from PML Media

What should I include in my email newsletter?

Opt in email marketing works fantastically well for most businesses, and keeping in touch with people who have actually ASKED to be kept informed is one of the easiest ways to encourage new and repeat business.

But, like anything, if you run your own email newsletter, thinking of things to include is sometimes a little taxing.

We’re often asked ‘What should I include in my email newsletter?’ so here are a few of our ideas:

• Something to help - A newsletter shouldn’t be PURELY self promotional – unless you’ve made it clear that’s what it is from the start. The most popular and effective newsletters help the reader out, are informative and educational, not just ‘me, me, me’. What can you include in your newsletter that will help your reader, but also show your expertise in your industry? Maybe a white paper or a report? What about a checklist or a ‘how to’ article? Think about how your newsletter can help the reader, and you won’t go far wrong.

• Details of your services – Of course you should promote your services in your newsletter, but if you just say the same thing every time, it’s pretty quickly going to get boring! Maybe focus on a different product or service in each newsletter, giving examples of how it can be used, testimonials etc. That way your potential clients will find out more about you over a longer period of time.

• An offer – Everyone loves an offer, and a newsletter is the ideal way to get one across. It could be money off, a voucher, a discount, a BOGOF, there are a myriad of possibilities. And the fact that your newsletter features offers is a great incentive for people to sign up!

• Testimonials – Don’t just tell people how great you are, get others to do it too! By featuring client testimonials in your newsletter, you’re promoting them as well as you, which is a great incentive for them to write you a testimonial in the first place.

• Contact details – it sounds silly, but lots of people forget to put their contact details in their newsletter, and it’s not only useful, it’s a legal requirement too! Make sure people who want to get in touch with you can do by making your details easily available.

• Call to action – OK, so your reader has read your newsletter – now what? What do you want them to do next? Click on a link? Download a report? Drop you an email? Pick up the phone? Pass the newsletter on to someone else? Whatever it is, make sure you ask them – don’t expect them to mind read! Every good newsletter ends witha  good call to action!

Of course, the above few items aren’t the only things you can include in an email newsletter, but they should get you started and help to fill up that blank space!

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