Have you thought about developing an email newsletter for your business? Not only is it a great way to share your stories, it can also be a powerful marketing tool providing useful information to the reader while indirectly promoting your services.
As part of any PR strategy a newsletter helps you improve communication channels with clients, share good news stories, share expertise through tips and also assist you in building a database of potential clients.
Here are some tips to get you off to a strong start.
Make it regular
The first step is to ask yourself – are you committed to sending it out regularly? There is no point in sending out a newsletter when ever you get around to it. It has to be at least once a month, but preferably once a fortnight.
For example, the CP Communications newsletter is sent out on the first Tuesday of every month and we have not missed a publishing deadline since it was first published in 2008.
Make it relevant
The content of your newsletter needs to be appealing to your readership. Have a think about what type of information they may find interesting. Avoid using every opportunity to sell to your readers. It is important to create a sense of community and share your expertise with them. Avoid a lengthy intro, keep your articles short and keep your sentences and paragraphs short. Use plain language and always check for spelling and typos before you broadcast.
Make it easy to read
The layout needs to be easy to read. Many people just scan newsletters to find the stories that interest them. Most people will only spend seconds scanning a newsletter and most people won’t read past the first three items on your list.
Limit your colours and watch for bad contrast. Bright colours like yellow don’t show up well on a white background. Avoid flashy, distracting graphics, but use relevant images. Use lots of white space to draw the eye to the text.
Importantly, include a table of contents at the top of the newsletter so readers can decide what to read. Create hyperlinks on the entries in the table of contents to the articles for quick navigation, but don’t let this take away from your main items.
Never spam
Always ask people to opt in to receive the newsletter. So make it easy to subscribe and unsubscribe. Frustrated subscribers are not likely to return. There must be a simple Unsubscribe link. The email must clearly state the sending organisation and why it was sent. We recommend using popular email marketing software such as Mailchimp or Aweber. They also have dozens of mobile responsive newsletter themes to choose from.
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Sydney Public Relations Agency, CP Communications provides specialist media, traditional and online PR strategies that get amazing results. Contact us today. For more great tips visit our website www.cpcommunications.com.au.
