Are Monthly Newsletters still an effective way to keep your customers informed while also marketing your business? Yes!

Recently we have seen several debates, both online and off, about whether newsletters are still an effective marketing tool. Quite a few online marketing “experts” have stated that newsletters have become largely useless, and there now exist much more effective marketing tools for reaching your current and potential customers. To quote a recently famous college football commentator: “Not so fast, my friends!”

In the fast paced, ever-changing world of marketing, people are often looking for the newest, latest and supposedly greatest idea for reaching people that no one has ever tried. Newsletters quickly get dismissed for being too time consuming to write and put together when they are destined for the trash bin (hard copies) or spam folders (email copy).

While this may be true for some newsletters, at Print It Plus we have found through the years that our bi-monthly newsletter still gets read by a sizable number of recipients, and we still get a consistent number of responses to either our call to action, a comment on our marketing tips and advice, or someone complimenting our “Recipe of the Month”.

How can you still find consistent value in creating and sending out a monthly newsletter?

Offer valuable information from your knowledge base each issue.

We recommend you include at least one article about a specific topic related directly to the expertise of your business. Sometimes business owners are afraid that their customers will take this information and either try to DIY (do it yourself) or share it with a competitor. Although we understand your initial fear, in truth we found that this is one of the two most important elements of your newsletter that endears customers and potential customers to your company. People like it when you share knowledge while seemingly looking for nothing in return.

• - Bonus: adopt a conversational tone in your writing. It helps people to feel more connected to the advice you are sharing with them.

Include a feature that you include every month that your customers will see as having perceived value.

Dedicate a portion of your newsletter to something interesting or even quirky that you make sure to include every month. For example, we include a “Recipe of the Month”. After all these years we still get recipients who comment back to us that they tried the recipe and how it turned out (usually deliciously). Other ideas include: a puzzle, quote of the month, or something else “special” that a significant portion of your newsletter recipients will enjoy (and get attached to).

“Recycle it” in other parts of your social media

You can get even more out of the articles and other features in your newsletter by publishing them on other pieces of your social media network, including your Blog, Facebook, Google MyBusiness, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pintrest. This way you get it in front of others who may not be receiving your newsletter.

Keep it short

Absolutely no more than 2 articles of in-depth material, with the fun/quirky content making up the rest of the newsletter. Remember, your recipients are receiving e-mails, snail mails and a myriad of different information in one form or another all day long. A lengthy newsletter, even crammed with valuable information, is a big turn off. It should take them no more than 5 minutes to go through your entire newsletter.

Include a “Call to Action” – but do switch it up

Include specials, a free sample, a discount, a coupon, registration for a special event that you are involved with… mix it up (don’t offer the same discount every month), but ALWAYS include a call to action – ask your readers to do something. It helps connect them with you. Try to keep it quick and easy.

Remembering to follow these pointers will help keep your newsletter fresh, more readable, and lead you to more consistent and positive responses. A well-conceived and consistent newsletter will keep you “Top of Mind” with your customers while continuing to build your credibility with them. Newsletters, both email and hardcopy, can be the key to building and maintaining your relationship with your best customers, as well as potential new customers.

Contact us today by calling us at (561) 790-0884, visiting our website at HTTP://WWW.PRINTITPLUS.COM or by emailing us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Give us a call or e-mail us, ask a quote, design or order your printing online!

 

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