Many people are often put off writing newsletters because they have a small or non-existent list. But remember, everyone who runs a successful blogging and electronic newsletter campaign started at zero just like you have. There are so many clever tips that can help you to grow your list but all of this is of no consequence if you are not set up to regularly communicate with them.
So here are my top tips to get started with your electronic newsletter and building your list.
1. Get professional: do not imagine that you can capture people’s emails and use your current email system such as Outlook or Gmail to email your clients. For a start, it is unlikely that your electronic newsletter will be compliant with the law. In Australia, you must comply with the federal legislations pertaining to Privacy and Spam. The simplest way to ensure you do this is to use a newsletter software program. Discovering what is right for you can take a little research. You can use something free such as MailChimp or sign up for a low cost product such as Campaign Monitor. If you are interested in growing your list and using it for more complex purposes around contact management and online sales, then you need to consider investing in a serious product such as Zoho or Infusionsoft. I personally use Infusionsoft as I felt that it would grow with my business and I certainly have no regrets about it. If you want to find out more about it, I am happy to share my experience. Just hit the reply button to email me directly.
2. Critically assess your list. This means that you should look closely at the list that you already have. I moved over to Infusionsoft in April 2014 and I had a small list of about 200 people. The reality of it was that I had not been emailing them regularly and could not remember how all of them had gotten on to my list anyway. I emailed them all and got them to opt in to me again. Naturally, this meant that I had a BIG drop off but it also meant that those on my list were interested in what I had to offer. Remember, your list is not about the numbers. It is about having the right people on there who are interested in what you have to offer.
3. Consider having more than one list. I know this sounds scary right but honestly it will pay off for you in the long run. I started a weekly newsletter in my business that focuses solely on Facebook. I have been steadily growing this list since September when I first started it. I made it very clear to people on this list that they will receive an email every Monday and that email will always be focused on Facebook for business. I know that this list is full of potential customers who are interested in Facebook and this allows me to tailor my content as well as my offers to things that are of interest to them.
4. Create raving fans. When you tailor your content to your audience you create ‘raving fans”. These are people who will not only buy from you but will also spread the word about how great you are. This is what one of my raving fans posted on my Facebook wall about my weekly Facebook newsletter (please bear in mind, I do not know Suze so it makes this all the more special)
Thanks Sarah for your timely weekly newsletters. I always manage to read something that gets my mind ticking. You write in a way that is easy to understand and on very relevant and diverse topics. I have even started a file just for Online Social Butterfly emails so I can refer back to them easily. Now off to set my goals for 2015!! Suze, Cherished Cherubs Babysitting.
Feedback like this lets you know you are on the right track. I cannot tell you how much I love getting these messages and emails from my audience – it is such a buzz.
5. Be consistent: like most things in business, the magic formula to getting it right is usually more about being consistent than anything else. Fortunately, I do not strive for perfection but I know many business owners that do. This can be a curse as it stops us from completing tasks. Let me tell you, getting something out there is better than getting nothing out there. If you email your list sporadically and are not consistent with the type of content you offer, people will have no idea what you are about and they certainly will not buy from you. Remember to set an expectation and then follow through on it.
I hope this blog inspires you to get started with growing your list. If you are curious about my weekly Facebook newsletter, you can sign up via this link: http://bit.ly/facebooknewsletter
