Key takeaways
- Add clear value beyond discounts: offer unique, engaging content and dial back the hard sales pitch at times.
- Make newsletters visually appealing while ensuring designs render well on mobile.
- Use your brand story and human elements to build deeper relationships with readers.
- Write short, simple headlines that complement the message. Personalize when appropriate to grab attention.
- Test templates and visuals (split testing, trial and error) to find the balance between aesthetics and performance.
- Promote revamped newsletters across social media, your blog and other channels to grow organic reach.
Introduction
The newsletter is the backbone of many email marketing campaigns – and for good reason. As one of the most effective methods for reaching an audience in the inbox, this form of content truly goes a long way with readers when implemented properly. Unfortunately, plenty of brands simply assume that newsletter success is a forgone conclusion, leading to suboptimal practices and swiftly diminishing returns. If you’re worried that your brand is in a rut in terms of benefits generated by this type of content, or that this piece of your marketing operations is heading in the wrong direction, take a moment to look over these five quick tips that can supercharge your next newsletter offering.
Always Add Value
In terms of pure impact, Jimmy Daly of Marketing Land explains that there’s no better place to start than with how much value you’re adding to the viewer equation. While some might see this concept from a purely fiscal perspective – coupons, discounts, etc. – adding value goes far beyond this approach. By providing unique and engaging content in your newsletter that enriches the reader, and leaving the sales pitch behind from time to time, your brand can differentiate itself as a valuable and important member of the increasingly crowded inbox scene.
Being Beautiful Goes a Long Way
Outside of giving your content direction an overhaul, focusing on the visuals that represent your newsletter can also go a long way with your email following. Revamping templates and supporting graphics not only shakes things up for the people on the other side of the screen, this approach can also help optimize the rendering and display of your inbox content.
Essentially, building beautiful newsletters in the modern world of email marketing requires finding harmony between stunning graphics and designs that port well to the mobile experience. It might take the help of trusted industry experts and a little trial and error via split testing, but finding the sweet spot where aesthetics meet performance can put this content in position to truly capture the attention of traditional and mobile viewers alike.
Explore Your Brand Story
If you’re looking for a different take on the newsletter experience, Daly goes on to suggest that exploring your brand story can help build a deeper relationship with the target audience. Whether you offer up an insider look at what’s going on behind the scenes, or delve into the personal experiences of members of your community, adding some of the human element to your newsletters serves as a powerful tool for building common ground with your brand’s readers.
Sure, getting personal does require a willingness to broach subjects that go beyond the status quo. However, if you’re able set aside this concern and take the conversation a step deeper than others via connecting on an even more meaningful level, you’ll be rewarded substantially by members of your email community who can’t wait for the next inbox installment.
Hit Your Audience with a Powerful Headline
Obviously, getting what’s going on below the fold in order is a big priority – nobody’s can question this motivating factor. However, Jeanne Jennings of ClickZ points out that if you don’t have a headline that jumps off the page and grabs the reader’s attention, there’s a very real possibility that you’re letting a significant number of viewers slip through the cracks.
A powerful headline is short, simple, and compliments the content that is held within the message. Aside from keeping things straightforward and to the point, Jennings also notes that utilizing a bit of personalization here and there also works well in terms of headline crafting and consumer reception.
Spread the Word
As you optimize and refine your newsletter using these methods and ideas, don’t be afraid to tell the digital world about your new take on this content. By interacting with your audience on social media, your branded blog, and other platforms, your organization can generate even more buzz about these offerings. Considering how important building organic reach is as part of an overarching email marketing campaign, taking the time to work on this front isn’t just good for your newsletters, it’s beneficial to all of the rest of your inbox initiatives as well.
At the end of the day, fixing or enhancing a newsletter doesn’t happen overnight. However, this doesn’t mean you should completely give up on trying to improve your operations completely. By putting what you’ve learned here to good use, there’s nothing that can stop your brand from truly fostering a deeper and more meaningful relationship with these readers via insightful and engaging newsletter content.
FAQ
Provide unique, engaging content that enriches the reader and limit constant sales pitches. Offer insider perspectives or personal experiences from your community to add human value and differentiate your newsletter in a crowded inbox.
Revamp templates and supporting graphics, aiming for harmony between striking visuals and designs that port well to mobile. Use trial and error and split testing to find the sweet spot where aesthetics meet performance.
Share behind-the-scenes looks or personal experiences from members of your community to introduce a human element. Getting more personal requires willingness to go beyond status quo topics, but connecting on a deeper level rewards engagement from your audience.
Keep headlines short and simple, ensure they complement the content inside the message and use a bit of personalization where appropriate. A headline that jumps off the page helps prevent readers from slipping through the cracks.
Use split testing and a willingness to iterate via trial and error to compare templates and graphic approaches. Focus tests on how well designs balance visual appeal with mobile rendering and reader engagement.
Tell your audience about the refreshed newsletter across social media, your branded blog and other platforms to generate buzz. Building organic reach this way supports the newsletter itself and benefits the rest of your inbox initiatives.
