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E-newsletters can communicate valuable information to your clients, partners and peers. They offer an efficient way to position your company as a thought leader, promote brand awareness, establish a platform to communicate with key audiences and connect readers back to your Web site.
“E-newsletters grow your business by focusing on solidifying relationships with your clients and prospects over the long term, not on hard sales and quick promotions,” says Michael Katz, author of “E-newsletters That Work”.
In order to make the most out of your e-newsletter, consider these four things prior to publishing:
• Topics. What sort of questions are your customers asking? What topics seem valuable to the success of their businesses? Consider your audience and respond to what they want to know, not just what you want them to know. Allow your readers to guide the content of your e-newsletter and position it to be worth their time.
• Tone. Write conversationally, but keep it professional. Your voice, whether newsy, serious or funny should be in line with the image you want to portray to your audience. Though easier said than done, striking the right balance between personality and professionalism will contribute significantly to the success of your e-newsletter. Vary sentence length and structure, and keep paragraphs short and sweet. Reading your e-newsletter should be an easy experience.
• Timing. Establish a consistent schedule for distribution, whether weekly, monthly or quarterly. This will allow your audience to anticipate the next arrival. Think about when your audience will open and read your e-newsletter. Odds are it won’t be first thing in the morning when there are 20 other tasks that demand immediate attention. Strategy is key in cyber-communication.
• Tactics. How will you gain readership? You could create the greatest e-newsletter of all time, but it is worthless if the right people aren’t reading it. Having an up-to-date distribution list is critical to the success of an e-newsletter. Consider constructing an e-newsletter plan as a way to keep topics organized and messages clear, and using an e-mail newsletter service, such as Exact Target or Constant Contact, to format your newsletter with custom templates and to generate comprehensive statistics on subscribers. Due to increased SPAM regulations, be sure to clearly identify your company within a creative subject line and always include an unsubscribe link that is easily accessible.
At Vehr Communications, we can help you determine how your company could benefit from an e-newsletter, how to integrate it in order to maximize your online presence and what you may want to consider for your e-newsletter plan.
Vehr Communications, LLC: Reputations. Relationships. Results. That’s PR. That’s what Vehr Communications does. Firmly anchored in Cincinnati and with strong global connections, Vehr Communications provides strategic communications services to a broad range of private and public sector clients. Join our Vehr Communications group on Facebook, and visit our blog, Vr3, to participate in discussions about strategic communications and to learn more about us. Also, please visit www.vehrcommunications.com or call 513.381.8347.
