Well, I promised you more info about the effectiveness of using well-written newsletters as a way to stay connected and make connections with clients/customers.
Newsletters are perceived as a “publication” and NOT advertising. That is great. They builds trust and build relationships. Newsletters also build credibility. Just the idea that you are writing a newsletter leads folks to perceive you as an expert.
Newsletters are a forum for demonstration of you successes. They have a longer shelf-life than other media and help you build your “brand”. Newsletters allow your readers to feel part of a community.
In my last post I dropped the “bomb” that no more than 40% of your newsletter content should be relevent to your business. The other 60% should consist of semi-relevant and non-relevant content. Here are some examples of those:
Semi-relevant content includes:
- Welcome new “customers” (this is for your customer-newsletter) — put new referral sources on this list. it spotlights them and also shows other customers that your business is growing and they are in good company
- Customer spotlights – choose one of your referral sources and write about something new or great they are doing. this is a good way to show your appreciation and brag on those to whom you are “related”
- Q & A — it’s great to answer frequently asked questions in both your client newsletter and your customer-newsletter
- Testimonials are appropriate for either newsletter. Testimonials bring in more business!
- Photos that demonstrate what you are doing. If you are volunteering at a charity event or if you are spotlighted in the newspaper or other publication, show it in the newsletter. It is social proof you are a desired expert
- What you missed — highlights of the last newsletter
- demonstration of referrals (in your customer-newsletter) — thank your referral sources for their referrals. Showing off referrals reinforces the referrals)
- Show what else you do. Not everyone utilizes all of your services. Put a list of services in your newsletters.
Here are some examples of non-relevent content:
- Trivia/jokes/fun/recipes/quotes/cartoons
- Calendar items
- Photos
- Charity tie ins
- Contests
- Seasonal Themes
Only you can determine the type of information you feel comfortable including in your newsletters. Just keep the 40% – 60% guidelines in mind and you should be just fine.
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Another thing to consider is the type of newsletter you will send. How many pages? What format? Snail mail or email? We’ll talk about those things and some other little tricks to increase the effectiveness of your newsletters in the last section of this post…
