Connect with your Customers through Email Newsletters
By Vlad Ehrsam
One way to ensure that you have repeat business is to make use of email newsletters to stay in touch with customers. This is a great way to keep customers informed of new products and sales, or to just remind them on occasion that you are still out there prepared to serve.
Email newsletters are handy because they provide the customer with the flexibility of either reading the newsletter immediately it arrives (if he or she is not busy or needs a break) or saving it for later. The customer may even choose to delete it. Your newsletter should come with an easy to use option for unsubscribing which should automatically update your mailing list.
Email newsletters are much more cost effective than printed matter. With email, you don’t have to worry about printing or paper costs, envelopes or stamps. You just have to make a one time investment when you buy the mailing software. Thereafter your newsletters will be sent automatically every period at the cost of a phone call.
Writing a newsletter is simpler than you think. Keep it short, not more than a page and a half to two. Remember you are catering to busy customers with limited time on their hands. If you don’t fancy yourself as a writer, you can hire a professional to do the writing for you. Most writers charge a reasonable fee and the benefits you derive from hiring a professional usually out weigh the cost of hiring them. Plus think of all the time you will save.
Once you’ve got your newsletter, how often should you email it? Well usually, once a month works well, it’s not necessary mailing more often than that. In fact most businesses email quarterly, sending out a special newsletter or two sporadically. These special newsletters usually relate to new events or programs, or to innovative deals.
The content of your newsletter must be interesting, well written and of some benefit to your reader. Besides giving information about your business, write on other subjects that your customers would find useful such as financial planning or seasonal yard care. You could include short news stories that are in some way connected to your business or your customers.
When it comes to the format for your writing, try HTML first, the format you see in your word processing software. It’s not a pre-requisite, but it will make your life easier because it accommodates graphics and fonts. But watch out for some of its inherent problems, big size, virus vulnerability, some problems with email functioning among others. Your newsletter program usually lets you include format options for your customers, so they can choose whether to receive newsletters in HTML or not.
Creative Email newsletters form an important part of your marketing and publicity strategy. They you maintain good customer relationships, and forge a bond with the sense of community feeling they create. And they’re update with everything that’s happening in your business, new launches and deals and more. And keeps them coming back to you for more.
About the Author
Vlad Ehrsam is the chief writer for, and editor of Full Info on Business, visit there today for the latest Business advice, and why not sign up for the free Business newsletter.
Don’t reprint this article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.
Did you enjoy this article? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to our feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment