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Online Newsletter Marketing |
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About the author: |
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Tiby Richards is the Director of Sales at VectorInter.Net/Australia.
He subscribes to every newsletter he can find about "STAR WARS", and is convinced that Anikin Skywalker was really an Aussie. Send gossip about Episode 3 or comments about this article to
TL1.AU@VectorInter.Net.
Read more about "How things work " in the VectorInter.Net newsletter archives.
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Guest Speaking Opportunities |
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We frequenly receive requests to speak at various
charitable and business functions, in addition to our industry "talks". The VectorInter.Net staff have presentations on many topics,
that we use on these occasions. We enjoy doing "career days" for school children
and business association "lunches". These short talks are
done at no charge, as part of our commitment to
education and growing the communities we live and work in.
We also design staff training. You can add new skills to your existing staff or upgrade their skills to match the new software/equipment in your enterprise.
We design all training to your specific needs "on-site" or we can bring seminars to your convention program.
The retainers for these events are very reasonable.
Please E-mail your request to the office nearest you. Visit the contact us page of
our website. VectorInter.Net
has offices in Tampa, FL. USA,
in Sydney, NSW. Australia,
and in Bonn, Germany.
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VectorInter.Net Newsletters |
VectorInter.Net LLC, is an internet services and technical consulting corporation, with offices in the USA, Australia and Europe (Germany).
Our staff is very diverse, with expertise in many areas. You can find more articles like this one, and learn "How Things Work" in the
VectorInter.Net newsletter archives.
This web page is a "test platform" for our search engine usage tracking program. These pages will evolve in look and style as our intern-program grows. The content of this article was written by our technical staff, we hope you find it helpful and informative.
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This newsletter was originally posted in the middle "90's", long before RSS feeds and Blogs evolved into common tools. We've left this newsletter in pace because the -basics- remain the same for all these "out-reach" communication tools. Whether you are creating content for newsletters, or others information sources, even Video Blogs, we thing reviewing these tips will help in your planning.
Creating your own online newsletter can be one of the most cost-effective ways to market your product or service, but only if it's done correctly. Name any subject matter, and there is a newsletter about it, selling it, buying it, encouraging it, making fun of it, politicizing it or trying to get it banned. Social groups can use online newsletters as a way to
communicate with members of the group. Business uses for a newsletter are as varied as the number of businesses that use them. You can:
> Improve your "brand name identity" within your community or business industry.
> Build a referral network for your products or
services.
> Increase customer loyalty with FREE "members only" electronic
coupons.
> Test new products with customers that like and use your current products or
services.
> Make decisions about which new products to offer and test various price
points.
> Get early feedback about design/layout changes to a new or expanded web
site.
> Direct visitors to a specific web page, when your "message" is too long or complicated for a short Email note.
> Provide service reminders to customers / clients with time sensitive situations. i.e.: tax deadlines, recurring monthly, quarterly, or annual events, beginning or end of season equipment maintenance issues, dental check-ups, etc.
The goals achieved with a newsletter can be as varied as your imagination. To better understand the effort required and the pitfalls involved in creating and building a newsletter, I've created these "7 steps to an effective online newsletter".
1> Decide who will really do the work.
In the planning stages of a newsletter it is easy to get over enthusiastic and start the project "big". It takes a substantial effort to produce these marketing missives yourself. To create effective newsletters, the greatest cost incurred will be manpower time. With only so many hours in the day, web site owners must carefully choose what will provide the best return on their investment of time, money and resources. Each daily, weekly or monthly issue must be planned, researched, written, formatted and sent to subscribers. Outsourcing is an option, but will depend on the complexity of your newsletter, the skill of your staff, your resources, and the budget. Outside help can cost from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Either way your newsletter will need copy writing, database management, graphic design and some marketing skills. Final distribution and emailing is actually the easy part. The significant benefits from a well done newsletter more than justify the effort and costs, but don't under estimate the size of the job ahead. Find the dependable manpower to get the job done, before you get started.
2> Know what you want to achieve.
Don't begin a newsletter program without understanding what you hope to accomplish. Just like any other product you hope to sell, determine how many subscribers your newsletter will need to make it worth your while. Yes, I know most newsletters are FREE, but you must have some standard of measuring success or failure. Outline your goals and list the results you hope to achieve. That means defining both success and a minimum level of response that indicates failure. Before launching your newsletter, decide what audience you want to reach. " Who" do you want to read your newsletter? This mental exercise helps define and mold the newsletter's content, format and frequency. Successful newsletters have subject matter that is of interest to the audience and matches your overall sales and marketing efforts.
You may also want to read "The 10 Big mistakes small businesses make online" , in the Newsletter archive.
3> Find subscribers interested in your subject matter.
Finding subscribers is both easier than you think, and a big job. You and your employees are the "experts" at what you do. If there is a consumer buying your product or service, then there is also an audience for the knowledge and information in your head. Your task is to find them. How? You must constantly invite your target audiences to subscribe. Send an invitation to join in a direct-mail postcard. Add a page or paragraph to the next catalog, flyer or brochure you print. The debut of a new company web site is a great time to send a one-time e-mail inviting them to visit the web site and asking for permission to include them in your newsletter mailing. Make it easy for anyone visiting your web site to sign up. Encourage everyone that enjoys your newsletter to forward it to friends, co-workers or social contacts that may be like minded. When you speak with someone on the phone or make contacts at networking events, ask if they would like to be added to your list. Be aware of the legal limits we will discuss in item #7 below. The advice you'll receive from VectorInter.Net, is that you avoid the temptation to wildly send volumes of unsolicited "free samples" of your newsletter. The early days of the internet and "spamming your way to success" are long past. Evolving legal penalties and industry guidelines for Email campaigns means there is no "lazy" path to a successful newsletter. I'm frequently asked if it might be easier to simply buy a list of potential subscribers from a vendor. Almost always the cost out weights the benefit. A mailing list built from your existing customer base, your web site traffic and all of your personal and business contacts will be more successful and effective.
These subscribers will also be more interested in your subject matter, more likely to respond to any "call to action" and less likely to unsubscribe.
4> Make your newsletter interesting.
After working hard to find subscribers, make sure the content is valuable to the reader. Remember that it's called a
NEWSletter, not an ADletter. Avoid the temptation to turn it into a constant commercial for your company. If you want people to read your newsletter, it must contain information/content that's interesting and useful. Let me emphasize "interesting and useful TO THE READER, not to you. Every issue of your newsletter is asking for two, five or 10 minutes of the reader's time. Respect that and provide something of value in exchange. "Know your audience", and write for their benefit. Keep the content new and current. As a test, I've continued a subscription to one newsletter that alternates two subject pages every other month. It's been 16 months. I'm curious how long this will go on. When will they write a third issue! Does anyone subscribe to this for more than 3 months? How quickly would you tire of this treatment and "un-subscribe"?
Update: May 2003 The mentioned newsletter is now rotating 3 newsletters over and over. Is that an improvement??
In our newsletter workshops, I also tell the story of the service company that decided to "test" their newsletters effectiveness, by including a "frequently asked question" (FAQ) commonly heard by the field sales reps. Each month the reps reported a huge decrease in the frequency of that specific question. That was an indication that not only was the customer base receiving the newsletter, but they were reading it and remembering the information. Less "customer service time and more selling time is a benefit any Sales Manager can appreciate. By producing a quality online newsletter, you have the opportunity to effectively and efficiently promote yourself and your company, while increasing the knowledge and understanding of your audience.
5> Select a delivery format.
Give your subscribers a choice of receiving the newsletter in HTML format or in plain-text. HTML (Hyper text markup language) visually looks like a web page, allowing you to make use of color, graphics, and other page layouts. Be aware that older email clients, some AOL desktops and other systems may not display HTML at all. Avoid Adobe Acrobat PDF files too. Yes, you can control page layouts and graphics, but your readers may have several problems. PDF files are more difficult to read on smaller monitors. PDF files are attachments. Many company mail servers now automatically strip attachments from all email, because of virus concerns. Finally, the Acrobat readers, used to open and display the files are "version oriented". If you create a document in the new version 6, anyone with a old version 4 or 5 reader won't be able to open and read your newsletters. Know who your audience is, and what they want and need. If you are just starting out, a text file newsletter is the best way to go. It’s easiest to produce and universally readable.
6> Be dependable.
Your subscribers will hopeful come to trust your newsletter. This is your goal. Don't abuse that trust by being inconsistent. A "weekly newsletter" means it should show up in my mailbox WEEKLY! Editors at the Wall Street Journal don’t skip a day because it's inconvenient for them to produce an issue. Don't send your newsletter on an irregular basis. Pick a schedule and stick to it. While I'm on the subject, the content of your newsletter should be dependable too. Pick a "style" for your newsletter and use it in every issue. Here is where brand identity comes in to play. Even if your subscribers don't read every word of your golden missive, they should recognize it as your newsletter. Make your newsletter something you are proud to put your name on.
7> Create a "Subscriber Privacy Policy" and make sure it conforms to current laws.
As important as the information you send to subscribers is, your first obligation is to protect their privacy and the trust you want to build. "Privacy" is a two-sided coin. First, It's important to get the recipients' permission to send a newsletter to them. You will hear the term "Opt-in". That means a subscriber has asked to receive your newsletter, upfront. Aside from the evolving laws in this area, If you don't ask permission, you run the risk of annoying more people than you attract and being labeled a
spammer. The flip side of this issue is what you do with the database of names, E-addresses and other information you collect about subscribers. Don't sell or trade your list. Just don't do it. Once you've lost the trust of your readers, it can be impossible to get them back. The small amount of revenue from the rental fees is just not worth the potential trouble for most small business newsletters.
Those are the "7 steps to an effective online newsletter".
I hope these tips have inspired you to create your own newsletter. They are a great marketing tool and a wonderful way to communicate within a community you've created. With a little effort, you can find a steady stream of prospects, establish and maintain client relationships, and position yourself or your company as the expert in your industry. Whether you are a
VectorInter.Net client or not, I want to see your newsletter effort. Send your first/next issue to me in Sydney, Australia at
Sales.AU@VectorInter.Net. How elaborate you make your newsletter depends on the resources you bring to bear on the project, and the effort you are willing to put forth. Challenge your creativity to come up with interesting content and reap the rewards. If you would like help, contact the
Marketing Services
Director at VectorInter.Net in Atlanta, GA USA.
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