This could include photos or videos of employees at work, interviews with team members, or tours of your facilities.
8) Customer stories: Showcase the amazing ways that your customers are using your products or services! This is a great way to show off your company’s impact and build trust with your readers.
9) Contests and giveaways: Everyone loves a good contest or giveaway! Use your newsletter to promote any contests or giveaways that you’re currently running, and make sure to include instructions on how to enter.
10) Freebies and discounts: Offer your readers exclusive discounts or freebies! This could be anything from a discount on their next purchase to a free download or e-book.
Publishing A Newsletter
So, you know the rules, you know how to write and what to write. Now all that’s left is to actually publish the thing.
One option is to use a service like MailChimp or Constant Contact, which will handle all of the behind-the-scenes work of delivering your newsletter to subscribers.
Another option is to use a WordPress plugin like Newsletter Manager, which will integrate with your WordPress site and make it easy to manage subscribers and deliver your newsletter.
If you want more control over the delivery of your newsletter, you can use a service like Sendy, which gives you the ability to send newsletters using your own Amazon SES account. This option will require a bit more technical knowledge to set up, but it can be more cost-effective in the long run.
Once you’ve decided how you’re going to deliver your newsletter, it’s time to start promoting it! Make sure to add a sign-up form to your website and promote your newsletter on social media. You can also include a link to your newsletter in your email signature.
Conclusion
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to writing and publishing a newsletter. The important thing is to find a method that works for you and your company and stick with it!
With these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to creating a newsletter that people will actually want to read.
Author bioTravis Dillard is a business consultant and an organizational psychologist based in Arlington, Texas. Passionate about marketing, social networks, and business in general. In his spare time, he writes a lot about new business strategies and digital marketing for DigitalStrategyOne.
