The Power of Email Newsletters

Email newsletters are a powerful tool that can be used to boost your marketing efforts, without draining your marketing budget. They provide a platform to discuss issues happening in your market, your customers’ potential concerns due to economic shifts and new tips, tools or products.

Offering a newsletter benefits you in multiple ways, including:

1. Helping to build your email list

2. Establishing you as an expert in your service or product arena

3. Providing a great reason to reach out to your list – keeping your company Top Of Mind

4. Enabling you to establish a strong Loyalty program

5. Driving traffic to your site

There are some pitfalls to avoid. Email marketing can be tricky because you want to reach out regularly, but you do not want to over do it. Make sure your e-newsletters are pertinent to your audience. You also want to give recipients an easy way to opt-out with every communication, so they know they do not have to make a long term commitment.

Some of these key mistakes to avoid include:

1. Sending unsolicitated emails more than once. You never want to be viewed as SPAM. When sending your e-newsletter to someone for the first time, you may want to include a line that explains where you got their address and ask them to sign-up for future e-newsletters.

2. Sending poorly designed or written newsletter. Remember, every marketing piece is a reflection of your brand, including your e-newsletter.

3. Using your newsletter simply as a brag piece or an advertisement. It should include helpful information that recipients will benefit from.

4. Be sure to include a clear “call to action”, whether a request for feedback, link providing more detailed information or additional articles, or a coupon or discount offer.

5. Always include contact information and links to your web site and email.

There are some great web-based e-marketing services, but my favorite is ConstantContact.com. Their prices are low enough for the most budget conscience business and they offer all you need to get started – including FREE online tutorials and local seminars. I have learned a lot from both their site and their in-person trainings.

If you don’t have the time yourself, use Resource Nation’s business service directory and find online marketing experts that can help.

Tags: communications, constant contact, e-newsletters, email blasts, email marketing, loyalty marketing, newsletters

This entry was posted on Friday, November 21st, 2008 at 2:11 pm and is filed under Internet Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.