A Newsletter Can Serve You Well

I have recently seen several fantastic examples of "newsletters" as a marketing tool by business owners in my network.  The word is in quotes because in not all cases does the communication look like the traditional printed product so popular in the last century.  Online, "newsletters" can take various forms and they can be more easily produced and deployed.

I like the modern newsletter for several reasons.  Properly done, it is a communication that provides a wonderful value added.  The business can share information about their area of expertise as well as new products and services.  Sent at a predictable interval, the newsletter is a nice reminder that the business is "out there", boosting TOMA.  And it can be customized, often by sending variations to different lists.

My favorite local example is a short (3-4 paragraph) weekly email sent by a home services company.  It's friendly, slightly chatty, and both reminds customers about what they may want to know (e.g. steps to take in cold weather, checklists for being away from home, etc.) and tells them who to contact (by name!) that week if services are needed.

There is a caution.  I always encourage businesses to build their newsletter lists on an "opt-in" basis to ensure that anger at being spammed is minimized.  Also, a link for opting-out should always be included at the bottom of the newsletter.

Bottom Line: can your business use a short newsletter, once a week or perhaps monthly to provide value added and Top of Mind Awareness to your clients and customers?  Now is the time to get one started!

Newsletters Can Add a Dimension

A few of the small businesses I follow or patronize employ newsletters as part of their marketing strategy, and I am surprised it is so few.  A newsletter (which can be printed or distributed as a PDF) can add an exciting dimension to a small business.

A newsletter can be a means to provide "value added" in the form of information, advice, or statistics of which customers may be unaware.  And in so doing you command more respect and awareness of your knowledge and experience.

A newsletter can be used as a chatty leave-behind in any number of places.  It is a great way to introduce yourself to prospects or referrals.

A newsletter can give you means of explaining how you solved other customers' problems and challenges.

And, if embedded in a web site, newsletters can add to searchable text about your business and boost your SEO (search engine optimization score).

The work to write and publish a newsletter doesn't need to be excessive.  Even on a quarterly basis the tool can more than justify that expense.  Consider adding one to your arsenal!