Knowing what to put in your email newsletter is as important as creating one. They say that the money is in your list, but if you don’t send out regular messages youíll miss out on the additional income that an email newsletter can generate. It’s important not to overthink each newsletter that you send out. Keep them simple, not too long, and always point the reader to something else such as something to buy, share, or do.
1. Tips and Tricks
It’s great to include a list of tips and tricks for your readers in your email newsletter. If you send out a daily newsletter, you could make once a week a list of ten tips or tricks to use that involves putting your services or products to their best use.
2. Special Offers
You don’t have to send out a special offer every newsletter but if once a month or so you offer your newsletter subscribers an offer that no one else is getting just for being a subscriber, youíll make them feel special. People love the feeling of membership and exclusivity.
3. Engagement Opportunities
Give your newsletter subscribers an inside way to meet up with you, either through live meet-ups or online webinars. Having one webinar a quarter or more often is a great way to engage your newsletter subscribers. Google Hangouts or Zoom is a great way to accomplish this. You can even offer Q&A’s.
4. Early Bird Notices
Tell your list subscribers about new products before you announce them to the world. Giving them a few days to purchase at a discounted ‘early bird’ rate is a great thing to include in your email newsletters.
5. Feedback Questions
Using your email newsletter as a way to get feedback on potential new products or services is a great way to encourage engagement. You can do it via a questionnaire or poll.
6. Testimonials
Including a section for customer testimonials is a great way to recognize your clients as well as to provide social proof to newsletter subscribers who have not purchased from you yet.
7. Share Buttons
Inviting your newsletter subscribers to share certain newsletters that donít have exclusive material is a great way to improve your subscription rate, and will also make your current members feel included in your community.
8. Legal Notifications
Every newsletter needs to include all legal notifications relevant to anti-spam laws. If you go with the most stringent laws, youíll be sure to cover all your bases.
9. Opt-Out Information
While this could be covered under legal notifications, it’s important that you include opt-out information that is easy to find in every single newsletter that you send out. Don’t be worried about subscribers unsubbing. It’s better to have a clean list of people who want to be there than a list full of people who resent getting your information.
Ensure that you include a variety of different things in your email newsletter that are designed to get a response and you wonít be disappointed in the results. In addition to the nine items above, never forget to include a call to action (CTA) in each newsletter that you send out. Without a CTA there is no point to the newsletter. So, be clear about that before you start.
These last 3 items, the Share Buttons, the Legal Notifications, and Out-Out information is managed when you use an email service like Constant Contact, AWeber, or other services.
Paul, all great points! I have Constant Contact, but I’ve been on break due to family needs…for months! I offer a substantial article and a reminder of my books, but what else could I include in these nonevent times?
How about a webinar or a zoom call? Is there any kind of online educational program you can host to keep people engaged?
Good ideas, Elisa.
Sometimes just an email of encouragement during these times is enough. Point them to a relevant blog post you previously have written that can still help now.
Great tips here. Since I work in a nonprofit, I always include some kind of call to action – donate, register, volunteer, etc.
That is so important.. and so easily overlooked and forgotten.
I’ve not done much to monetize my blog, so all of this is new to me. I do have a Facebook group related to my blog.
Thanks, Virginia – no one says you HAVE TO monetize your website! Only do it if you want to.
Wow! These are great ideas. I think I sometimes make mine too long, so will keep that in mind. And I love the different ways to make subscribers feel special. I’m going to write these ideas down.
Thanks for sharing these ideas – I’ve been offering free circles Via zoom, and thinking of doing more with email. This is such a helpful series.
You can share those Zoom sessions before and afterward in your emails!
Thank you for your comment, Jeanine! We’re glad you find our ideas helpful.