Newsletters Have Great Retention

Effective E-Newsletter Writing Keeps Readers Coming Back for More

E-newsletters are becoming an increasingly popular method of marketing for companies in most industries, and for good reason. E-newsletters are one of the most cost-effective ways to reach potential customers and strengthen relationships with current ones. But how do you keep readers from becoming bored with your publication and clicking the opt-out button?

For starters, it’s critical to immediately capture the reader’s attention, so you’ll need to WIFM right away. A good WIFM (what’s in it for me) statement will make the benefits of reading the newsletter clear up front and it will also entice the audience to read the newsletter all the way to the end. And begin with the subject line of the newsletter. An interesting subject line sets the tone and can serve as a teaser for the great information just waiting for the reader inside; so instead of October Newsletter or 3rd Quarter Newsletter, give a sneak preview as to what is so special about the current month’s message.

In delivering your message, use a friendly, conversational tone in short sentences. It generally takes more time to read on a computer screen than it does to read on paper, so make good use of the white space. Separate information into small reading portions that can be easily scanned by the reader. Too much information in long paragraphs tends to make the reader lose interest. Bullet points are another effective way of conveying information.

While the ultimate goal of your newsletter may be increased sales, your e-newsletter is also a vehicle for you to set your company apart from the competition by establishing your staff as the experts in your field. Be sure to provide relevant, useful information that will make clients want to read the newsletter month after month.

Give a call to action in your e-newsletter, such as links to products and services that your company offers. Also try to engage the reader through special offers, contests, blogs, or just a simple invitation to e-mail your company with questions, suggestions, or comments.

Offer hyperlinks to make the details of any point available to those who would like more information, but try to include these at the end of the newsletter so that readers won’t hyperlink away from your main message; they usually won’t return.

At the close of your e-newsletter, provide a teaser about the content of your next issue. A simple benefit-oriented statement, much like a good subject line, will help make the reader anticipate what’s to come, and it will also help you in building a devoted following.

Finally, be sure to proofread the e-newsletter several times and have others within your organization proofread it as well. It’s always a good idea to send test e-newsletters to several people before sending it to the whole e-mail list to make sure that links are working properly and that there hasn’t been anything overlooked during the proofreading process.

Effective writing is crucial in obtaining your company’s communication goals. Incorporating these valuable tips into your e-newsletter will go long way in maximizing the results.

Why Publish a newsletter

The primary responsibility and purpose of a newsletter is to retain the attention of this growing group of subscribers and to position your company as the vendor they trust most when it comes to making a purchase.

Much like a branding campaign, this long-term focus can make it tricky to measure the precise return on investment. But many organizations have found it’s more than worth the time and energy it takes to produce it.

High-quality newsletters are the marketing medium of the future. More appealing to a reader than a standalone sales pitch, they give companies and organizations a chance to build a long-term relationship with prospects and customers.

Newsletters and e-Newsletters feel personal because they arrive in your mailbox and inbox; you have an ongoing relationship with them. In contrast Web sites are things you glance at when you need to get something done or find the answers to a specific question.

A lot of newsletters are executed very professionally, everything is done well from a practical point but had the editor thought a little more clearly about the purpose of their newsletter, the potential of their newsletter and how to really think it through and get the greatest value from their newsletter for their company, customers, prospects and everyone else.

A good newsletter is written and published to a regular schedule with every issue including valuable and useful editorial content. The subject of editorial content is central to the power of a newsletter. While promotional email campaigns are developed to drive sales, newsletters should be viewed as a tool to educate, inform and engage your audience over the long term.

The role of the newsletter is to engage your subscribers and hold their attention for years to come.

A newsletter is also a remarkable branding tool. This is not in the visual sense (like a brand logo) or the communication of your positioning statement — but as a way to build strong feelings and positive word of mouth about your company.

A newsletter is about: Giving useful information, giving help, and giving advice.

The return on this investment comes when a subscriber needs to make a purchase. He or she will have several vendors to choose from. And if he or she has been reading your newsletter for months or even years, then you have an advantage.

Satisfied newsletter subscribers are more likely to choose your company, simply because you have held their attention and built confidence and trust in your products or services. You become the obvious or even the only choice.

Once you have built a list of thousands or tens of thousands of subscribers, you will have created a remarkable asset. That is to say, you will have tens of thousands of highly qualified prospects who trust you, listen to you and are willing to follow your advice and recommendations.

Make your newsletter interactive. When you interact with your readers, you have a huge impact on their loyalty and the amount of attention they give your publication. There are a number of ways you can introduce interactive elements to your newsletter. Include surveys in each issue. Not everyone will participate, but many will. And be sure to share the results in your next issue. People will look forward to reading about the results. Over time you will find the survey results will teach you a great deal about your readers and their core interests. It is a good way to get feedback and to steer your publication forward in a direction that is of interest to your most engaged readers.

Invite readers to ask questions. The “ask the expert” feature is one used successfully in many newsletters. Invite people to send in their questions, but also make it clear you can answer only one or two questions per issue. People will understand that. One thing you can be sure about: Everyone who sends in a question will open and read the next issue. Also, every one of your subscribers will appreciate that you have taken the time to answer the question and that you are really there — a living, breathing human being.

Photoshop Snaffu

What's wrong with this picture?

I'll post the answer on Monday. Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend!

Notice anything funny about the girl on the tops nose?

What Do You Want Your Newsletter to Accomplish

Promotional Newsletters

This type of newsletter is frequently used by businesses to promote a product or service. It is also known as a marketing newsletter. A promotional or marketing newsletter is typically sent to current or prospective customers free of charge. Although not a sales pitch, the promotional newsletter does striveto turn prospects into customers and customers into repeat customers.

Relationship Newsletters

Examples of this type of newsletter are customer newsletters, club newsletters, employee newsletters, Church newsletters, and alumni newsletters. They focus on the shared interests of the target audience. Typically distributed at no charge, some organizations may send newsletters only to paid members.

Expert Newsletters

Usually subscription-based, these newsletters generally focus on a specific topic and the recipient is someone who has specifically requested the information in the newsletter and is willing to pay for the information.

Some newsletters may have characteristics of more than one group.

Proofreaders Checklist

Make sure your publication is error free with this proofreaders checklist.

Get yours here.

More Tips to Increase Your "Pass-Through" Rate

Even after you've thoroughly compiled a mailing list, your newsletter must reach its intended recipients to generate the response you're seeking. Remember, new readers will not be as familiar with your company or publication as are current subscribers or clients.

To increase the "pass-through" rate, the likelihood that your newsletter will end up in the hands of its intended reader(s) and not in the trashcan, try:

• Three-hole punching your newsletter. This feature creates the impression that the newsletter is worth saving — increasing the chance that your newsletter will get to its intended reader.

• Jotting a quick note on the envelope or mailing panel. A "hope you enjoy" note is a personal effort that can mean the difference between the in-box and the waste-basket.

• Including a "route-to" box on the mailing panel or envelope. List all the departments you'd like to receive your newsletter, with small check-off boxes next to each listing.

• Including a personalized cover letter for first-time readers. Such letters provide another opportunity to introduce yourself, your company, and your product or service to your new reader.

Get more newsletter tips and ideas at www.newsletterfactory.com.

Newsletter for American Lung Association

Memorable Leads and Conclusions: Master the Art of Creating the Most Powerful Portions of Your Publication

The lead is the "hook" in your article. It should be powerful or interesting enough to compel readers to read the article. The conclusion typically includes what you want your audience to do or remember about the article.

 

Types of Leads

Summary Lead — The standard beginning of a news story, the summary lead answers the following key questions:

• What happened?
  
• Who was affected or involved?
  
• Where did the event happen?
  
• When did the event happen?
  
• Why should your readers care?
 

Blind Lead — Instead of immediately delving into the details like a summary lead, use short succinct generalizations to capture reader interest.

Delayed Identification Lead — A useful tool for personality or human-interest stories, a delayed identification lead includes a person’s name, but saves complete identification for later in the story.

Direct Quote Lead — A once-fashionable method of beginning speech stories, a colorful or emotional quote can effectively draw readers into the story.

Leading with a Metaphor — This technique involves saying that something is something else, as when Mark Twain said,” Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.”

Leading with a Simile — Because similes say that something is like something else, they are useful for opening stories that will compare items or ideas, such as, “ A pretty girl is like a melody.”

Leading with an Anecdote — Analogies help readers grasp complex concepts by placing them in a context the reader can understand. For example, stories about the federal budget deficit begin by saying, “Each American household would have to pay $X to eliminate the nation’s shortfall.”

Setting a Scene — A useful technique for feature stories, these delayed leads craft a mental picture for readers, then link the picture with the main subject of the story.

Posing a Question — As with headlines, a writer must exercise great caution in writing a lead that poses a question to the reader. To involve the reader, and effective question should require comprehensive thought and creates a cut-off point for people with short attention spans or heavy demands on their time.

Tease — A tease can effectively capture reader attention by presenting a puzzle, intentional ambiguity, insinuation or a new twist on a cliché.

Zinger — Zingers draw readers into body copy by setting them up, then “zinging” them with an effective play on words.

 

In Conclusion Common endings include:

• Summary endings, which involve condensing and repeating ideas or information.
  
• Referral endings, which make some type of reference to your lead-in.
  
• Calls to action, or a response ending, which asks the reader to take a specific action.
  

Our Very Own QR Code

A QR Code is a specific matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code), readable by dedicated QR barcode readers and camera phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data.

Common in Japan, where it was created by Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave in 1994, the QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes. QR is the abbreviation for Quick Response, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.

TOP 10 Reasons You Should Have a Newsletter

Happy clients and satisfied customers convey that message to their friends and business associates, and that presents a good image for YOU. Because newsletters generally are read by many more people than just those who initially receive them, your good image will be widespread.

A newsletter:

1) Is the most effective, most attractive way of getting your message to your current and potential clients.

2) Provides valuable information about your business and services.

3) Are relevant, timely and welcome, and remind your clients that you are concerned about their interests.

4) Restate the benefits your clients receive by doing business with you.

5) Are a dignified subtle way to promote your business.

6) Give your clients and prospects the opportunity to find out what they may want to know via Q & A columns.

7) Are a good way to introduce new services and products to current and potential clients.

8) Are a welcome handout at meetings and seminars.

9) Are not canned and impersonal and perceived as junk mail.

AND

10) Demonstrate the performance, reliability and consistency of YOU and your company.

Our Art Director

Our Art Director, Kyle Sox, has more creative ideas up his sleeve than any designer I've ever worked with.

Kyle on the weekend.

The Use of Ellipsis ( ... )

Treat an ellipsis as a three letter word, constructed with three periods and two spaces, as shown in the title.

Use an ellipsis to indicate the deletion of one or more words in condensing quotes, texts and documents. Be especially careful to avoid deletions that would distort the meaning.

An ellipsis may also be used to indicate a pause or hesitation in speech, or a thought that the speaker or writer does not complete. Substitute a dash, however, if the context uses ellipsis to indicate that words actually spoken or written have been deleted.

Don't Make This Mistake

Please remember to lowercase spring, summer, fall, winter and derivatives such as springtime unless used in a formal name like Winter Olympics. This style for seasons is the one preferred by the The Associated Press Stylebook.

Always use a style guide to maintain consistency in your writing. At The Newsletter Factory we adhere to The Associated Press Stylebook.

The Chicago Manual of Style is another style guide used by writers. Or you can create your own style guide based on the preferences of your company or organization.

Use this questionnaire created by The Newsletter Factory to help create your own style guide.

Proofreaders Marks

Download a copy of our proofreaders notes here.

Stationary versus Stationery

When something is standing still, it’s stationary. That piece of paper you write a letter on is stationery.

Let the “E” in “stationery” remind you of “envelope.”

Compliment versus Complement

Don't let this grammar mishap happen to you. Know the difference and use each word correctly.

Compliment

1 a : an expression of esteem, respect, affection, or admiration; especially : an admiring remark
b : formal and respectful recognition : honor

2 plural : best wishes : regards

He told her he admired her paintings and she returned the compliment by saying that she was a fan of his sculptures.

Complement

1 something that fills up, completes, or makes perfect

Her gown complemented her earrings perfectly.

In case you didn't know ...

What is the difference between these three file formats:

EPS: (Encapsulated PostScript)
Predominantly used by design and print professionals. (use this file type if your printer/designer requests a vector file). EPS files are vector based but also contain raster images. Please note that without design software, like Adobe Illustrator, you will not be able to open this file. You can, however, download and e-mail it to someone else.

JPG: (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
Best used with Microsoft programs and for local websites, or on materials that will be printed at your home or office (not professionally printed).

TIFF: (Tagged Image File Format)
Best used for professionally printing photographs or images. Professional designers will use this version if creating something from scratch. Please note that without design software, like Photoshop, you may not be able to open this file. You can also download and e-mail this file format.

If you have additional design questions read our Design Q&A.

Read additional articles about newsletters here.

The Newsletter Factory (NLF) has designed, written and produced highly effective marketing newsletters nationally since 1987.

Give us a call if you need any help or just have a question, 770-955-1600 ext. 101.

A Holiday Wish from The Newsletter Factory

We wish you luck,
we wish you cheer,
we wish you good health, peace and joy
throughout the year.

When the season is behind us
and we’re back to work again
we’ll do our best to make success
your most reliable trend.

Our writers and designers,
and production people too,
will really strive to make ’11,
a happy year for you.

Best Wishes for a Joyous Holiday Season from Everyone at The Newsletter Factory

Avoid Cliches By Hook or By Crook

Whether a newsletter or the latest page-turner topping the bestseller charts, people prefer reading something fresh and inventive. In Patricia O'Conner's grammar guide for the grammarphobic, "Woe Is I," the author writes: "Tallulah Bankhead once described herself as 'pure as the driven slush.' And bankruptcy has been called 'a fate worse than debt.' We smile at expressions like these because we're braced for the numbing cliché that fails to arrive."

Writers of newsletter articles face additional obstacles with industry-specific jargon that tends to pepper the prose of corporate communications. Which is fine if you're writing to other like-minded eggheads in a story that's all "wires and pliers," but sometimes newsletters target readers of all experience levels and even of different industries.

Newsletters often serve specific business purposes, but they can and should still be "good reads." Keeping the "moving forwards," "value-addeds," and "ramping-ups" to a minimum will freshen up your copy and pay a compliment to the intelligence of your readers. Although it's difficult, try to imagine new ways to say the things your boss has been telling you for years.