Breaking E-News: How To Build A Successful E-Newsletter

Whether it’s a newspaper with a circulation in the millions or a boutique PR agency, e-mail newsletters are big these days. They’re a low-concept endeavor – e-mail is about as Web 1.0 as you can get – but they can be extremely effective marketing tools, driving clicks and increasing brand awareness. Extremely effective, that is, when they’re done well. There are many ways to take your e-newsletter to the next level. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Know Your Audience

It’s maybe the most obvious question of all: What do your subscribers want to read about? Before you start sending out random info dumps, take a careful look at a few of your favorite e-newsletters, and figure out what keeps you coming back for more. And then, once you’ve kicked off your own e-newsletter, keep an eye on metrics. Are certain topics performing better than others? That way, you can zero in on the content that your audience is looking for.

Consistency, Consistency, Consistency

Make your e-newsletter a regular part of your subscribers’ regular schedule. If you’re showing up in their inboxes like clockwork on the same day at the same time, you’ll increase familiarity and open rates. If you’re providing great content, it’ll be something subscribers look forward to each week. And even if the e-newsletter is a group effort, try to maintain a consistent voice that readers will come to recognize.

Make It Mobile

It’s a mobile world! More than 50 percent of us open up emails on our mobile devices, and that number will just keep on rising. Make sure that your e-newsletter is coded and optimized for mobile devices – an e-newsletter that doesn’t look good is an e-newsletter that will be deleted faster than you can say “iPhone.”

Find a Balance

Your e-newsletter exists to promote your brand, of course. But readers don’t want to be inundated with self-promotional items – that’s a quick trip to the “unsubscribe” zone. Maintain a balance between educational and entertaining content that matches up with your brand pillars and content that specifically highlights how awesome you are … hopefully in an educational and entertaining way. We recommend no more than 10 percent self-promo.

Craft Catchy Subject Lines

Ask any good performer and he or she will tell you: you need a good opener. Your subject line should be short, sharp and catchy. It should stand out from the rest of your subscriber’s inbox. Some e-newsletters have started using emojis to grab attention, but we have the feeling those will be very common (and perhaps very annoying) very soon. But witty words never go out of style. Need something to spark your creativity? Hit up your social media platform of choice and see what people are buzzing about – try tying your subject line in with the day’s latest news.

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