Here are some tips to help you create a newsletter
that gets read and even shared!
1. Compelling Subject Lines
Give your readers a good reason to open your
newsletter. Use the limited space in the
subject line effectively by asking a question, stating a key benefit or emphasizing
an urgent matter such as a limited time offer.
Avoid using spam trigger words (Free, Discount, etc.), all CAPS and
overly promotional phrases. The best
newsletter subject lines grab the reader and get them excited about what's
inside.
2. Content Worth Reading
Know your audience and what's relevant and
important to them. Useful content is the heart of a strong newsletter. When writing your newsletter, share your
expertise in informational articles, offer tips or answer customer
questions. In addition to a feature
story, include a message from the CEO, other company leaders or information from
relevant departments.
Update readers with industry news, customer stories or quotes. Coupons, giveaways or contests can work for certain businesses and audiences. Cartoons or jokes can add levity and fun to any type of newsletter.
Your strongest story should take the prime, lead spot in your newsletter. This top news spot should always be educational, informative and never a commercial. Overall your newsletter should provide lots of content with little advertising.
3. Simple, Clean Design and Easy-to-Read Layout
If you're newsletter is poorly designed, it's
almost a sure thing that readers will be less likely to read it. Brand your newsletter with your logo,
consistent colors and meaningful graphics. Consider marrying your newsletter's
design with that of your company's web site or landing pages. Your newsletter should have an original
masthead or title that's published in a fixed position in each edition.
Don't forget to make your newsletter easy to
read. Use short paragraphs and sentences, headlines, subheadings and good
accent images. Make use of the white
space and avoid too much dense text.
4. Include Ways to Unsubscribe
Most readers expect to find the ability to unsubscribe
in the footer of every email. In
accordance with the CAN-SPAM Act (email regulations), your newsletter must include a way for your users to
unsubscribe from your list either by sending a reply email or by clicking to an
unsubscribe page. Overlook these
requirements and risk incurring CAN-SPAM violations and hefty fines for your company.
5. Use an Email Service Provider
For more professional looking emails and better
results, use an email service provider (Constant Contact, iContact and Aweber
to name a few) for your e-newsletter creation and distribution. An email service provider will allow you to manage
and segment your lists and identify bad email addresses or bounces. Comprehensive tracking and reports are
available in order to evaluate who opened your newsletter and which links were
clicked. Social sharing capabilities and higher overall deliverability are just
a few more benefits.
To comply with the CAN-SPAM act's legal requirements, an email service provider will automatically provide your mailing address and an unsubscribe option in every email.
7. Integrate with Social Media
To expand your readership, your newsletter
should always invite readers to connect with your business on social media.
Include links to all your social networks in the footer or in a special section
of each edition. Also include social sharing buttons at the top
of your newsletter so readers can easily post your e-news on their
networks.
8. Test and Measure
Experiment with your e-newsletter. Test
variables such as your subject line or whether your audience prefers to read
your newsletter on a Wednesday or a Saturday. Measure which versions have a better open rate
in order to improve the effectiveness of your e-newsletter.
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