Five Tips for Better Email Newsletters
Design Rangers has the pleasure of posting this article written for us by Tammy Oler – our dear friend and awesome wordslinging partner. Enjoy!
Between blogs, Facebook, and Twitter, there are more ways than ever to connect with your customers. But direct marketing still works – and email newsletters can be a powerful way to reach out. The key to success with an e-newsletter is cutting through the clutter of your customers’ inboxes, and giving them good reasons to click through to your content.
Here are five tips for making your e-newsletter more newsworthy:
Offer Unique Value
Give your readers unique and valuable content: relevant news, exclusive how-tos with case studies or examples, resources, and information on sales and discounts are all excellent ways to connect with customers and keep them reading. It’s easy for people to delete and unsubscribe, so make sure that you’re publishing information your customers care about!
Make It Entertaining & Fun
Don’t send boring stuff to your customers! (This one seems obvious, but it’s important to keep in mind. Consider just how much boring stuff you receive from companies…)
Get Social
Incorporate social media into your e-newsletters to connect your customers on multiple channels. Invite your newsletter readers to link to you on your other social sites, and share your newsletters on those sites. You can also conduct polls or solicit content from customers on other channels and share in your newsletter.
Be Familiar
Readers are more responsive to communications from friendly, trusted voices. Write your newsletter as if you were an insider talking to another insider. Give your newsletter a club or community feel.
Deliver on Your Promise
Make sure you tell people what they’ll get when they sign up for your newsletter – and make good on your promises! Be clear about how often you will send out emails and what types of content they will contain.
Oh, and don’t forget to proofread! Just like with blogs, spelling, punctuation, and grammar still matter!
Good luck with your email marketing!
Tammy Oler is a freelance wordslinger, strategist, and member of the Design Rangers Auxiliary in Brooklyn, NY.
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