Newsletter marketing has been used by companies to try and entice new customers and keep current customers up to date with business opportunities and offers. But what is newsletter marketing and why does it work?
In short, newsletter marketing is sending product-focussed and informative media via email to subscriber lists. These lists are made up of both existing customers and potential ones to try and expand business by making sure that their subscribers are fully aware of all upcoming products and ventures that may interest them.
The best way to measure newsletter software effectiveness is to have measurable checkpoints along the way. Some of these checkpoints may include;
- Is there an increase in recipients? Has the number of subscribers raised?
- How many customers are reading your newsletter? You can find this out by measuring the open rate.
- Is the newsletter doing the job? You can measure by click-through rate how many visits to your website come via the newsletter.
- Are the recipients of your newsletters making purchases? This can be measured in attributed revenue.
These goals are catered to a range of sales campaigns and other initiatives that the newsletter could use to improve. Depending on the business, this could change; for example, clothing companies will promote their seasonal clothing in the run up to that season to interest their customers in the product, and in their newsletters may include tracking links to these products.
The most successful newsletters are designed to be interesting and informative rather than all about sales. Most online users get plenty of online newsletters that boast promotions, offers and sales, so to try encourage potential customers to open your newsletter the content needs to be interesting and draw them in. A customer is much more likely to open an email newsletter that’s entertaining or educational, so a catchy subject line is essential for the newsletter. Alongside a strong subject line, you need to ensure the rest of the newsletter is as equally informative and interesting.
Newsletters vary depending on the business; however every newsletter needs certain elements to make it work:
- Creative headlines- The subject line of the newsletter should interest the reader and make them want to open the email, and represent the content of the newsletter.
- Relevant and consistent- The information should be specific to the audience it’s being sent to and should be published regularly.
- Strong call to action- The newsletter should have a desired action for the reader to carry out.
- Uncluttered format- A tidy, organised newsletter will draw customers in. Unorganised format will put people off.
- Mobile responsiveness- Mobile devices are being used more and more every day to check emails, so making sure your newsletter format is mobile friendly is essential.
- Incentives- Offering rewards in your newsletters can help attract customers to opt into future newsletters and also encourage sales too.
- Terms and Condition- Make sure there’s a link to your privacy policy so customers know their data isn’t being shared.
Following these steps will help improve your newsletter reach and effectiveness, and help you promote your business to the right audience.
