Are Newsletters Still Relevant?

The concept of the newsletter dates back hundreds of years to Ancient Rome, eventually evolving into printed newspapers. With the birth of the internet, newsletter distribution became much easier and more affordable. But are newsletters still relevant today?

A newsletter can be an efficient, valuable way to engage your audience on a regular basis. Newsletters are a great way to capitalize on your email database, offering those leads, customers, or supporters news and insights for your industry. Delivering timely information to your audience positions your company as an industry leader.

An email database is one of the few marketing vehicles that your company owns. Many modern digital marketing methods are managed by a larger than life third party, like Facebook or Google. Too often small businesses deal with unpredictable results or ever-changing rules with digital ads and SEO. An email newsletter sent to a list of your biggest fans is a simple marketing tool that can yield big results.

If your email database is on the small side, here are a few easy ways to grow your list:

1. Add a newsletter sign up form to your website, on a page with high traffic (homepage, contact, etc.). Consider a pop-up message or special offer to increase conversion.
2. Collect contact info at in-person and virtual events
3. Be sure all new customer and sales lead contacts are regularly or automatically added to your marketing email list

Once you have a robust, growing list of contacts, you’ll need to keep them engaged. A modern e-newsletter is a great way to achieve this. Here are some tips to keep your newsletter relevant.

Stick to a Schedule

Develop a newsletter calendar and stick to it! Whether monthly or quarterly, enlist the help of your team for each deliverable in the process—writing, sourcing content and sending it on time.

Remember Your Tone

The writing style of your newsletter should reflect the personality of your brand. Be sure all writers use the same style to connect with your reader in a way that is authentic and easy to understand.

Appearances Matter

In today’s world of constant distraction, your newsletter’s visuals count as much as the words inside. Rely on a graphic designer or web developer to bring your content to life and ensure it looks great on any screen—phone, laptop, iPad or desktop. We always recommend including a preview of each newsletter article in the email, linked to the full story on your website. This also helps to increase website traffic!

Be Intentional

Design each newsletter with a goal in mind—converting a sale, a request for more information, or if you’re a non-profit, perhaps receiving a donation. Be sure each newsletter includes a call to action, even if it is a simple “we’re here to help” at the bottom with a contact button.

If you need some help getting your newsletter off the ground or bringing a dated newsletter back to life, give us a call at 614-846-8761. We would love to help!