Does your company use an email newsletter to keep your clients up-to-date on company and industry-wide news? Email newsletters can be useful not only in updating your clients on important news, but they can also be used as an avenue to teach your clients new techniques and help your company rise to the forefront of their minds when they go looking for the services that you provide. With so much potential, companies need to constantly re-evaluate their newsletter and update the look and content of their publication. Whether you create your newsletter in-house, buy it from a third-party source, or outsource its development, the following steps can help you revamp your newsletter.
Focus on Improving Content
- Make sure your content is client-focused. Is your content written with the customers’ wants and needs in mind? Does it relate to the services or products you provide? If you aren’t sure what your customers want, ask! Send out a client survey or make a few phone calls to research what your clients want to know more about.
- Write original content. If you buy a newsletter from a service, make sure that you include content that pertains to your audience or industry. Ask if there are different, more personalized content options. Keep in mind that the service provider wants to keep you as a customer, so making a few tweaks to the content should not be an issue.
- Tie in to your products and services. Have a reason for every topic you write. While your products and services may not tie into every article, attempt to highlight products and services as often as you can in order to establish your expertise among your clients. Think about the products and services you offer and develop topics that pertain to your products and services. Making sure that your content ties into what you offer is always a good move.
- Segment your email audience. Do you have products and services that pertain to only a portion of your clients? Segment your mailing list and send emails related to that specific product or service to separate lists. This may take a little extra time and effort, but your clients will appreciate receiving updates that are catered to their particular product or service.
- Speak in terms your clients will understand. Professional jargon and “industry-talk” will only deter your clients from reading your content. If you are writing about financial plans, don’t focus on the details of setting them up. Instead, focus on your clients’ goals and how your company can help clients reach those goals.
- Keep content short and simple. Short articles and short newsletters will keep your audience engaged and coming back for more. Readers are drawn to content that is short and to the point. While there is no “magic number” for content length – keep it long enough to get your information across, but short enough to keep their attention.
Brevity is Key
Instead of featuring the full articles in your email newsletter, include just enough of the article to peak the readers’ interest. After a few sentences or brief paragraph to introduce the article, include a link to a landing page on your company’s website or your blog for readers to access the full article. This will drive more traffic to your website and give readers a chance to view your products and services in more detail.
Build upon Customer Connections
Make sure that your email newsletter offers clients a chance to connect with you. Make the newsletter as interactive as possible. Include links to your company’s social media websites, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Ask for feedback and give your clients multiple ways to keep in touch. Provide them with periodic special offers, surveys, and tools to download from your website. Make sure your clients feel valued by keeping an open communication policy.
Overall, email newsletters are great marketing tools for any type of company. They build loyalty with clients, keep your name in front of current customers and prospects, provide information about your company’s products and services, and establish your company as an expert in your field. Taking the time to revamp your current newsletter will be far worth the reward.