An electronic newsletter or ezine delivered by email is a
great way to connect with your customers, share information
and deliver news, usually for a fraction of the cost of
traditional direct mail. While many factors affect an
e-newsletter's effectiveness, your newsletters must be:
1. Timely — don't send a newsletter unless you have
news
2. Relevant — recipients are much more likely to open
and read your newsletter if the content is valuable to them
3. Concise — e-newsletters should be brief and focused
Here are the top five tips for keeping in touch:
1. Select an e-newsletter service supplier
Several e-newsletter vendors make creating your newsletter
quick and painless. Costs and features vary, but most
provide user-friendly, turn-key solutions.
Resources: Constant Contact, Bronto and Exact Target are
just a few of the services that offer everything from
design templates to list management.
2. Build your list and get permission
Develop a database by putting a "subscribe" box on your Web
site home page. Make it easy for subscribers by requesting
only their email address. Ask their permission with a
"double opt-in," which asks for an email address, then
sends a confirmation email asking subscribers to click on a
link to confirm their participation. Another way to grow
your list: Include a "Forward to a Friend" button on your
newsletter.
Resources: E-dialog is one company that provides database
list management and comprehensive email list services. Most
companies, such as eNewsletters Online, allow you to import
existing mailing lists and databases. ListPower is another
easy-to-use mailing list manager.
3. Develop and compose your content
Start with engaging, compelling subject lines to gain
attention. Content should be relevant and useful to your
target audience, and you should present it in a
straightforward, honest tone. Avoid industry jargon or
"sales speak." Also, design matters! It should facilitate
scanning and skimming.
Resources: E-newsletter copy tips are available free from
The Levinson Letter. Most newsletter services, like
MyNewsletterBuilder, offer pre-built templates and design
advice.
4. Make it interactive
Take advantage of the interactive and personal nature of
email newsletters by starting a conversation with your
customer. Keep you goals in mind. What do you want your
reader to do? Provide info? Respond to an offer? Fill out a
survey? Make sure you include a call to action.
Resources: For a good list of email tactics, visit
MarketingSherpa.
5. Track results and evaluate
Once your newsletter is sent, you can track open rates and
"click throughs" to evaluate your campaign. Use this info
to improve your next newsletter.
Resources: Most email newsletter vendors, such as Vertical
Response, offer extensive reporting and tracking tools. To
learn the lingo, Azavar provides definitions of various
email marketing analytics.
Additional Tips & Tactics:
- Make your privacy policy clear. Never rent or sell your
list.
- Offer your readers both HTML and text version of the
newsletter.
- Avoid sending your e-newsletter on or near holidays.
- At the risk of stating the obvious, link to your Web site!
- Make it easy to subscribe... and unsubscribe.
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Lou Bortone is an award-winning writer, marketer and
television producer who spent over 20 years in the
television industry, including several years as Senior Vice
President of Marketing & Advertising for Fox Family
Worldwide in L.A. Today, Lou specializes in helping
entrepreneurs create breakthrough video for the Internet.
Check out his new collection of marketing and promotion
"how-to" reports at http://www.BizBoosterSeries.com .
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