Too many emails – too little time! We are inundated with boatload of emails every day and the desktop notification of an email doesn’t excite us anymore. They have become kind of electronic noise. We have become attuned to ignoring emails that smell of advertisements. Especially when it comes to newsletters, our radar is so sensitive that most of them gets directed to the junk folder, even if we may have subscribed to them, in the first place. With such a bleak picture, does it mean that email newsletters are dead and as marketers we should steer clear from them? Email newsletters are a great way to get closer to your target market and can help you build a subscriber base, only and only if done right. So how can you ensure that your email newsletter gets it right? Check out the best tips you can use to make your newsletter more click-worthy.
- Evaluate
Before you can start on your email newsletter journey, you need to evaluate your objectives and what you want to achieve through the newsletter. By forming benchmark and quantifiable outcomes, you would be able to create definable goals.
- Provide Value
Even if your audience have themselves opted in to receive your newsletter, it doesn’t mean you can bombard their inboxes with the promotional messages of your products and services. If you don’t provide them something beneficial which is of value to them, they would be out faster than a speeding bullet. Look for tips and life-hacks which would be relevant to your industry and interesting for your subscribers and ensure that in every newsletter, you add a section with these tips and tricks useful for your customers.
- Be consistent
Consistency is one of the most neglected aspects of email newsletter. Most marketers think that as long as they are sending newsletter, when and how they send it, doesn’t matter. No consistency means no trust and you don’t want your subscriber to mistrust your brand. Pick a frequency based on the length of your newsletter and stick to the predictable timeframe. Being consistent help you build long term relationships with your customer and solidifies your customer base.
- Make it Easy on the Eyes
Your newsletter should aim to educate, entertain and inform, however, newsletter crammed with info and images and filled with gaudy images will find a way to junk folder. Ensure that the layout and design of your email newsletter is such that it is clean, responsive and easy on the eyes. Break paragraphs, use faster to load optimized images and break up large chunk of text. Use lots of subheadings and headings to facilitate skimming.
- Stick to standard fonts
Even though you may want your newsletter to stand out, stay clear from fancy hard to decipher fonts. Choose basic fonts like Arial, Sans Serif, and Times New Roman and don’t use too many fonts as well.
- Get creative
The sky is the limit for you. Depending on the tone of your brand and industry, choose a balance between creativity and conformity for your newsletter.
- Clear call to action
Your newsletter should have a clear call to action. You need to tell them exactly what you want to expect them to do. Use words that evoke emotions and enthusiasm and be direct.
With all these tips, evaluate and test on what works and what doesn’t and tweak your email newsletter accordingly. Remember that email newsletter is not about selling, it is about building long-term relationships.