Can sending out a company newsletter actually get you more customers? Does anyone really read them? The truth is, an e-newsletter can be one of the most effective ways of connecting with your audience, when done well.
The word ‘newsletter’ often invokes the memory of your Aunt Carol and Uncle Alan’s yearly Christmas boast about how Jane passed her grade five cello exam and Christopher made the debate team. Eye roll. The reputation of company newsletters isn’t much better. Want to know how many awards Carpets ‘N’ Things won this month? Us neither. But email marketing can actually work.
79% of B2C marketers use email to distribute content, with one study finding that email is the most reliable channel for converting leads to sales. Move over social media, email newsletters are still alive and kicking.
So, you want to send out a newsletter that actually gets read? At 3PM, we’re all about doing things for a reason — using our experience and knowledge to create marketing strategies that work. Here are our top five tips to make your next e-newsletter the best yet.
1. Content that resonates
As with any content marketing strategy, the emphasis should always be on providing tangible value to customers.
Is there a blog or social media post you put out recently that really hit home for your audience? Whether it got a tonne of likes and shares or led to a bunch of sales, it’s good to ask what worked and why. Did it have a witty edge that resonated with your customers? Did it include lots of stats, or a unique image that caught their eye?
Knowing what’s worked before (and what hasn’t) means you can develop and do it even better next time. Your audience is specific to you, so thinking about what makes them tick will help you resonate like a pro.
2. Social proof
Heard of social proof? It’s another way of describing the fear of missing out (yes, FOMO). When we know other people are loving a product or service, we want to know what all the fuss is about.
It’s often not enough when a company tells us they’re the best — it means so much more coming from others. Using social proof in your next newsletter could include a curated list of products that are customer favourites, a handful of amazing reviews, success stories, an influencer spotlight, or some glowing testimonials.
3. Have you thought about CTAs?
Whether it’s on your website, part of a social media post, or in a newsletter; your calls to action (CTA) should stand out from the rest of your content and make it clear to readers exactly what you want them to do. If your email newsletter worked out perfectly, would you receive a call from every customer, an email enquiry, or a product order?
Having a CTA button placed at the top of your email (also known as ‘above the fold’) means that subscribers don’t miss it and, even if they never scroll down to your amazing content, they could still click through and become a customer.
4. Split test
Also known as A/B testing, split testing your newsletter can help you figure out what works and what doesn’t in a really valuable way. It’s pretty simple: half of your subscribers get version A of an email, and the other half receives version B. The winning email is the one that leads to the most clicks, opens, and conversions.
Whether it’s the wording of a call to action, using a particular image, or deciding to implement personalization in your email newsletters; some strategies will lead to better results than others. Monitoring these results will help you create email newsletter content that attracts audiences and drives sales.
5. What’s your solution?
If you’re stuck for email newsletter content ideas, it’s good to think about what challenges your ideal customer has, and how your product or service can fix that. In particular, how does your business do it better than your competitors?
Your newsletter is near the top of the sales funnel and should act as a clear pathway towards a transaction. By creating solution-based content, you’re helping them see why a buyer journey with your business is worth the trip.
We can help
As with all content marketing, email newsletters are all about talking in meaningful ways to your ideal customer. Whether it’s through a weekly or monthly email, if you can delight people by sharing unique insights with them on a regular basis, you’ll keep them engaged.
Still stuck for email newsletter ideas? 3PM provides tailored, strategic advice to help you grow, and grow (and grow). Digital marketing can be overwhelming at times, but at 3PM we live for staying ahead of the game and helping you thrive. Give us a call or email us today at [email protected].
