Image by Keith Ramsey.
I receive more enewsletters than I can count or name. Some of them I regularly open and read in full. Others, I skim for interesting tidbits or news. If I am drawn in, I click through to read more. A few, I send straight to the trash.
So let’s talk about how you can create enewsletters that will draw people in without driving them away.
Quality Content
Your enewsletter can include information about awards won, links to feature stories about your business, commentary on relevant industry issues, and other news. It’s often a good idea to keep your content short and add links to more information. Or, include one central piece about the length of a short blog post and a sidebar of other links. The specifics may vary for your business but the general idea remains the same: offer interesting content to your subscribers, but don’t demand too much of their attention. Invite them to learn more.
Vary your content within and between enewsletters when you can. For example, I get an enewsletter from the Folger Shakespeare Library. In recent months, it has included links to: videos about upcoming performances, blogs about items in the archives, print and broadcast media relevant to the Library’s mission, event information and photo galleries, a “just for fun” humor section, and more. Each link is introduced by a short blurb and an image. Because the content is so varied, many readers are likely to find something of interest even if they do not explore every item.
Optimized Mailing
Tools like Mailchimp offer many options for polished enewsletter templates, and can help you track what strategies are working for your organization. Consider the following when structuring your newsletters:
- Great writing and stellar stats will go unnoticed in a sloppy or chaotic message. Be sure to use a template that is uncluttered, with a color scheme that’s pleasing and not hard on the eyes.
- Invite your readers to open your message with an interesting and relevant subject line. Be sure to comply with CAN-SPAM regulations for accurate subject lines and header information.
- Be sure to optimize your mailings for mobile devices. If your message doesn’t look nice on a phone, it won’t make a good impression on 65% of your list. Choose visuals that work well on a small screen and make sure text is sized accordingly.
- As with email marketing, an optimal schedule will vary by industry. Pick a schedule and keep your content relevant, but don’t overwhelm your customers with too many messages. Similarly, consider when during the day and week you send your messages.
Don’t be afraid to tweak the structure of your enewsletters and the types of content you include as you go. Always feel free to respond to what is working for your specific audience.
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Learn how to choose speaking engagements you can highlight in your next enewsletter.
Or, consider these tips if you want to include an infographic in your next mailing.
