LinkedIn gets all the attention these days. Blogs too. And sponsored content. But for many reasons, an eNewsletter deserves a place in your marketing mix.
Newsletters have this magic quality to them. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sent out my own and heard back from someone that says “Your timing couldn’t be better…”
They may not seem like the sexiest form of outreach, but they are invaluable. Here are 10-1/2 reasons to newsletter.
1 – A valuable part of your sequencing strategy. Ever find yourself hesitating to send yet-another “Hey, just checking in” email? Your newsletter is a great excuse to “pop by.” It’s not an apple pie, but it is something thoughtful, valuable and unique.
2 – Make up for not blogging regularly. A weekly or bi-weekly blog can be a challenge to produce. But a monthly or quarterly newsletter may be more achievable and keep you from going completely dark.
3 – Reassure people you’re still out there. It’s not exactly a given considering how quickly things change these days. Prospects need to know. Your newsletter tells them that—just by showing up in their inbox. And when they open it, they’ll be rewarded with value, insight, information, a smile, you name it.
4 – Promote services prospects may not think of you for. Customers and prospects don’t always know every product or service you offer. I’m often surprised by this. But honestly, why should they? It’s our job as marketers to tell them. Use a newsletter to widen their lens like Flexcon Containers did in their quarterly newsletter created by Brightwell Design with my help.
5 – The right cadence for your vertical. Some markets are unlikely to read a weekly or bi-weekly blog from you. In these cases, oversaturating recipients can desensitize them. But sending an occasional and high-value newsletter can condition recipients to expect something good.
6 – Showcase changes. It’s good to get ahead of the news when you reorganize or reposition or rebrand. Newsletters are an appropriate setting for these announcements and for you to frame them and how the changes benefit customers.
7 – Drive recipients to your website. It may have been a while since they’ve visited. I like the newsletter tactic of emailing snippets from longer articles that readers need to click for more. Getting recipients to your site is the name of the game. Here’s an example from Flexcon’s “Space Issue.”
8 – Your name and subject line can be enough. Just showing up in a prospect’s inbox can be enough to remind them of their need…and there you are, ready to help. If they click in, great. If they immediately reply, even better.
9 – Show the people behind your business. Readers of newsletters are interested in taking a deep dive. That makes them the ideal venue for profiling the employees behind the scenes that make your brand. Here’s how Flexcon profiles their team members.
10 – People appreciate you staying in contact. Prospects need you—or may need you someday. A newsletter helps you stay in contact with prospects without obligating them to have a conversation right now. Your newsletter tells them everything they need to know: you’re still out there, still interested and ready when they are.
10-1/2 – Impress recipients by doing something that’s hard to do. Let’s face it. A regular newsletter is hard to pull off. You have to commit to deadlines. Plus you have to come up with something fresh for every edition. That can be challenging. When you do it, rest assured, prospects are impressed. It says something about you. Recipients half-think this will be the way you handle all your business—with quality, consistency and originality.
Newsletters can be hard, but they are so worth the effort. I hope this newsletter inspires you to crank up your own newsletter machine. And if I can be of assistance with the writing, please reach out.
