Newsletter Etiquette For The Digital Age

by Will Viharo

Email marketing is still alive and well, even though many consumers would rather watch a video than read...anything. One reason newsletters may be a good idea for your business is that they're one of your few free advertising options outside of social media, and you're sending them to people who actually signed up for them, as opposed to spamming strangers. 

However, there are still ways to alienate your subscribers after they've signed on, and in turn, you may be losing a customer as well.

Many businesses choose service sites like Constant Contact and MailChimp to easily compose email newsletters that look professionally designed, mainly for the purpose of proactively informing their customer base about the latest deals, events, etc. As a bonus feature, you can actually monitor not only the percentage of subscribers actually browsing your newsletters, but which internal links they are inspired to explore.

The trick is getting your readers to not only open the newsletter, but actually review and respond to the content, because the ratio of click-throughs hardly ever reaches more than a third of total subscribers, more often only a fifth.

If you have five thousand subscribers, on average only a thousand of them may actually open any given newsletter, and internal click-through rates (following links embedded in content which take the reader to your website or a cross-promotional site) vary from there. But still, that's a thousand pairs of eyes on your product, so make it count.

Here are a few basic tips for keeping subscribers not only on your list, but actually interested in what you have to say:

• Include a “menu” which links to specific paragraphs if you have more than a couple of points or announcements to make, so readers can quickly pick and click what topics interest them.

• The subject line is crucial in immediately snagging the subscriber's interest, so craft it carefully and creatively.

• Make sure everything you have to communicate is both relevant and timely; don't waste your space or their time.

• It's fine to be witty but not sarcastic in your tone; conversational, but not chatty; assertive, but not pushy.

• Be literally illustrative with your choice of graphics, which are crucial to making your newsletter visually appealing; your selection of images should not only be eye-catching, but instantly sum up the subject.

• Restrict frequency; don't send out more than one newsletter a month, with maybe occasional “bulletins” reserved for very special occasions, like seasonal offers with pending expiration dates.

• When someone unsubscribes, it's okay to say you're sorry to see them go, and even to ask why – but don't pack their bags for a guilt trip, or they may never return. Friendliness is next to godliness.

When it comes to newsletters, the smart strategy is keeping it succinct, simple, and stylish.

So are you emailing newsletters for your business? If not, why not? If so, why so? And is it even worth the effort?



IMAGE CREDIT: YANDLE