The Ingredients of a Compelling Newsletter

If you’re on one or more online mailing lists, you probably receive periodic e-mail newsletters. You

may also find some of them more inviting than others—because the good ones feature engaging content, are relevant to your life, offer useful advice and information, or a combination of the foregoing. The others likely make their way posthaste to your deleted box.

Read on for practical advice on getting the most out of newsletters, and avoiding the epidemics of non-reading and auto-deletion.

Stay in touch with people on your mailing list. What do current and potential customers want to read about?

If you know any of your customers or clients personally, raise the subject of your business’s newsletter and solicit their opinion. Chances are that if one of more newsletter recipients is keen to hear more about a particular subject, product, or aspect of your business, other people on the mailing list will be interested in the same thing.

Once in a while, it may also be a good idea to include a brief survey in the newsletter, seeking feedback on particular items and articles. The results won’t necessarily illustrate what all of your readers are looking for (since those readers inclined to fill out surveys aren’t necessarily representative of your entire readership), but they should give you a good idea of what’s working and what isn’t.

 

Punchy subject line and title lines.

Seek out the most compelling piece of information from the newsletter to form your e-mail’s subject line. The titles that link to articles in the newsletter also need to be eye-catching in order to entice would-be readers to click on them. Aim for brevity and impact.

Quality content from elsewhere.

No one has a monopoly on good ideas, and in the blogosphere, there is no such thing as a monopoly on quality content. Keep an eye on blogs and news related to your industry, and share posts and information you feel will resonate with your readership and enhance your business’s reputation. If your company enjoys positive press coverage, link to that too. (However, keep descriptions short and avoid penning wordy, self-congratulatory articles. Most people won’t read past the first couple of sentences.)

Mobile compatibility.

The internet is evolving rapidly from a stationary medium to a roving one, and your newsletter must be versatile enough to accommodate the shift. Concentrate on economizing words, and developing content that delivers the core message without undue delay. Break lengthy paragraphs down into brief, digestible segments. Use a large font for titles and sub-headings, and aim to make each less than ten words long, if possible.

Finally, preview your newsletter on a computer and on a mobile device before you disseminate it. Make sure it reads well, and that there is no need to scroll horizontally in order to read all or most of the content in each article. The internet is full of well designed websites and online publications, and horizontal scrolling irritates some people enough that they may be tempted to move on after just a few seconds.

Consistent scheduling.

Choose a time of the month, week, or every two weeks to distribute the newsletter, and stick to it. If the content you offer is worth reading, then the people on the mailing list will look forward to the next issue, and some may even set aside a few minutes to peruse it when it comes out. You can show respect for their time by releasing new editions right on schedule.

Email Subject Lines That Get the Most Open Rates

How many emails do you get in a day? More importantly, how many of those emails do you delete or read?

That is the same issue facing your customers when you send out an email blast. You want to entice them to open up that email and get at the contents. It all comes down to your subject lines. Are you doing what you can to get the most open rates? 

Try these steps to improve your subject line:

Step One: Use Your Company Name

This should appear in the "From" portion of the email. This approach can work both ways. If your company is new then the recipient might click on to see what this is all about. If you've already built up a relationship then you want your customer to know what you're sending has value. Remember you're in fierce competition when it comes to breaking through the average email inbox.

Step Two: Use Capitals

By now anyone who is familiar with online etiquette knows that when you type in capitols you are essentially using "exclamation." This doesn't mean you have to "scream" your entire subject line but break it up with capitals. For instance:

YOUR COMPANY NAME: Special offer for an amazing product

Step Three: Use a Follow Up

Often it will be helpful to follow-up an email with another email within the same week. The body can be the same but the subject line can change to reflect something current. Make it fresh and applicable to your customer's needs. Tell them upfront what you're offering in as few words as possible.

Step Four: Use an Invite

"Time is running out." Nobody likes to read that especially if it means we'll be missing out on a good deal. Your subject line can incorporate an invitation that makes it seem like a special arrangement just for that viewer. In many ways this can be an indirect call to action as you are setting a time limit on a response. That's a very clever and proactive way to increase sales.

Step Five: Use Spell Check

The worst thing you can do is send out a sloppy subject line. Make sure you've checked and double-checked for proper spelling and grammar. Let someone else check it before you sent it out. Once you hit that send button it's gone and can't be taken back.

You might find that a particular subject line works wonders for your conversion rates. That's great and you can certainly use a variation on that theme but always try to keep your messages fresh. If there is a way you can capitalize on what is trending on Google or Twitter all the better because you know that's what everyone is talking about for that day. 

What Customers Want... But Won't Tell You

We all know the "customer is always right." But did you also know that the "customer is always lying?" Maybe not so much as lying as not telling you what they're really thinking. Yes, you can put out the occasional survey to get impressions of your business but by then it might be too late to fix things.

What a customer won't tell you might end up hurting your business especially if it is keeping that customer from coming back for repeat business. Here are five things that customers wants but won't tell you up front.

They want your staff to look good.

This doesn't mean you have to hire runway models as your sales staff. However, appearances do matter. How your employees dress and groom themselves sets the tone for your business. If you're running a sports bar then tattoos, piercings and wild hair will fit right in. However, if you're selling carpet you don't want a motley crew being the face of your business. Set the dress code that is appropriate for your business and make your new hires aware of those codes before they agree to the job.

They want to matter.

When a customer walks into a store they should be greeted by a friendly staff member and asked, "How can I help you?" This lets them know that their business is appreciated. That same kind of relationship can be built through an online store. If a customer sends an email query, try to answer that right away. Hopefully, it will be a personal answer. Whenever possible, provide your customers with the opportunity to comment on your business. This can happen through social media, email survey or even directly on your website. When they feel that their business is appreciated, they'll come back for more.

They want contact.

Like it or not, we're living in a 24/7/365 type of society. Our news is around the clock. Same for our TV watching. Many big grocery and convenience stores are open 24 hours. The same can be said for gas stations, diners and doughnut shops. In other words, we're getting used to getting what we want whenever we want it. Your business needs to make the effort to appeal to that same desire of immediate satisfaction. This doesn't mean you need to keep your doors open around the clock. However, having a voice mail system where a customer can leave a message will go a long way towards providing that feeling of being open 24/7.

They want consistency.

It's difficult to image a business that won't have some level of staff turnaround. From a customer's perspective, they might have grown accustomed to working with a specific salesperson or staff member. They've built up a relationship. That's important for a loyal customer. When a change in staff occurs, try to reach out to your loyal customers and let them know what is going on and assure them they're needs will continue to be met. 

Why Building an Email List is Important for Your Business

It’s as simple as this: If you want to be a successful marketer these days, you need a solid email list. Having an email list helps ensure that your message will be in your customers’ inbox and will be welcomed there.

When you've signed up for email from a specific company you're opting in. In other words, you want those newsletters, special promotions or coupons. Every business that has an online presence should have an email list. Truth be told, building an email list is a gold mine for your business.

There are a few reasons as to why building your email list is a good idea:

Building customer loyalty.

If a customer has signed up for your company's email then they are a willing reader. With every email you send out you have the chance to build up that customer loyalty because you'll be treating them to an "insider's" perspective to your business. They want the info, so let them have it! A customer who has already made a purchase through your web portal will know how easy it is to get what they want. When you send that customer information about a new product or a special promotion they'll be inclined to shop again. Just make sure you've got strong call-to-actions in your email that will make them want to click to your site.

Affordable marketing.

In terms of marketing cost effectiveness, you simply can't beat emails. The cost of using autoresponders are much cheaper than they used to be a few years ago… and for less than $10/month you can create a marketing system that will reap dividends! With one click you could reach thousands of customers instantly. Remember these are customers who have asked for you to keep them informed. They want to learn more about your company and receive your promotions - can you say that about direct mail marketing? You can't! Even a small percentage of sales that would be generated by an email blast would pay for your marketing campaign many times over.

Personal touch.

It’s casual and friendly — a great way to build trust with people. As part of your overall online marketing strategy you should set up Facebook and Twitter accounts to build out your social media network. However, those sites require a kind of active participation from your audience without a guarantee of viewing your content. In other words, if a customer only checks their Facebook page once or twice a day they might miss your update in their newsfeed. On the other hand, they're going to open every email you send them because they are checking their "inbox" throughout the day. This includes checking on mobile devices. Additionally, there are no other distractions with reading your email. Facebook and Twitter can be great marketing tools but you'll be competing for attention. With an email you've got a one-on-one contact that is priceless.

Targeted offerings bring extra revenue from your list.

The majority of your customers will appreciate you keeping their private information private. That doesn't mean you can't share affiliate products with your customers. Suppose you're selling personalized coffee mugs. It would stand to reason that someone selling gourmet coffee would appeal to your email list. The key is to be smart with your affiliate offers. If you're selling mugs you shouldn't offer a great deal on tires. Don't give a customer an excuse to opt out of their opt in. Depending on the size of your email list, you could offer it for sale to other companies. Just make sure you haven't made the claim that you wouldn't do that!

Bottom line: Build your email list and it will pay for itself tenfold! 

Converting Facebook Fans into Sales

Social media networking has changed the way we interact. We can now keep track of our family, friends and colleagues no matter what the distance. We can share news and funny videos and keep in touch in real-time. 

Every day new users sign onto Facebook and are becoming very savvy about using the apps and keeping the conversation going. At the moment, Facebook has close to a billion users who interact with each other daily.

How can your business tap into that potential customer base?

First, you need to set up your Facebook business page. Unlike your personal page, which has a limit to the amount of “friends” you can register, a business page is for “likes.” Think of it as a fan page for your product or service. The basics of this type of Facebook page are the same as a personal home page but you can have unlimited “likes” which means the potential to reach millions. The goal is to turn all those “likes” into paying customers.

Here are the steps you should follow to make those sales conversions:

Step 1: Share Information

The way to build credibility is through providing frequent and relevant content that proves your expertise. This doesn’t mean that you post sales information. The content that you provide should be targeted towards solving the pain points that your prospects have.  

However, this doesn’t mean it has to be a static press release you post on Facebook timeline. Think more visual.

Make a fun video demonstrating your product. At the very least you should have engaging photos which will draw attention to the post. Think of your own Facebook experiences - what attracts you to click on a friend’s post? Videos and pictures. Keep in mind that this has to be an ongoing process. You can’t just post one video and expect traffic to your website. You need to constantly update your content.

Step 2: Special Offers

Once you have informed your Facebook friends about what you’re selling, offer them a promo code for a special discount. Hopefully, this will get them to click over to your site and start shopping. Everybody likes a discount!

Following up on the special promo codes, you could occasionally put out a “limited time offer.” This heightens the sense of urgency for your customers to respond. If you’re going to do down this road you need to make the limited time offer truly unique. Go big and see the kind of response rate you’ll get. Remember your goal is attract shoppers. Once they have benefited from a special offer they might just keep coming back.

 Step 3: Keep the Conversation Alive

Remember to engage your customers on a regular basis! Post news updates regularly, ask questions and encourage comments. Provide incentives for fans to be engaged with you – reward those who post relevant content. Remember, they are there for a reason – to connect with your business.

Make sure you do that.

Step 4: Build your Database

As with any type of online business, you’ll want to gather the email addresses of potential customers for your own database. You can do this on your Facebook page by setting up an opt-in form to collect addresses. Contests and give-aways are the best ways to encourage visitors and fans to provide your company with their emails.

Be transparent though. You should tell your customers that you’ll use the email to alert them to special offers and exclusive deals.

Make them feel like they’re part of the “inner circle.”

How to Protect Yourself From Spam

E-mail has become an integral part of our lives, however, the flipside of it is that it can become annoying.

Especially when it comes in the form of spam.   

The definition of spam is that it is any “…unsolicited message or posting, regardless of its content, that is sent to multiple recipients…”  Not only does it clog up your inbox, it can also be dangerous. Spam can contain viruses or phishing emails that try to steal your online identity and credit cards.

It is reported that as much as 94 percent of all emails you receive is considered spam that is not only slowing down servers, affecting the performance of PCs and other computer hardware, but also your work performance too.

There are many tactics that spammers use to gather email addresses. Some set up fake websites to get you to sign up for something in order to capture email addresses while others use advertising malware to send spam. They can also build their email lists by using scripts to compile email addresses from bulletin boards, websites, newsgroups and forums.  Some unethical webmasters will even sell email addresses to spammers.

Just like sending junk mail to your mailbox, spammers send unsolicited email hoping that you’ll buy their products or services. With the cost of emails running in the pennies, spammers can afford to send out millions of emails. They only need a few responses in order to make a profit from their campaigns.

To reduce the amount of spam that comes to your email account, here are a few tips:

1.       Never click on anything in an unfamiliar email.    If you don't know the sender - don't open it! Any response made on an unfamiliar email lets the spammer know that your email address is active and will leave the opportunity for them to send more spam.  Be wary of emails from senders that you don’t recognize that hold attachments. They may certainly have viruses.

2.       Never send personal information through email. Watch out for emails that request any personal information from you. Be careful of any email messages that ask you to send credit card numbers, passwords or any personal information through email. Spammers will create fake e-mails that look like they are from PayPal, Facebook, or other popular sites. In many cases, clicking on these emails will lead you to a third-party site that will try to trick you in providing personal information.  And under any circumstances, do not email anyone your social security number.

3.       Don’t open an unfamiliar email until you have blocked HTML images.  By blocking graphics and HTML images in your emails, it prevents spammers from being alerted when you open the message. Tracking software embedded in the HMTL can identify when an email has been opened by the image that has been uploaded on your browser or email provider.

4.       Watch out for red-flag terms. Beware of phrases, such as "You have won!" , “How to collect your prize!” or "Verify your account." These are ways for spammers to try to get you to click on the email and see if it’s an active email address.

Each of the suggestions above in isolation doesn’t provide you with the best protection. When you combine all of them together, along with using proper anti-spam software, and being wary of divulging personal information online will make for an effective protection against unwanted email.   

Working with CAN-SPAM and the Canadian Privacy Act

The CAN-SPAM Act in the US was created over eight years ago in response to the increasing amount of email spam that people were receiving in their inboxes. However, in spite of the efforts of the government and lawmakers to make it easily understood for everyone, there still is confusion over what exactly does the CAN-SPAM Act does or doesn’t do. 

The US CAN-SPAM Act was created to stem the flow of unsolicited bulk email or spam as a form of commercial advertising, thereby trying to prevent the abuse of email addresses by shady online marketers.  Congress passed the law in 2003 after much debate, becoming effective on January 1, 2004.

In creating the law, Congress has set out basic guidelines for email marketers to follow:

1.       Email marketers should not mislead recipients as to the source or content an email

2.       People should be allowed to decline or unsubscribe from any email message from any source.

However, the CAN-SPAM Act does not restrict any business from sending an unsolicited email to another company for business purposes. However, it does mention that if a person wants to opt-out of receiving emails from a particular company, the business must comply.  Other guidelines are:

·         Any unsolicited messages must not have misleading subject headings.

·         All emails must have an unsubscribe or opt-out link that is valid for 30 days after the email is sent. If the receiver wants to opt-out, you have 10 days to comply with that demand.

·         All ads must be identified as commercial advertisements in the email.

·         Every advertising email that you send out, must have a physical mailing address clearly marked in the email.

·         You cannot sell or share email addresses of people who have unsubscribed from your list.

In Canada, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) governs email marketing practices in the country.  Enacted in 2004, the PIPEDA is different from the CAN-SPAM act in that it governs how personal information is distributed and managed online.  In brief, it states that:

·         Emails marketers must obtain permission from the recipient when collecting their personal information and must be kept secure once collected. 

·         Any data collected cannot be shared or sold to another party without express permission of the recipient.

·         A double-opt in signup method is required for Canadian residents. 

·         You are liable for any data collected and stored. If there is a data breach, you will be at risk for any damages occurred. 

·         Like the CAN-SPAM act, you must have an unsubscribe link in your email clearly indicated. 

For the typical B2B marketer, these regulations were not meant to be present a challenge. The purpose of both the CAN-SPAM and PIPEDA was to protect the consumer from any scams or phishing attacks that are commonly found in B2C campaigns.  As long as marketers observe the regulations set out by both countries, there should be no problem in sending out emails.

Top 5 Ways Email Marketing Can Help Small Businesses

The success of any business is built on the strength of its customer relationships. While loyal return buyers are always a goal, a business can’t thrive unless they continue to expand their customer base. Using an email marketing campaign is a direct and cost effective way to accomplish both of those goals. The following are the top five ways that an email marketing campaign can help a small business.

1.      Direct Sales

In the world of e-commerce, the mailing list is gold. Before email came along, direct mail campaigns were used to entice customers. Businesses were happy with a 1% or 2% return rate. But even that measure of success was hard to track. Today, an email marketing campaign can invite customers directly to your website where they can instantly make purchases. You’ll be able to track a spike in sales to the delivery of those marketing emails as a way of judging the success rate.

2.      Increase Brand Awareness

The internet version of “junk mail” is referred to as “spam.” These are the email messages that are unsolicited and are often quickly deleted. With a small business email campaign, you could be sending directly to customers who have requested information about your business. This makes them a more attentive audience. It also helps promote your brand. Not every email needs to be about a hard sale. You could include a newsletter which promotes part of your company history or tells the personal stories of your staff. It’s all about making a positive connection between your business and your customers.

3.      Special Promotions

Every savvy shopper is always on the prowl for a good coupon or special sale. An email marketing campaign can incorporate those special promotions to generate significant sales. While you’ll want to promote holiday bargains, there is no reason why you can’t have ongoing discounts throughout the year. When a customer opens an email with a special offer, they might be inclined to act immediately especially if you put a “ticking clock” on that offer.

4.      Customer Surveys

A marketing email could include a customer survey. This will help you determine what your customers might be looking for in terms of products. It can also give you a glimpse into their thinking about how your staff handles customer service. Everyone likes to give their opinion especially if it can be done on their own time and if there is an incentive for it (as opposed to a phone survey).

5.      Introduce New Products

If you have millions to spend on television advertising you could reach a wide audience to introduce a new product. However, most small business don’t have those kinds of disposable marketing funds. An email blast can literally reach those same millions of potential customers in a fraction of the cost. Keep in mind this will be a captive audience that won’t be able to “zap” through the email like they would a TV commercial!

Tips For Optimizing An Email Marketing Campaign

While it is true that traditional mail advertising circulars are still an effective way to reach a customer base, email marketing can truly take your business global. An affective email marketing campaign can improve your company’s chances of increasing its customer base and bottom line. Most of the email addresses you’ll be using in your marketing campaign could be willing recipients. In other words, these folks have signed up for the information you’ll be sending them. The goal is to optimize that email marketing campaign and insure you’ll be creating a positive experience for those customers. Here’s how you can accomplish that goal:

Reconnect With Existing Leads

While it is important to constantly be on the prowl for new lead generation, it is equally important to stay in positive contact with existing leads. You might have been sending them newsletters or special offers without much feedback. We are quickly developing into a society where everyone gets to share their opinion. Why not invite your leads to share what’s on their mind about your business? Ask them about their own needs in the form of a quick survey. Invite them to check out a new “exclusive” offer and provide their comments. This could also be a way of sorting out who is really a “hot” lead versus a “cold” lead.

Use the Power of the Referral

Positive word of mouth is extremely valuable for any business. You can boost that along by asking your existing customers to refer new business you way. You can entice them with a special offer for every referral they send your way. On some level, this is doubling your email marketing when you can get existing customers to do the work for you!

Share Your Business Story

Everyone has a story. The history of a small business is what gives that company its personality and charm. Sharing the origins of your company’s start-up is an effective way to build up trust and familiarity with your customers. You’re no longer just a “shop around the corner” but instead you’re part of the neighborhood. You’re family. That kind of sharing can generate positive feelings for years to come.

Create a Strong Landing Page Lead Magnet

Just as the title implies, a lead magnet is going to pull new customers to your website with a specific offer or benefit. A lead magnet can be a piece of fresh video content or insightful report used to support your business. It’s all about keeping the content on your landing page fresh. Give your lead something new to view, read or participate in.

Provide a “Sample”

Who doesn’t like to get something for free? Grocery stores recognize this by offering free samples of tasty treats. You can provide the same enticement in the form of a free trial registration or demonstration of your product or service. This is a perfect opportunity to education a new customer base about what your company is offering. Once a new customer has been given a “free sample” they often buy the product for themselves!