E-newsletters help businesses stay in contact with their audience in the most cost-effective way possible, but the problem is that all of us receive AT LEAST tons of emails every day… So to make sure your audience read through your E-newsletters till the very end… is easier said than done.
Regular newsletter broadcasting allows your prospects or even clients to know more about your company and what you do best. It builds a stronger brand-client bond, increases retention, and builds loyalty. It’s a great channel to share special occasions, news, events, or even promotions with your readers.
The ultimate goal? Is NOT to sell. It’s to build relationships and trust so you DON’T have to sell.
IMPORTANCE OF NEWSLETTER
Email newsletters might sound like a piece of cake, but actually, lots of companies risk breaking their teeth while biting this one. Lucky you, we know how to turn this stone into a delicate, fresh-from-the-oven croissant.
One of the challenges that companies face during the initial stage of newsletters creation is ‘doubt.’ The possibility of nobody reading or waiting for your newsletter is indeed high, like almost 100% high. But don’t rush into conclusions too fast, because there are ways to make your audience READ your newsletter till the end. And even more – WAIT FOR THE NEXT one impatiently.
No need to build the spaceship here, we’ve already done it for you. All you need to do is follow our instructions and press that “SEND” button when you’re done!
5 Golden DOs
- 9:1 Ratio of Success
The best part about newsletters is that you don’t need to do extensive research. You simply need to open your inbox or send through your CRM.
Put yourself in your audience’s shoes, and consider what they would want to read. To make it easier, what would YOU want to read about? Something dull, boring, and bluddy messy or salesy?
For sure not.
It’s a misconception to think that newsletters are meant to solely sell. Surely, the call to action link is there for a reason, and the goal is to get as many clicks as possible.
But email newsletters also have the purpose to build and strengthen relationships with your audience. Give your readers VALUABLE information, and leave them wanting for more!
Build your newsletter based on a very simple equation:
90% of useful and educational information and 10% promotional content.
That will help keep the interest of your audience, and make sure they stay eager throughout!
I’m sure you know better than anyone else, those emails that say BUY! BUY! BUY! Are less likely to be opened and even less likely to be read.
To make sure people ACTUALLY read your newsletter till the very end, your reader has to know that there is something FOR THEM in it. Not for you.
- Kill Them With Your Title
You have only one chance to persuade your readers to actually open your email. And this chance totally depends on the title you choose. Here are some tips on how to compose the right TITLE:
- Keep it short and sweet. Stay on point and make sure your title represents the content of your newsletter. There is nothing bad in being creative, but make sure you’re not misleading with your title. Else, you’re risking them as a subscriber. Readers don’t want false news or hoaxes, they’ll hit that unsubscribe button whenever they feel unsafe, bothered, or annoyed.
- Focus on what your audience actually wants to read. Knowing your target audience is the basis of successful marketing, so don’t neglect this knowledge while composing your newsletters and come up with a catchy, punchy, fact-packed title. You might want to check some trends and current news on what’s happening in your industry – this process will help you choose topics that are most likely to attract and trigger readers to take action.
- Always identify the wants and demands of your audience.
What will your reader get from reading your email? Be clear about the benefit, and make sure your title represents it.
- Another great way to encourage your audience to open and read your email is to tell them a story. Make the first line of your email intriguing and thought-provoking – just enough for the readers to ask themselves: “What’s next?”
- Use some stats in the title. Numbers or statistics are proven to show credibility, increasing trust and reliability. This will make the title sound more legitimate and prove the readers that your content is worthy of reading. Nobody wants to waste their time on something made up.
- Keep The Design Simple and Minimalistic
Unfortunately, email newsletters are not the best space to get creative with designs. Most of the time, too many graphics and elements can ruin the impression of your newsletters. The risk?
- If it’s cluttered, it won’t be appealing, and your audience will jump out the first second they get.
- If it’s pretty and well-designed, it may be too heavy in size and takes TOO long to load. No one has the time. Really.
Email newsletter is where content is of higher priority rather than the aesthetic. The topic you choose and the value it holds is more important than how it looks. Use minimalistic principles in designing your newsletter, so the main focus is on the content and call to action.
- Details Are Where The Devil Hides
Ensure you scanned every inch of your newsletter before sending it out. And when I say every inch – I MEAN it. One of the details that often falls out of our attention is the images’ alt text. Most of the time images are not loading in the emails, so readers can see only the alt text instead. ‘IMG_09’ doesn’t look professional, right? Don’t forget to give your images the right name and even a catchy one so they’re willing to wait for it to load.
- Make It Personal
Newsletters are a good channel to present your BRAND’s VOICE. Compose it so well that your audience can hear it while reading the lines. Use liquid objects or customised name sets in your database or CRM to greet your clients by their name – this way you create one-on-one interaction.
- CALL To Action – Not SCREAM To Action
Call to action is the culmination of your email newsletter. All that exists before it – is just a warm-up to the long-awaited moment. It’s essential not to lose the vibe when the reader approaches the link. What words to choose? Where to put it?
Think about your reader as your friend – don’t be too formal or bossy: “Submit! Subscribe! Download!” – such imperatives are not the best choice for your newsletter. Instead, try ‘Get’ or ‘Find’. Not only do they sound friendlier, but they also show interactive and initiative guidance to the reader – indirectly offering additional values or benefits.
Talking about values, call to actions can contain a direct message that is aimed to urge the reader to click on the button. “Try the application now and save 5%”, or “Hurry Up! Only 10 seats left”.
Focus on one main call to action. Too many hyperlinks can make your reader confused, making them end up with no action at all. This is known as the paradox of choice. An observation where when one has too many options to choose from, rather than being happy and ensuring what they want, it causes them stress and problematic decision-making.
Make sure that the main CTA is visible and highlighted, when others are optional to click.
AR & Associates have helped IT, Engineering, Automation, and Energy companies all across Australia to generate leads, increase brand awareness, maintain reputable PR, as well as increasing sales.
We focus on helping you spend less time in marketing, and more time serving your customers. Leave the matter to the respective experts. As engineers ourselves, we understand the core values and importance of marketing through trust and reliability.
We provide a full tailor-made solution that helps you build your company to the next level through digital and on-site marketing. With expertise in organic omni-channel marketing and on-site event or workshop planning, we offer a full turn-key marketing solution that gives you time, space, and freedom to focus on what you do best, which is to run your business.
Email us here or call us today at (+61) 02 8416 4442 to get more information or to book a complimentary marketing consultation or strategy session.
Article inspired by mailerlite, hubspot, Forbes, and AR.
