| Creating a successful newsletter can be extremely | | | | commit to. As a thumb rule, a weekly newsletter is |
| rewarding. Subscribers and customers respond with | | | | ideal. However, don't launch a weekly newsletter if you |
| glowing feedback, online sales jump and your | | | | are not absolutely certain that you can distribute a |
| customer relationships and brand loyalty deepens. Here | | | | quality Newsletter every week. A fortnightly |
| are some useful tips that might help in creating a | | | | newsletter is a good option too. |
| successful newsletter. | | | | Timing |
| Define Success | | | | Test and pick a day and time that works best ...and |
| Ask yourself "What is the purpose of your | | | | stick to it. Readers should almost be able to set their |
| newsletter?" A newsletter is a substantial investment | | | | watches by the receipt time of your Newsletter. |
| of company resources in terms of time and energy, | | | | Make it Viral |
| and you need to define in as tangible terms as possible | | | | Provide information readers can act on or that |
| the purpose of your Newsletter. | | | | stimulates reaction - forwarding it to friends and peers, |
| Voice and Personality | | | | stimulating purchases or requests for additional |
| Establish a voice or editorial personality - whether | | | | information. Make it easy for readers to forward |
| newsy, serious, gossipy or funny - that is synergistic | | | | articles and information to peers and friends. Provide a |
| with the image you want to portray and connects with | | | | "Forward to a Friend" link that enables readers to |
| your audience. Remember that email newsletters | | | | forward the Newsletter with a personalized note. |
| aren't email promotions designed to stimulate | | | | Search |
| immediate action. Sales and promotional copy don't suit | | | | Make it easy to find articles of interest and back |
| e-newsletters. Nor does the traditional tone of | | | | issues. Provide a table of contents and links to articles |
| broadcast corporate communications. Think of your | | | | within the newsletter and to resources and past |
| newsletter as a one-on-one conversation. Just imagine | | | | articles on your site. |
| sitting in a coffee shop talking informally with a | | | | Printing |
| customer. That's the starting point for your | | | | Consider providing "printer-friendly formats" on your |
| approach--a more personable and appropriate "human" | | | | Web site. |
| voice will come naturally. Drop the jargon, drop the | | | | Personalize |
| sales pitch, be as honest as you can, and talk like a | | | | At minimum address the reader by name. The most |
| human being. | | | | successful newsletters have a human being |
| You can have as much or as little personality as is | | | | associated with them...and a personality. If possible, |
| appropriate. Consider adding a brief editorial, a | | | | your Newsletter should be "written by a person" at |
| comment or two, an editor's note, a couple of lines of | | | | your company...not the company. |
| commentary, a touch of opinion; adding a little human | | | | Write in layman terms with simple vocabulary |
| element here and there. Sign editorials, give authors a | | | | Not everyone has the vocabulary that you and editors |
| byline, or list some names down in the administrative | | | | do. Use words that are easy-to-understand, and if you |
| section of each issue to which your readers can relate | | | | do use technical terms, provide a definition that people |
| to. | | | | can relate to. There is nothing more frustrating then a |
| From Line | | | | definition that makes less sense than the word itself. |
| Whether a person's name, name of the newsletter or | | | | Test |
| company name - determine what will resonate best | | | | Test the Newsletter on few email addresses to check |
| with your readers and stay with it. | | | | for errors and other issues - before sending to the |
| Subject Line | | | | entire distribution list. |
| "Vol. 11, Issue #9" or "Company News" are not enticing | | | | If you lack experience in print media, seek out |
| subject lines. They are certainly consistent and simple, | | | | assistance if you know someone in the field. If not, |
| but they don't tell your readers anything that will | | | | don't worry - the above mentioned basic principles |
| motivate them to open your email. Your subject line is | | | | apply. Plan to research your material thoroughly and |
| your calling card - entice your readers with the most | | | | avoid factual or editing errors, as they will make you |
| interesting or intriguing information in your Newsletter.. | | | | seem less credible. |
| Style/Format | | | | Add hyperlinks and include updates on old material |
| Establish a format and layout of your Newsletter that | | | | should new information surface. The typical form of |
| is clean and simple, with elements of the Newsletter | | | | newsletter is a one-way communication where you |
| (table of contents; "Tips", subscription information, etc. | | | | provide information to customers, such as product |
| located in the same spot each issue). | | | | updates and announcements. You have the option of |
| Content | | | | formatting your e-mail by including colorized text and a |
| Figure out what your readers want and give it to them. | | | | variety of fonts, but not all e-mail software supports |
| Seek continuous improvement by obtaining reader | | | | HTML mail. Consider writing your newsletter in plain |
| feedback and monitoring click-through rates to | | | | text or offer two mailing lists- one for plain text |
| determine what types of articles are most popular. | | | | mailings and the other for HTML e-mail. |
| Another dilemma that we all confront is too much | | | | Make sure you Include: |
| information and too little time. The newsletter's job is to | | | | -Table of Contents |
| keep readers on top of trends and the latest | | | | -Hyperlinks for customers who want more information |
| developments in the industry. Aim for articles and | | | | for a featured topic |
| feature stories to meet one of the following criteria by | | | | -Exciting secrets or tips related to your product or |
| including either: major industry occurrences, forward | | | | service |
| thinking industry ideas, education on issues or new | | | | -Contact information |
| techniques, or business opportunities. | | | | E-newsletters can take up a good amount of time if |
| Whether your customers work out of a corporate or | | | | not managed correctly. The use of a list server (a |
| home office, employees need answers to questions | | | | piece of software that runs on your Internet provider's |
| and tips for improving business activities. E-newsletters | | | | computer or on your own web server) is a good |
| provide you with an opportunity to point out work | | | | option. It will automatically manage a list of e-mail |
| inefficiencies, and share relevant best practice. When | | | | addresses. Once you send your newsletter to the list |
| you create a newsletter, try changing your focus from | | | | server, it distributes the letter to the stored addresses. |
| selling products and services to solving your | | | | For more information on list servers, contact your |
| customers' problems. Think about what they need and | | | | Internet service provider. If you opt to use another |
| give options they don't know exist. | | | | method, make sure you have a plan for handling |
| Frequency | | | | incoming and outgoing mail when your customer base |
| Determine how frequently your readers want to hear | | | | increases. |
| from you/receive your Newsletter - and what you can | | | | |