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3 Tips for E-Newsletter Success

April 17, 2009
E-Newsletters are one of the most valuable and economical tools that small-business owners have in their toolbox. Whether your company sells to consumers (B2C) or other businesses (B2B) here are three tips you can use to boost your e-newsletter success:

1. Stand in your customer's shoes.
Kevin Mabley, senior VP strategic services at Epsilon Data Management said in a recent B2B article, "Marketers need to start thinking more about the customer and less about the companywide campaign."

I know first-hand how difficult this can sometimes be, but if you follow one tip make it this one.

Instead of thinking about your going to promote your upcoming product launch, first consider your customer's pain and then how your product alleviates it and start your copy there.

2. Create a companywide calendar.
This serves two purposes. First, creating a calendar ensures you don't send too many emails too frequently. Adhering to a schedule enables you to plan your messaging and promotions in advance, and signals to our readership that you are realiable and that you respect their time.

"Investing time in planning will improve your e-newsletter performance and keep your customers satisfied with relevant, timely e-mails," says Steve Adams, VP marketing at Campaigner.

A companywide calendar also makes it clear who owns customer communication. Oftentimes, sales reps ownsthe customer relationship and e-newsletters are viewed as company fluff. This is particularly true in B2B environments. Ask your sales staff to contribute to your e-newsletter strategy and content.

"You can still provide that salespeople-to-customer personalization, but let your e-mail program drop it into e-mails that are designed and created by marketers, who probably understand best practices better than your salespeople," adds Mabley.

3. Map  content to your customer's buying cycle.
It all comes down to relevance. If your customers are hit hard by the economic recession and not buying right now, consider what content you can provide that will add value, rather than trying to sell services you know they can't afford right now.

"Watch for triggers or interaction points you can act on," Mabley said. Consider providing usage tips, cross-product promotions and other content that respects your customers' fiscal position  as well as yours.

In a Nutshell
When in doubt, consider how you interact with your favorite news source. Strive for consistency, relevance and customer-focus and you'll be well on your way to success.

Question for You
How many of you are currently publishing or considering starting an e-newsletter? Answer here and I'll report back on findings later this month.

Posted by Sima Dahl on April 17, 2009 | Comments (0)