Creating email newsletters for your clients involves more than just writing and sending emails.
Whether you are setting up a brand-new newsletter, improving an existing one, managing automations, or analysing performance, there can be a lot to consider.
1. Define the purpose
First, understand the purpose of the newsletter. Is it for general marketing? Increasing followers on social media? Launching an event or product? Knowing the objective helps shape the content and style of the emails to ensure they meet the client's goals.
2. Plan ahead
Much like having a social media plan, creating a newsletter plan can be incredibly helpful. Determine the frequency of emails and the content themes in advance. Whether you use a simple Excel sheet or a project management tool like Trello (you know it’s my favourite!), having a plan in place ensures consistency and coherence in your email campaigns. It’s also easier for your client to amend and approve.
3. Focus on what matters
While it can be easy to consider open rates as the measure of the success of an email, they can be misleading—think about how many emails you open daily just to delete them. Instead, focus on click rates and sales conversion rates. Use the analytics from your email marketing platform to shape future content and establish a tracking schedule to monitor progress.
4. Keep it short and sweet
It might be tempting to cram a lot of information into a newsletter, but keeping it concise is key. People are more likely to engage with content that grabs their attention and keeps it by being brief and relevant. Embrace the mantra 'short but sweet' to ensure your newsletters are impactful.
5. Conduct a data cleanse
If you're taking over a client's long-running newsletter, spend time cleansing the subscriber list. This not only helps with GDPR compliance but also ensures the emails reach people who are genuinely interested in the content. A clean list can improve engagement rates and overall effectiveness. There are some great automations you can put in place to do this for you.
6. Consider what tool is best
If your client is new to newsletters, do they want to invest in an all-singing-all-dancing tool like ActiveCampaign? Maybe they want to start with a free plan on something like MailerLite or ConvertKit? Or perhaps they have a built in service with their website. If they are already established on a platform, does it best meet their needs? Consider what is going to be the most effective tool to meet their goals, as migration may be part of your role!
By focusing on these key areas, you can create effective and engaging newsletters that meet your client's objectives and resonate with their audience.
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