When I start working with a new client I am often asked if having a newsletter is really necessary. My answer is always a resounding YES.
A newsletter is first and foremost a marketing tool that is all about the ‘soft sell’. This means you don’t pack it with lots of sales and specials. Instead, you need to sell your business and yourself as an expert in your industry or your USP. A USP is a Unique Selling Point. When I start working with a client it is really important that both of us understand the USP of their business. This can often be a key person in the business, particularly in a service industry. If you are your business’s USP then it is important that your newsletter talks about your credentials and builds your expertise in your field. This will ensure that your clients are both reassured that you are the ‘go to’ person in your industry and that they can trust you if they refer someone to you.
If you have decided to proceed with an electronic newsletter, commit to spending the money on setting yourself up properly. Don’t be tempted to cut costs and send out a newsletter that is embedded in an email or a PDF attachment. Whilst this may be quick and easy it does not allow you to analyse the newsletter. Most of the time invested in a newsletter is in the writing. It is a real shame if you write a fantastic newsletter and have no idea whether or not anyone is reading it. I am a huge fan of newsletter management software that provides a range of statistics from the number of people that have opened the electronic newsletter, what articles have been read, when it was opened and whether or not it was shared across social media. Knowing all of these things can help shape your newsletter over time. You can start to understand what your readers are interested in and target your articles towards this.
With a newsletter, you gain so many insights into your business from existing clients or people that are interested in your business. You can trial new products or ideas and immediately gain feedback. You can generate some offers and if these are successful launch them on a larger scale. The key with a newsletter is to make it relevant and make it regular. Testing of both content and delivery frequency will help you to learn what your readers are wanting.
If you want to get your business up and running with an electronic newsletter then feel free to contact me and I can talk to you about how we can help you with this process.
