I don’t know about you but coming up with ideas for my newsletter can be so time consuming – thinking of ideas, writing them, creating images, creating the newsletter. There often aren’t enough hours in the day so the poor newsletter gets forgotten about. Again.
It’s a real shame because contacting your customers (previous, current or potential) once a month should be a priority. Even if readers just glance or skim, they’re seeing your logo and brand colours and you’re staying in the front of their mind should they need you in the future.
To make things a little easier for you, I’ve had a brainstorm and come up with ten ideas you can use or adapt to suit your business.
Share your blog
Sharing your blog is a great way to show your expertise, help your customers with tips and advice, or answer common questions you might get asked. And it helps push people towards your website – they might read a blog, maybe another, then they might check out who you are or what you do.
I confess that my blog is the main part of my newsletter – I use part of it with a link to read more if subscribers are interested. It encourages me to write every month and really try think what my readers are interested in especially when I track the results.
Product or service showcase
Do your customers remember or even know what you do? Are they aware of all your services? They might have used you once but aren’t aware what else you do or you might have added new services. Tell them!
If you’re a business selling products then shout out about them. Tell people what’s new, what’s popular, what’s your favourite, what’s on special offer.
Include a customer testimonial to show how you’ve helped people in the past or how much someone has loved using your products.
Answer a question
As a business, we all keep getting asked the same questions over and over again. We seem to be typing the same things time after time. Answer those questions in your newsletter. It might be that answering a question might tempt someone to buy if they weren’t sure.
Offer a tip
How about a ‘how to’ guide or video that helps your readers – how to make cut flowers last longer, how to keep your computer virus free or a yoga pose to help back pain.
Alternatively create a top 10 (who doesn’t love a top 10!) It could be your top ten products, top ten foods to help energy or ten ideas to help relax. How can your business help your readers?
Behind the scenes
We all like to know the face behind the business, to get to know a business before deciding to buy. Or to keep buying.
Take your readers behind the scenes and share something about you and your business people might not see day to day. What do you use as part of your business? Special tools, products, your neighbourhood, your business story, your desk, premises.
Take a peek at my blog for some inspiration >> 10 ways to personalise your social media for small businesses
Share your plans
What do you have coming up? Are you launching a new product or service, attending an exhibition or event, or giving a speech at an event? Share your plans with your readers so they feel involved and part of your journey.
Industry news
Some industry stuff is boring, only interesting for your particular job. We’re all nerds that way! But some of it might be interesting or useful for your customers. Invite them into your world. Personally, I like to share new Pantone colours or get opinions if a famous logo has been rebranded. People usually have an opinion, designers or not.
Promote your social media
Encourage people to follow you on social media – they might not even be aware where you hang out. You can share your most popular image/post from the last month to tempt people to follow or even share on their own social media.
Customer story or review
A customer story or review is a great way to showcase your products or services. You can show people enjoying using your products, buying them or attending an event.
Case studies are a brilliant, and cheap, way to show just how you can help people with your products or services. For some ideas, have a peek at my blog >> 10 reasons to use case studies in your marketing
Promote your marketing collateral
Had a new business card or leaflet printed? Snap a picture and share on your newsletter. Offer it as a downloadable pdf to your readers.
Updated your website? Include a link in your newsletter and promote it. Ask what people think about the updates or point them towards your services pages to remind them what you offer.
And finally
Take some time to plan your newsletters, they’re a great way to connect with your customers and potential customers. Remind them that you’re out there, what you offer and how they can contact you.
As an added bonus, I can usually create a good number of related social media posts that can be used throughout the month so it’s well worth sitting down and planning just what you want to say.
Has this post given you any ideas? What do you include in your newsletters? Let me know in the comments below.
Liz x
