Why and How to Build an Email Newsletter

As you explore new marketing techniques for your small business, you might consider developing a regular email newsletter to send to customers and potential customers. This might seem like a lot of work, but there are definite benefits and it actually isn't as time-consuming or difficult as you may think. Read on for some ideas to get you started.

Reasons To Create a Newsletter

An email newsletter can do quite a few things for your business. It can keep your customers up to date on your latest products or services, inform them of specials and sales, and let them know a bit more about the human side of your business. This kind of newsletter reminds your customers about your business and provides them with a connection to it. That, in itself, is a good reason to start one.

Provide Interesting Content

Your email newsletter should be interesting to customers, and that means you must develop your content. At first, you might focus on sales, promotions, and other news. Later, you could include more about the history of your business, fun facts about your industry, and human interest pieces about your employees.

Clarify Data

At the same time, present your readers with relevant data about your business to assure them that it's doing well. But don't just list your data. Illustrate it using charts, graphs, tables, and infographics. The last of these is especially appealing to readers, and you can create them easily with an online template.

Expand Readership

Since your customers receive a lot of email, give them a reason to open and read your newsletter. The subject line is important here. It should be eye-catching, perhaps with the promise of a coupon or special promotion inside. Make the customers on your email list feel special by offering select sales just for them or coupons they can share with others. This, along with genuinely interesting content, expands your readership.

Use Online Tools 

There are a number of tools you can use to create your email newsletters, and many of these are free or low-cost. You might use online newsletter templates that allow you to simply insert your own text and graphics and choose colors and fonts.

It's usually best to save and share your newsletter as a PDF file, which is both easy to access and secure. It also allows you to make your content look polished and professional. You can use a tool to convert PDFs. Just drag, drop, and save.

Get Professional Help

Finally, if you're simply too swamped to create your own newsletter, reach out for professional help. Hire a marketing specialist or a graphic designer, and provide an outline of what you want. You'll have to look over the finished product carefully and make changes as needed, but you'll save some time.

A Great Newsletter

With a bit of effort, you can create a great newsletter that connects your business to your customers in new and creative ways. So, get started today! Reach out to your local chamber of commerce for more ideas.