Starting an E-mail Newsletter
These days, it seems like every company out there has an e-mail newsletter. It is easy to see why, since e-mail newsletters are a great way to start an open dialog between you and your customers. Easy-to-use, inexpensive and immediate, e-mail newsletters are the preferred method for almost half our business correspondence.
Starting an e-mail newsletter is easy; it is attracting readers with solid, quality content that is difficult.Targeted campaigns boast 10-15 percent response rates-a goal any newsletter editor aspires to. There are, however, tricks to the trade. E-mail newsletters require good planning and a precise combination of elements.Two top considerations: content and data.
Content is King
The most important factor in the success of your newsletter is relevant, informative content. Think about the newsletters you read regularly. They probably provide worthwhile content, right? Newsletters can be used for a variety of purposes. They can provide your customers with best practices and new uses for your product, they can discuss industry trends and opinions, and they can spotlight industry innovators with case studies and useful advice.
Keep in mind that people read your newsletter to gain knowledge about issues they face, not just to learn about your product line. If you send a sale-sy newsletter under the guise of knowledge, they won’t stay opted-in for long. Use this medium to share your industry expertise with others. If you are stumped for content, turn to surveys to learn from recipients. Find out what they are interested in by polling and testing.
Use the newsletter to address frequent customer service concerns. Ask your support team if they commonly hear questions on a particular topic and consider addressing these issues in the newsletter. Using a newsletter to tackle customer support issues will help you reach a broader audience, increase customer satisfaction and lower support costs.
Newsletters can also be used to educate customers on the most effective use of your products. For example, if your company sells hairspray and makeup, give beauty tips and product usage advice, such as hairstyles and fashion trends. Provide content that complements your product or service. By supplying customers with new and different ways to use your product, you will increase sales while still providing valuable content.
Make your job easier by creating a template for your e-mail newsletter. Construct a regular form and plug unique content in for each issue. Establish sections that appear in every publication. For example, your newsletter may contain an introduction, a marketing article, a technical section and a client spotlight, every month, in the same spot. By making your creative and layout consistent, readers build familiarity, easing navigation and creating instant recognition.
Data Makes the World Go Round
Great looking e-mail newsletters full of crisp, interesting content mean nothing unless they’re sent to the right audience. A good database is one of the pillars of e-mail marketing success, and is used to identify customer needs and interests, fine-tune content, and analyze behavior for maximum profitability.
For most companies, the best place to start collecting data is from its own sources. Existing marketing and credit lists can be supplemented with names generated at points of customer contact including:
- Point of sale (in-store and online)
- Satisfaction surveys
- Customer registrations
- Website
- Direct mail
- Tech support communications
- Customer service communications
In-house lists are typically the most valuable because customers know the company and are more likely to opt-in to receive e-mail. However, highly targeted lists are also available from brokers. Questions to ask when shopping include:
- Were names gathered in an opt-in manner?
- How has the list been used? What companies tested it? Did they use it again after testing?
- How often is the list updated? When was the last update?
Finally, data can be collected via one-time e-mail, direct mail or telemarketing campaigns, and through broadcast and print advertising.
It’s tempting to collect every tidbit of customer information imaginable, but too much raw data can be overwhelming, especially for a smaller company or one that is new to e-mail marketing. Vital information should be collected first, then enhanced using criteria unique to the business. Initial lists should include:
- Full name (separated in data fields by first and last)
- Gender
- City
- State
- Zip
- E-mail address
- Need-to-know info such as department budget and what time of year capital expenditures are made
If you are running several e-mail marketing programs, keep your newsletter recipient list separate from your other programs. Some recipients may want to receive your newsletter, but not receive your sales announcements or investor information. Don’t forget to insert viral marketing links to encourage your recipients to forward your message. This will help to increase brand awareness and should pay off with increased sales down the road.
Starting a newsletter is an effective way to create an ongoing relationship with customers and recipients. Newsletters give you a voice to share (and prove) your expertise, reach potential customers and provide customer support.
Filed under: B2B Marketing Blogs, B2B Marketing Ideas, Database Marketing, Email Marketing, Lead Nurturing, customer targeting, email marketing best practices, internet, internet marketing guides
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