Have you thrown the idea of a newsletter out along with your clunky 1990s IBM in the storeroom that ran Windows 3?
The irony is that newsletters are still dead popular with clients and prospects! They happily subscribe to keep up to date with what your brand is offering, or perhaps to make sure they get first dibs at any promotion.
Of course, not all newsletter go out in the post. Today, they will likely be e-newsletters. But nearly 70% of B2B organisations currently use email newsletters as part of their content marketing! Why lose your competitive edge by staying in the 30% who don’t?
And there’s no reason to not have a newsletter even if you’re B2C. There’s no difference in terms of the interest they create.
But What About ROI on a Newsletter? Peanuts?
Many of you will have struggled to identify the exact value of any content: emails, blogs or newsletters. And this can lead you to cancelling the process.
But that’s not logical. As I explained in a previous post, content is part of your whole story or “court”. So you need to work out a way of assigning relative value to each piece of content and then examine the overall value of content to your business.
For instance, copywriting in general has to achieve two things for you: 1) get results, and 2) build relationships.
Newsletters tend to fall into the second option, although there will nearly always be a call to action of some kind, however subtle, within it.
For today, let’s assume you’ve explored the value of any materials you produce, and have a positive view of how your total content contributes to your ROI.
So, What’s the Point of a Newsletter? Surely It’s All About Social These Days?
Let’s deal with the social aspect first.
Social is fabulous for grabbing people’s attention as they scroll. No disputing that. But it’s a different kind of outreach.
Both social and newsletter want some kind of response, but a social post is more ephemeral. Like a dragonfly. Moments later it’s gone from sight.
On the other hand, a newsletter you’ve subscribed to is at least going to be
- opened (given a decent mailer envelope or email header!),
- scanned for parts that someone knew they wanted to know, and then
- acted on now or filed for later.
So what’s the point of newsletters?
1 Your chief aim might be to build your audience by gathering subscribers onto a list that’s yours. This list will be people who’re directly interested in your brand. Not a purchased list that might have dead or misleading names on it.
2 A newsletter is also a valuable means of distributing relevant gems of information to your dedicated followers.
3 It’s also a place where you make the style your own, in your own voice, in a way that tells the recipient more about your brand and values by how you speak to them and what you include.
Aren’t Newsletters All the Same?
No! That’s where a good copywriter comes in. Most people find it hard to write decent stuff, and even harder to be bothered finding out relevant kinds of material to include in a newsletter.
But your copywriter will discuss with you what you’re looking for, which style, the kinds of content you want – and then take it off your hands and work the magic!
What’s not to love?
Your newsletter will be distinctive, arrive on each recipient’s “doorstep” with fresh, relevant, interesting snippets – and build trust and loyalty for you.
However, there’s no one correct way to design your content. You might have any or all of these elements in it (in no particular order):
- Tips
- Success stories
- Staff profiles
- Q&A
- An article
- A link to your latest blog posts with a comment to highlight something you shouldn’t miss
- An exclusive promotion for subscribers only
- Quotes, stats or graphics – or any other visual element relevant to your brand
- A product announcement
- News and more
The thing to remember is that everything must be of value to your audience. That’s why they signed up and agreed to welcome your newsletter into their inbox or on their doormat. Don’t let them down!
How Often Do Newsletters Go Out?
This is very much for you to decide – in light of what’s going to be in it!
Weekly, monthly, fortnightly, bi-monthly – all are OK if it fulfils its purpose for you.
If you opt for some curated content in an arena where lots of things happen, then more often might be best. However, if you include links to relevant content that doesn’t change so often, then a longer interval works just fine.
So Why Are Newsletters Still Popular with Businesses and Clients/Prospects?
The simple answer must be that people find newsletters highly useful.
That might be because
- they get up-to-date information they can’t easily find elsewhere,
- your brand offering resonates with their needs and values, or
- the arena you’re in affects them in their daily or business life.
These various reasons are also a guide as to what to include: you need content that is current, useful, and brings the reader some benefit they value having.
For example, for my own writing business, I subscribe to newsletters that are vastly different one from another – but all impinge on what I have to write for my clients, including sales and marketing, tech in all its forms, health, youth, families, transport, mental health and more.
This way, I keep up to date in these industries – and can help keep my clients up to date when I write a newsletter for them.
Rethink Your Newsletter Approach and Win Customers
Sound good? It doesn’t matter if you’re a local business or a larger industry. A newsletter will bring you clients from among your prospects and interested subscribers – and help maintain loyalty and ongoing custom from your current clients.
And it doesn’t have to be just one newsletter. Harvard Business Review has going on 20!! But start with one at first?
If you’d like me to produce any kind of newsletter for your business, you can contact me at empatrick@aol.com. Let’s talk!
Eleanor Patrick writing services 