Email Newsletters That Your Customers Will Actually Read

Many internet entrepreneurs start sending out email newsletters simply, because they see their competition do it.  There are many reasons to use an email newsletter campaign, but copying your competitors is not one of them.  Publishing a newsletter people will actually read takes time and energy.  Important things to keep in mind include: have some vision, planning, how often to publish, newsletters in a variety of forms, and be sure to servce the reader. Before you get started, you need a plan. 

Have Some Vision - You need to start off with a vision of what the newsletter is going to offer.  Some email newsletters are for marketing and promotional purposes only.  Others are more informative and geared towards building relationships with your readers.  However you choose to build your newsletter, inform the readers and stick to it.  If you plan on switching your focus, let your readers know in advance so they dont feel duped into reading something that is of no interest to them.

Planning - When planning your content, keep it useful and timely.  Be informative, and share good news about your business.  News is interesting, and can be promotional as well.  Content that is divided into two and three parts is also very effective, as your readers will be looking forward to the next installment.  It also allows you to go into greater depth while keeping your newsletters short enough to be interesting. 

How Often to Publish - Once you have determined the vision for your newsletter and the type of content, you need to decide how often it is going to be published.  Make sure your newsletter is published on a set schedule, so that your readers can know when to anticipate getting them.  Email accounts are being inundated with promotions every day, many of which are deleted before being read.  If your reader knows when to expect your newsletter, you stand a better chance of it getting read rather that deleted en masse. 

Dont make the mistake of thinking you need to publish frequently.  That is another great way to make sure your newsletter gets ignored.  When email accounts are barraged with newsletters on a daily basis, customers grow weary.  Also, publishing too frequently usually results in newsletters that are lacking in compelling content.  Publish often enough to keep readers interested, but take enough time in between newsletters to build interesting content. 

Newsletters in a Variety of Forms - If you are not sure how to format your email newsletter, you should start off with an email newsletter template.  Using a template will help you to organize your content, and give it a somewhat professional appearance.  Once you get comfortable with newsletter writing, it is a good idea to then abandon the template for something more unique.  The one drawback of an email newsletter template is that is can make your newsletter look just like a form letter. 

Serve the Readers - Finally, make sure your email newsletters serve your readers well.  Asking for feedback is a good way to build a relationship with the readers, and will teach you about what they are looking for.  Make sure your newsletter doesnt take too long to read either.  People are busy, and do not want to sit at their computer reading emails all day.  Provide your content in a way that is quick and easy to read.  If it is not worth your readers time, the newsletter will surely get deleted.