I was involved in an interesting discussion about newsletter marketing the other week. Some of the entrepreneurs I was talking with used newsletters - or at least believed in their value.
Two questions were raised: What should a newsletter contain? And how often should you send it?
Of course, there are no easy answers to that. (Although I do give some guidelines here.)
This is the thing (and it's what I said during the conversation):
Your newsletter should contain content that makes your clients' lives better.
At first glance, that statement might seem banal. But consider this:
- The products or services you offer must make your customers' lives better in some way - otherwise, you probably shouldn't be offering them.
- If it's true that your products and services improve lives, then there's no shame in using your newsletter to offer these products and services, providing that you target your offer to your readership and that you are able to demonstrate that your offer provides a positive return on investment (that the cost is justified by the benefits the product brings).
- The way to build a relationship with your clients and prospects through your newsletter is to include articles that make their lives better. If your articles achieve that aim, your readers will read them, act on them and see the results. That will strengthen your bond with them.
This, I believe, comes at the core of your newsletter marketing efforts. Know your readership, understand what they want and deliver content - and products - that make their lives better.
They'll love you for it.
