Newsletters are everywhere
They come tucked in the envelope with your bank statement, they arrive via email, your kids may even bring one home from school. And while newsletters differ in production and budget, they all have some things in common. For example, most newsletters are published on a regular schedule, address a particular subject, and are aimed at a specific group of people. In this article we will discuss some of the benefits of creating your own newsletter.
How newsletters differ from display advertising
Electronic display advertising
Many business-owners focus solely on selling. And if your goal is to sell a specific product, then a web display ad can be a good option. But web ads have their drawbacks. The sizes of ad are usually pretty small, so space for explanation is limited. This limited space can make it difficult to fully explain the pros and cons to someone not familiar with you, your product or service. A second drawback is that web ads can get pricey quick. A marketing plan that includes web ads and a newsletter can give you the space and the content to increase your exposure and your sales.
Print display ads
Print advertising differs from web ads in that they are physically printed in a newspaper, magazine, pamphlet, or something similar. They often offer you a little more room to explain your offers. Still, an immediate sale is often the sole goal of print advertising.
Why a newsletter may be an additional approach to consider
Newsletters provide almost unlimited space to get your point across. Rather than being solely sales-focused, they help educate and build long-term customer relationships. And the recipient can read it at their leisure. This is your opportunity to compile useful information and include editorial commentary to help customers make sense of it.
Should you produce your newsletter in-house or would it be better to hire a professional?
Who will produce your newsletter?
Is a newsletter something that your staff can write, design, print and distribute? If you have the people to write the articles and edit them for grammar and punctuation, this may be a good option for you. Capitalize on your staff’s expertise and share it with customers and prospects.
When should you hire a professional to write and design your newsletter?
If your staff is already spread too thin or they simply don’t have the experience of putting together such a project, then hiring out may be the best option for you. At Trevellyan.biz, we have decades of newsletter experience. We believe newsletters are a great way to stay in touch with customers after they have made a purchase. This helps to keep your business top of mind, making them more likely to return.
What information should you include in your newsletter?
Information should be the top priority of any newsletter. Keep the message simple and concise. Newsletters are meant to be read quickly.
- Introduce new products
- Include a survey or contest
- Invite feedback
- Include an article from a happy customer
- Ask readers what additional services they’d like you to offer
- Increase the impact of an event or sale. Be sure to include quotes from some of those who attended.
Consider your audience
Focus the content on subjects your customers care about that are related to your business. For example, pretend you own a bike shop. A new bike trail opens in a neighboring town. Share the news with your newsletter subscribers.
Staff read company newsletters, too. This can increase their knowledge of your products, as well as enhance a general feeling of community.
If your competitors have a newsletter, get a sample. It’s a great way to keep an eye on where they’re going, what new products or services they are offering, what management changes they have made, even what events or promotions they have planned.
Consider frequency
Like a good website, newsletters should be timely. How often you produce it is entirely up to you. The best decision is the one you can stick with and follow through on.
Keep the design simple
As we mentioned earlier, a newsletter is a simple document. Subscribers want to read newsletters quickly. And you want your subscribers to read what you’ve written. If the design is too unfamiliar or too fancy, fewer people will read it. It should be clear immediately who produced the newsletter. Your branding colors, fonts and logo should be consistent and distinctive.
How to create a newsletter that achieves your goals
A newsletter can be a friendly reminder of who you are, what you have and where you can be found. It can increase sales to existing customers and sales to new customers. (It may be the only thing you need to get an old customer to return.) This is your chance to interact with your target audience. Impress them. Win their trust. Communicate on a regular basis and build a relationship.
Learn more about our graphic design services. If you’d like to discuss having us create your newsletter for you, please call (518) 392-0846 or email [email protected].