| A business owner who publishes a monthly email | | | | Provide them with content they can and want to talk |
| newsletter asked me for advice. The business in | | | | about. Then, they might talk about your email |
| question is a European based specialist for color | | | | newsletter and your company as well. It is about |
| trends and consults with designers in the fashion and | | | | keeping the conversation going. Don't be afraid to link |
| home design industries. In this particular case, Carol, | | | | to other than your own websites. |
| wanted to know how to increase the open rate for | | | | You will be positively surprised that your readers will |
| her newsletter editions. Her company publishes the | | | | write back and thank you for this kind of content even |
| newsletter once a month. | | | | when you don't ask them to do so. I know that from |
| I think my response might be transferable to your | | | | my own experience. |
| business or website as well. That is why I thought I | | | | (4) Measure the feedback |
| should share it with a wider audience. | | | | Keep an eye for your email marketing metrics: open |
| The content and design of the newsletter I was giving | | | | rate, click through rate, replies, number of new |
| the advice on is rather intriguing. However, it is a | | | | subscribers and members who just unsubscribed. This |
| constant challenge to keep readers engaged and | | | | data helps you to find a style that works best with |
| interested over a longer period of time. I gave Carol | | | | your reader base. |
| the following tips to think about. | | | | Are you sure that one newsletter serves both |
| 5 Tips on how to engage your readers and increase | | | | groups? In my example, designers in the fashion |
| your open rate | | | | industry and designers in home decor? While your |
| (1) Make it more personal! | | | | monthly report might be of identical value to them, it |
| Have an editor, a spokesperson write the newsletter in | | | | could be that they require to be treated quite |
| a colloquial tone. Introduce that character as a person | | | | differently. Maybe you will find cues that you should |
| with a back-story, and also address the reader on the | | | | segment your email list into two groups. |
| personal level. An email is communication from one | | | | (5) Incorporate Social Media |
| person to another. A newsletter should not be an | | | | Refer to your newsletter in social media and vice |
| exception. | | | | versa. Allow people to share your content with their |
| I came up with the following suggestions for Carol's | | | | colleagues and friends easily. |
| situation in our initial consultation. Let the reader follow | | | | Rounding it up |
| the editor, James for example, on his personal journey | | | | These tips are just a couple of things to start with. It |
| through the universe of color and time. This allows for | | | | means more work, but it will be worth the effort and |
| some great metaphors and brings the otherwise dry | | | | will increase your footprint in your market. |
| text to life. Instead of writing in the third person like in | | | | In case your goal includes selling more of your services |
| academic papers bring in personal points of view and | | | | with the help of the newsletter, you have to make it a |
| emotions by writing in the first person to tell a story. | | | | topic, too. Meaning, you talk about your offers from |
| Look at how I have started this article. I am telling you | | | | time to time and ask for the sale! Or even better, |
| the reason why I am writing this article. It works pretty | | | | come up with "newsletter subscriber only deals." |
| good, doesn't it. | | | | Last but not least, it has been said already that |
| (2) Increase the frequency of your newsletter | | | | headlines are very important. But in the long run your |
| Once a month is too infrequent to maintain and | | | | members will continue to open the newsletter issue not |
| strengthen the relationship with your readers. | | | | because of the headline, but because they hardly can |
| You don't want to be perceived as the 57th agency | | | | wait for the next one. They want to hear from that |
| which sends yet another trend report. You want to be | | | | person - the personal voice of your brand. If not, you |
| perceived as "friend," who helps the reader through | | | | have lost them somewhere on the road so to speak. |
| the jungle, who offers effective solutions for whatever | | | | One of the biggest mistakes in business to business |
| the biggest problem in your industry is. Go beyond of | | | | marketing (B2B) is to assume "businesses are |
| just being a reporter. | | | | different" and you have to be super serious. Same is |
| (3) Vary the type of emails | | | | true in the academic world by the way, but that's a |
| When I said, "Write more often," I did not mean to just | | | | different tribe. |
| multiply your efforts. You still send your "full blown" | | | | There is not such a thing as a BUSINESS... |
| monthly report to your readers, but you contact them | | | | It's always a PERSON, who is reading your ezine. |
| with different kind of useful information in-between. | | | | In Carol's particular case, I bet designers will really |
| While you keep sending your beautifully designed | | | | appreciate and value a real (not fake), personal touch |
| report with lots of pictures in PDF format once a | | | | in your communication. |
| month, you introduce a shorter type of message that | | | | Successful email marketing is about building |
| highlights important information for your readers. For | | | | relationships through value! |
| example: | | | | One last note about losing subscribes. Without a doubt |
| * How to tips | | | | some people will unsubscribe when you introduce |
| * Interesting links | | | | changes, but others will become more engaged with |
| * Hot or controversial news in your market | | | | you, which is your goal here. You are writing for those |
| * Videos on the web | | | | who are listening and giving you constructive feedback. |
| * Offer timely sensitive info | | | | You should not write in order to keep people from |
| * Case studies from your readers | | | | leaving your email list. That's a game you cannot win. |
| * Survey your readers and report results back | | | | |