the 5 elements of a kick ass newsletter

a newsletter is an excellent and very cost effective marketing tool, one i suggest every little biz builder use.

think about it, when people sign up to your list they are telling you that they are interested in your biz, they are giving you permission to contact them, they want you to send them information!

a list of people who love your biz, are interested in your products, and want what you have to offer... it is the best thing you can create for your little biz. i

but how do you create a newsletter that people will subscribe to, that will be opened up and read, and that will get customers buying from you?

1. professionalism

use a professional email newsletter provider so that people can easily subscribe and unsubscribe, so that you can include a pro-looking opt-in box/page on your site, so that you can easily track results, and so that your fans receive something that looks and feels professional.

2. awesome branding

brand your newsletter to match the branding on your website and other marketing materials. give your newsletter and even your subscribers a fabulous name to match your brand. have some fun with the appearance and feel of your newsletter!

3. incentive

be clear about what people receive when they sign up for your newsletter. you may offer an incentive for signing up (a free download, a discount voucher etc.) or you may offer fabulous content that you know your fans can’t resist.

4. purpose

have a specific purpose in mind for your newsletter, one which does not involve spamming your subscribers with sales offers. determine what your people need and want from you and find a way to deliver! have a plan for your content, your schedule and your call to action for subscribers.

5. wow factor

get creative and find a way to offer your subscribers something they will look forward to receiving, something they will forward to their friends because they love it so much. stand out from the competition and do something no one else is doing.

does your newsletter make people giddy when they see it has arrived in their inbox? if not, then it is time to make it better. just sayin...

if you need help with what to include in your newsletter, how to get people to sign up, where to create your newslettter and more... please check out the build a newsletter blueprint. it will take you step by step through making a newsletter an awesome asset to your little biz. find out more about the blueprint here.

(and if you have already started building your list, awesome! the build a newsletter blueprint can help you make it an effective and fun marketing strategy for your biz. it will help you with content ideas, targeting your ideal customers, and rocking their world with your fabulous emails.)

do you need some inspiration?

here are 11 inspiring examples of newsletters run by a little biz. go have a look and get some ideas!

are you looking for a great free spot to build a newsletter?

my recommendation is mailchimp. free up to 2000 subscribers, super easy, & fun. you can transfer in your existing list, add a sign-up tab to your facebook page, and use one of their awesome templates or build your own. 

11 examples of little biz newsletters to inspire you

recently i posted what i believe are 5 elements of a kick-ass newsletter and asked for reader submissions to demonstrate some examples of how you can effectively use a newsletter as part of your marketing plan for your biz.

after looking through all of the submissions, and scouring my own inbox and contacts for some further examples, i have chosen 11 newsletters that i hope will give you some inspiration for making your own newsletter be fabulous.

what i looked for in the examples:

• a newsletter from a business that is selling goods or services
• creative branding…. for instance with a memorable name for the newsletter
• visual appeal & nice layout… something i was happy to sit an look through
• variety of content… not just something trying to sell sell sell me stuff all the time
• a clear incentive by the business to sign up for the newsletter… the ‘what’s in it for me’
• wow factor… something i would be excited to receive, browse through, and share with others

the characteristics of a good newsletter:

1. professionalism

use a professional email newsletter provider so that people can easily subscribe and unsubscribe, so that you can include a pro-looking opt-in box/page on your site, so that you can easily track results, and so that your fans receive something that looks and feels professional. (my recommendation is mailchimp. easy, free, and professional.)

2. awesome branding

brand your newsletter to match the branding on your website and other marketing materials. give your newsletter and even your subscribers a fabulous name to match your brand. have some fun with the appearance and feel of your newsletter!

3. incentive

be clear about what people receive when they sign up for your newsletter. you may offer an incentive for signing up (a free download, a discount voucher etc.) or you may offer fabulous content that you know your fans can’t resist.

4. purpose

have a specific purpose in mind for your newsletter, one which does not involve spamming your subscribers with sales offers. determine what your people need and want from you and find a way to deliver! have a plan for your content, your schedule and your call to action for subscribers.

5. wow factor

get creative and find a way to offer your subscribers something they will look forward to receiving, something they will forward to their friends because they love it so much. stand out from the competition and do something no one else is doing.

more newsletter tips:

i subscribe to a lot of newsletters, and received a number of additional links from my readers. looking through them all has given me some further ideas and suggestions for creating a truly effective newsletter.

if you have a newsletter for your biz or would like to get one started, here are a few extra tips that will help you along the way:

• include links back to your original blog posts, your website, the products at your online shop etc. make it easy for people to visit your site & buy from you!
• include links to your facebook page, twitter, google+ etc. so people who like you can find more of you!
• ask people to share your newsletter – include like, tweet, email buttons to make it easy for them
• make sure you have your info and links on your newsletter. if someone has received it from a friend or a social media link they will want to know at a glance what your biz is, what your newsletter is about, and where to find you.
• have a link to the archives of your newsletter so new subscribers can benefit from previous editions
• be sure to have a good headline to entice people to open your newsletter
• never send a newsletter to people just because you happen to have their email address. that is spam-ish. you need to have an opt in system where people sign up to hear from you.
• treat an email address like currency! don’t waste it, don’t take it for granted. make an effort to offer those people who told you they want to hear from you something they will LOVE to receive. don’t just fill inboxes with junk.
• don’t sweat the unsubscribes. those people are not your right people, so it is ok if they leave your list. concentrate on the right people!
• just get started! you might not know yet what you want your newsletter to be, but that is ok! just get started and evolve as your ideas evolve. the sooner you get people opting in to hear from you the better it is for your biz

11 excellent newsletters to inspire you:

here are some examples of newsletters that show off some or all of these elements. i hope they inspire you to kick your newsletter up a notch and do something really fabulous with it!

your daily whipping from dailywhip.com

i love the branding of this whole site, including the newsletter. you sign up to get a daily whipping. seriously. how fabulous is that?

afternoon delight from brandcampblog.com

the title of this newsletter is fabulous. you sign up to get a twice monthly quicky! again, a fabulous and memorable catch.

mo’cash, mo’joy from cashandjoy.com

there are a number of things i like about this newsletter. it has great branding and title that matches the site, it always has a quirky headline that catches my attention, and i really like the way it ends with a call to action to share your answers on facebook.

copy & co. news from copywritematters.com.au

once again, terrific branding; i like the way it visually is like a newspaper when you open it. i like the layout and the way so much content is included without being busy or overwhelming. and i really like the inclusion of a fun contest at the end as a way of getting reader participation. excellent idea!

free tips friday from womeninbusiness.com.au

this is a great example of incentive to join a newsletter. the sign up box on the website includes a ‘why’ button which takes you to 5 reasons to join the mailing list. very clearly you can see ‘what’s in it for you’. excellent!

kickstart newsletter from transforme.com.au

this is another great example of a newsletter that offers an incentive to sign up: you get a free checklist and access to 6 interviews upon joining. i like the format of this newsletter (with a table of contents at the start) and the mix of content is great.

latest news at lime tree kids from limetreekids.com.au

i chose this one as an example of how effective images are in a newsletter. it reminds me of looking through a catalogue – colourful, vibrant, and fun with a pleasing layout. i also like the way it clearly matches the visual branding of the website.

poppy treffy newsletter from poppytreffy.co.uk

this is another example of a very visually appealing newsletter. images, colour, layout and visual branding can all enhance a newsletter, making it a joy to receive and browse through. i personally enjoyed the more visually appealing newsletters than the ones that were all text.

sweet desires news from sweetdesiresparties.com.au

i chose this newsletter as an example of the variety of content you can offer. i like the inclusion of the different catagories: what’s new, where to find us, hot items etc. and also the call to action to hear from customers what stock they would love to find.

mishfit newsletter from mishfit.com.au

again, this is an example of nice content. people are inundated with sales offers, so frame your newsletter in a way that shows the benefits of what you offer, shows customers ‘what’s in it for them.’ i like the inclusion of the free tips/advice for readers.

in treehouses emagazine from intreehouses.com

i wanted to include this magazine style newsletter as an example of wow factor. remember, your newsletter doesn’t have to look like everyone elses! do something fabulous, do something that matches your brand and your business and your clients. stand out!

i hope these newsletter examples give you some ideas for your own newsletter. i truly believe it can be one of the most effective tools in your marketing plan, when done well. have fun =)

do you want some step-by-step instructions for creating your own awesome newsletter? click here to have a look at the blueprints to builld a newsletter.

ask the expert | am i allowed to email my customer list?

i have had a similar version of this question a number of times in the last couple of weeks, so i thought it was worth addressing…

"i have collected the email addresses of every customer that has inquired about my product or purchased a product. i want to send an email out to everyone telling people about my new ‘xxxxx’ but i am wondering if there are certain rules for businesses about emailing customers or if i need their permission first before sending an email."

email marketing

firstly there are indeed rules about privacy with regard to marketing and email. i have included here a few links to specific posts from different countries, it is worth checking into the specifics for your own country.

• Australia
• UK
• Canada
• US

across the board, your email marketing campaign must be opt-in, there must be a way to opt out and you need to be really clear in your subject line about the purpose of your email.

SPAM

there are also some general rules about what constitutes SPAM. basically if your marketing is:

• unsolicited
• indiscriminate
• repetitive
• impersonal

it will be seen as spam by the recipient.

the bottom line is that that if you send out a mass email to your entire biz contact list it will probably be construed as spam by your customers. most folks tend to not appreciate being added to a businesses newsletter just because you have their email address, in fact i see a lot of complaints about this. so don’t be one of those yucky spammy marketers. it’s not worth it!

opt-in newsletter

the solution is to set up a proper newsletter so that your customers/fans can choose to sign up and be on your list and can unsubscribe with the click of a button. my recommendation is mailchimp - it is the one i use and i absolutely love it - depending on your numbers it is free for a long time, it is super easy to set up and brand to match your biz, and super easy to add a newsletter subscription tab to your facebook page, website etc. (and just so you know, i am NOT technologically inclined, and i still found it easy to use.)

do not just use your own email program to set up your email marketing campaign. once you get higher numbers (which is your ultimate goal after all) it becomes increasingly hard to keep track of opt-ins and unsubscribes. a newsletter service will make this very easy – you will be amazed at how little time your email marketing takes, and you can even create subsets for your list. in addition, newsletter providers like mailchimp will allow you to track click opens so that you can see what works and what doesn’t; improving your marketing plan as you go.

once you have a proper newsletter set up, what i would recommend is sending out ONE friendly email to let your customers know about about your new site/brand/products/market stall or whatever (be sure all recipients are blind cc's, meaning no other recipient can see their email address, people really don't take kindly to that!) don't be spammy in that email (don't try to sell anything or include ads etc.), just make it a friendly reminder to stay on customers radar.  then in your friendly 'just to let you know..." email you can ask people to sign up for your newsletter.

in the future, add an opt-in box to your order form or contact form when you are collecting information from customers and fans: something as simple as ‘would you like to receive more information from us? tick here. never send unsolicited emails to your clients just because you can.

permission marketing

the incomparable seth godin popularized the concept of permission marketing, with his book by that name. if you have never read any of godin’s work, go do it right now. this post about permission marketing explains why it matters way better than i ever can. it will make you think twice about sending that blanket email to your entire contact list, i promise.

a newsletter, or a ‘list’ as it is called in the world of online marketing, can be a huge asset to your biz. but it is most valuable when people opt in to it and do not perceive it as spam. when you have a list of people who love your stuff and are asking to hear from you again, that is valuable. treat that list well!

do you want some step-by-step instructions for creating your own awesome newsletter? click here to have a look at the blueprints to builld a newsletter.

further reading:

• don’t be spam-ish
• newsletters: why you need one, how to make one, what to do with it

{marketing} newsletters: why you need one, how to make one, and what to do with it

                                                                                                        

well the title speaks for itself, no? so let’s just get right into it!

(oh, by the way, you can call it a newsletter, mailing list, e-news, subscription – whatever you want.)

why you need one:

~ it’s free (well you can pay for a service if you choose to, but there are plenty of free ones or you can do it for free on your own with your email)

~ it is a great way to keep in touch with old clients/customers

~ it is a call to action for new potential customers - people visiting your site can join immediately even if they are not yet ready to buy

~ you can remain on people’s radar

~ you can reach out to people instead of waiting for them to come to you – people are busy and won’t always remember to stop by your site even if they mean to.

~ people are more likely to open an email from you than stop to read what you are saying on facebook, twitter etc.

~ you can use it as a away to give things to your customers: free stuff, coupons, specials, deals, information, VIP treatment etc. 

~ you can grow your list of people who love your stuff – this helps for doing things like surveys, asking for referrals, and of course, when you want to sell something to them!

~ it’s an opt in – you have confidence that people are choosing to get your newsletter so you don’t feel like you are bugging them (compared to if you were giving them a cold call)

~ it is easy for people to forward you on to others

how to make one:

use a newsletter sign up service. i LOVE mailchimp so that is my recommendation. seriously – go check it out, it is super easy and fun. these dudes have a unique and memorable brand, that is inspiration in itself! plus it is free up to 2000 subscribers, so there is no reason not to use it. 

a service like mailchimp will:

~ provide you with the links you need to add your sign up form to your website, facebook page etc.

~ add the email addresses to your list automatically, as soon as people sign up

~ allow you to set up auto responders to go out upon sign up, or any time you choose

~ allow you to create a branded template for your newsletters (saves so much time in creating each one!)

~ allow you to sort your contacts into lists for easy communication with groups of people

~ allow you to track how many people opened the email, and clicked on links in the email

~ even send out a birthday message for subscribers (people love opening mail on their birthday!)

what to do with it:

~ decide what the purpose of your newsletter will be (e.g. sharing helpful tips, giving special deals, VIP stuff that only subscribers get, sharing the same info you provide on your blog, getting repeat sales, asking for referrals etc.)

~ write it for your ideal customer. those are the readers you want to turn into buyers so write as though you are writing just for them.

~ brand it – include the same logo, colours, fonts, photos and icons that you have on your website, facebook page etc. it builds trust and reliability.

~ add your biz name to the subject line so that people know right away who the email is from.

~ make the rest of your subject line interesting and informative so people will be more likely to open it.

~ be sure you give away useful, free information more often than you ask someone to buy something.

~ include links to your site, comments or feedback you have received, mentions of your biz on other sites etc.

~ include a call to action for your readers: ask a question and ask for a reply, ask people to forward it onto someone that would find it helpful, ask for people to click on a link and have a look at a new product.

would you like the step-by-step instructions for creating your own awesome newsletter? click here to have a look at the blueprints to builld a newsletter. i have included everything mentioned aboive plus much much more!