WRITING A GREAT ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

In this world, there are definitely 2 types of electronic newsletters.  One type grabs the readers and actively (usually dramatically) improves your sales, while the other languishes on a screen for only a matter of seconds before it heads straight for the trash bin.

Now, you want an electronic newsletter that will act as a great marketing tool for you and that will seriously raise your sales.  Most companies who have good electronic newsletters attest that the increased sales arising from the newsletter are actually the final step in terms of the newsletter development.   

The world of sales is like a pyramid with a staircase to the top.  You climb each step with your customers, and then when you get towards the top, your sales simply start to take off.  But before you start scribing your electronic newsletter, you need to be aware of its purpose. 

AIMS OF AN ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

Writing an electronic newsletter is not just about reaching your customers and potential customers.  There is a whole lot more to it than that.  In fact, a great electronic newsletter will achieve the following without you even having to try too hard:

1.  Establish and/or consolidate your brand or service.

2.  Determine that you are a leader in your field.

3.  Prove that your company is one that has integrity and commitment, and

    is an authority.

4. Demonstrate your professionalism and knowledge.

5. Increase your presence on the Internet with associated, hidden

    benefits. 

6.  Create a trusting relationship between your customers/potential

    customers and yourself.

7.  Bring customers to you!

Now with all of those benefits, it is easy to simply stop reading now, rush off, and create your own newsletter, and then sit back, waiting for all of the good things to happen. Now, here is the bad news: if you don’t write a great electronic newsletter, but one that is simply average and lacks any proper, appropriate content and graphics, then your newsletter will demonstrate that your company is not very professional, hasn’t taken the time to learn how to create a good/great newsletter, and as a result, make customers wonder why they should use your company?  They would prefer to go to a company that shows them some respect!

HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR YOUR READERS

Although we usually talk about ‘Have a little respect’ when it comes to your customers, you need to have not just a ‘little’ respect, you need to have a lot of respect for your readers and potential readers; otherwise, your newsletter will simply be thrown into the trash bin and not be read.

People have busy lives.  We all have to work hard, to cope with changing, and often, quite difficult times.  This means that people’s time is precious, so they will make or find the time to read good quality material that is relevant and of interest to them, but they will not make any time available to read a newsletter that fails to address them appropriately.  This is why respect is so important when it comes to your readers.

Know Your Readers 

Knowing your readers shows them respect. All you have to do is to take a little time to know who they are, what is of interest to them, and what will reach them directly.

One fundamental error that is often made is to use an electronic newsletter as a platform for views or as a mouthpiece, serving only the writer and not the reader.  But your readers are not dumb; they will soon pick up on this and press that delete key before they have finished the first paragraph.  So you have to get to know them.

Now this may seem like an impossible challenge; if you want to send your electronic newsletter out to hundreds, if not thousands, of customers, then how can you possibly ‘know’ them?

Well, you don’t have to know their birthdays or what they like to eat at Thanksgiving, but what you do need to know is what will interest them.

What kind of information are they looking for?  Do they need to have legal updates?  Is there any legislation that may impact on their businesses or lives that you need to be telling them about? 

You also need to consider what they will appreciate in terms of how you and your business can help them.  Are there any hidden benefits to using your business?  Can you solve some of the complexities of life for them?  Are there any direct benefits that your particular style of business can bring to them?

Only when you know your readers and can have a good understanding of what they want are you in a position to start thinking about the style and the content of your electronic newsletter.  True, this can be a daunting task, but if you are struggling with it, then enlist the help of a friend/colleague who can ensure that you are on the right track: remember that two heads are always better than one!