Follow these tips for developing, marketing, and maintaining a successful email newsletter.
30 tips for creating a successful newsletter
1. Set goals to reach a specific number of subscribers for the first week, month, or even year. Be reasonable with this goal. You want it to be attainable yet something that will still challenge and motivate you to reach for more.
2. Choose a niche that has needs you can meet. Finding the perfect niche requires you to identify a topic you are passionate about that also has a need you can meet. Once you find this, you have hit the jackpot.
3. Swap lists with others who teach similar subjects only with permission. Know other people in the same niche as you? Connect with them and discuss sharing your listservs. This gives you both a chance to expand your reach to an already interested crowd.
4. Offer free gifts that will grow your business and spread your message. Who doesn’t love free things?! Exactly, nobody. Host giveaways to boost engagement and loyalty.
5. Act as an affiliate to promote services/products for a percentage of sales. Affiliate marketing is a great way to make a profit and connect with niche-related brands. Connections are key.
6. Consider selling advertising to others related to your mission and values. If you have a substantial and loyal email listserv, consider letting others tap into it for a profit.
7. Hire other writers for variety and time management. Once your newsletters are doing well, consider hiring ghost writers for your content! Saves time and will give your content a more creative edge.
8. Include your signature for a personal touch. Whats your brand logo? Consider using it in your signature at the end of all your emails.
9. Bring up exciting and debatable discussions. We have all been victim of extrememly boring email blasts that we will literally never read. Go against the grain by making your topics actually interesting. Even consider starting a debate with your subscribers.
10. Create clickable titles for articles. The title of your email is the first thing people see. Make it noteworthy.
11. Write what you are an expert on. We hope you chose a niche you’re knowledgable on but just in case, its worth noting. Write about things you actually have authority on.
12. Avoid philosophical theory and speak from the heart. Emails are already impersonal. Try and combat that by writing genuinely and honestly.
13. Do not use meaningless jargon. Hear us out. Talk to your audience how you would want to be talked to, but don’t use a bunch of useless word fillers. Get to the point.
14. Ask for feedback. The best way to know how your doing is to ask. Ask your audience what they would like to see more of and what they hate. Adjust accordingly.
15. E-mail everyone you have met and include a “how to subscribe” feature. Make sure you reach out to potential subscribers with an easy way to get on your email list!
16. Create a subscription link on your website. If you have a well visited external website, or a large social media community, include a link to your email list where your loyal following can easily access it.
17. Write original, opinionated pieces worth sharing. This goes without saying, but don’t be boring. People already like to skim over emails, so make sure your content is actually worth reading.
18. Make the newsletter benefit yourself as well as the reader. Is there a topic you have been wanting to learn more about? If so, research it and share it with your subscribers.
19. Learn from others – identify items you enjoy in newsletters you receive. If you are on a listserv that you absolutely adore, emulate it. What tactics do they use that you could learn from and utilize?
20. Include personal and topical news. You want your emails to be informative but make sure you are including things about yourself. Remember, connection is key.
21. Feature statistics or infographics. This is particularly relevant if you are selling a product or a service. Prove why people should trust you.
22. Automate when possible. Work smarter not harder boo. If you can automate it, do it.
23. Find a reliable mail program that can handle 500+ email recipients. Sendgrid and Mailjet are just two examples of quality email blast platforms. Research what would work best for you.
24. Share feedback with permission. If you get positive feedback from happy subscribers, ask if you can share in your next email.
25. Quote other experts and authors. You should constantly be learning more about your niche and giving credit to the experts before you.
26. Feature new books or documentaries that relate to your subject. No need to be selfish with your following. Refer them to any materials that will help them learn more about your niche.
27. Tell an interesting story. Feel free to share any relevant anecdotes with your subscribers.
28. Don’t give up; stay the course. It can be easy to get discouraged and throw in the towel. DON’T! Building a successful newsletter takes time.
29. Conduct research from your audience and follow their lead. If you’re worried you’re not serving your subscribers to the best of your ability, conduct a survey to see how you can improve.
30. Use surveys and polls to increase interaction with your readers. Much like polls can increase interaction with your Instagram audience, the same is true for your email subscribers. Figure out ways to get them engaged!
