Saturday, December 8, 2012

Newsletter Writing Mistakes - Top 7


One of the best ways to build relationships with your online customers is to write a regular newsletter. This not only enables you to stay in touch with them but allows you to survey your list for instant market research and sell products as you develop them. Before you even start writing your first sentence you should be aware of some of the largest mistakes made to create a highly effective newsletter.

Top 7 mistakes for writing a newsletter

1. No personalization

Most email software has personalization enabled so begin your newsletter with the name of the person you're sending it to. If you don't have this option use "Dear Friend" or something similar. This helps connect with your audience.

2. Pitching products

If your newsletter is one large pitch fest you'll turn off your readers. 80% should contain pure content and only 20% promoting your products. A great way to introduce your product is to write an article about it then include a link to the product sales page at the end. The article content will help pre-sell your product.

3. Incorrect formatting

Not all email software used by your clients will be able to read your content if it's not formatted correctly. Sentences should be 65 characters long, paragraphs should only contain 5-10 sentences and have plenty of white space between them for easy reading. Use bullet points to separate your ideas.

4. Impersonal writing style

If you write to your subscribers using corporate language or using an impersonal style you won't make a connection with them. Write as if you're talking to one person over coffee. Don't just view your subscriber list as a numbers game. It's better to have a small responsive list than a large list which receives little or no response.

5. Not using a professional delivery service

What if you invest hours into writing your newsletter then realize it doesn't get delivered to your readers because it didn't get past their email filters or got blocked by an Internet Service Provider (ISP)? If you want to make sure your newsletter gets delivered use a professional email service provider. It will give you peace of mind.

6. HTML or text

Most email service providers include HTML templates. This allows you to create a beautiful looking newsletter template to "wow" your readers. Don't make the mistake of just using HTML as some people have this setting turned off in their email software and won't be able to read it. If you're sending your newsletter in HTML include a text version as well. If you don't have this option create and send it in text only so all people on your list can read it.

7. Not monitoring your success

If you don't know how many people are actually reading your newsletter or clicking on the links embedded in your content you won't have a clear idea if your newsletter is successful. If your click through rate increases as your list grows it means you are connecting with your audience.

Writing a newsletter requires a firm commitment because you'll be investing a lot of effort for a long period of time however the rewards are worth it. You'll be able to make new friends, conduct market research and instantly sell your products as they become available.

Antiquated or Automated   Why Local Mobile Marketing Matters For Your Business   A Program That Can Automatically Send Email on Your Behalf   Autoresponders Make Your Email Marketing Effective and Easy   



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