Saturday, November 27, 2010

Newsletter Marketing - Tips

by Sarah Santacroce

This is the third and last post of a 3-post series about Newsletter Marketing. You can find the first post that explains the benefits of Newsletter Marketing here and the second post that features Newsletter Marketing Tools here.

So by now we know why it makes sense to write a regular newsletter and we have have chosen the tool to do so. In this post today I would like to give you some additional tips that will help make your Newsletter Marketing campaigns a success.

Ask for feedback
Since the success of your newsletter is entirely in your audience’s hand, don’t forget to ask them for feedback. You can ask if there is a specific topic they would like you to cover in the next edition, you can simply ask them what they think about a tool, product or service you are using (and have them post their comments on your FB wall) or you could add a poll and discuss the results in the following edition. Whatever you do, involve your readers !

Promote your newsletter
There are two moments to promote your ezine: before you send it and after.
Before you want to make sure that you have a pretty sign-up form on your website, your blog and your FB page. This way people will be added to your list.
After don’t forget to use Social Media to let your network know that you have just sent out a newsletter. Tweet about it, post it on your FB wall, tell your Linkedin friends, add a link to your e-mail signature, refer to it on your Skype status.

Archive previous newsletters on your website
If you sign up for a magazine or a paper you usually want to look at a couple of their editions before you commit, right ? The same goes for newsletters. People like to get an idea of what you are writing about, that’s why it’s good to give them that option – on your website. Create a specific page which explains the benefits and content of your newsletter. Below the sign-up form you should have links to your archive of previous editions, so they can browse through them before trusting you with their e-mail.
This is also beneficial from an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) point of view. The search engine spiders love regularly updated content on your site and will therefore come visit more often !

measure your success

Measure your success
Don’t forget to measure the success of your newsletter. The online tools which we discussed last week come with handy reports. You can see how many e-mails have been sent, how many have been opened and how many people have clicked on your links.

Treat your “unsubscribers” well
You will also be able to track your “unsubscribers”. If they leave you a comment on why they unsubscribe, I think it’s a good habit to write them a short e-mail. Say that you are sorry to see them leave, answer their comment and learn from their feedback. Remember that 1 unhappy customer used to tell 3 others – nowadays with Social Media he might tell 3 Million.

So there you go, you should now have all the knowledge and tools to write your very own first newsletter. If you would like some help from my side, send me an e-mail to sarah@simplicityadmins.com.

To sign up for my newsletter simply fill in your name and e-mail in the form to your right.
Thank you.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Newsletter Marketing – Available Tools

by Sarah Santacroce

This is the second post of a 3-post series about Newsletter Marketing. Find the first post about Newsletter Marketing Benefits here. Come back soon or subscribe to my RSS to be sure to get the last article next week.

Which tools are available ?

This week I would like to show you which tools are available to simplify the newsletter edition and management for you. The truth is there are lots of  E-Mail Marketing tools on the market. But some of them are better than others. Below are my picks for small businesses.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp

  • Free Forever Plan for 1’000 subscribers
  • Unlimited e-mails sent
  • Cost per month: 15$
  • Recommended for: Small businesses with limited ecommerce needs
  • Special Feature: Can upload existing list
  • Little extra: very funny interface

If you have a pre-existing list that you want to import, you will either have to choose Mailchimp or Contant Contact. However, since your readers have not actually subscribed to your newsletter, I would mention this in your first mailing and give them the option to unsubscribe in the first paragraph.

Aweber

Aweber

  • 1$ for first month
  • Unlimited e-mails sent
  • Cost per month: 19$
  • Very complex reports
  • Special feature: Blog integration
  • Little extra: great customer service, very good videos


Constant Contact

Constant Contact

  • 60 days for free
  • unlimited e-mails sent
  • Cost per month: 15$
  • Special Feature: Can upload existing list
  • limited reporting features
Personally I have never used Constant Contact yet. But according to other reviews I have read, it is very easy to use. However their reporting features are not as advanced yet as the ones I know from Mailchimp and AWeber.

To summarize:

If you are a small business owner who tries e-mail Marketing for the very first time I would recommend you try the free version of Mailchimp. If however you think you will rapidly reach 1’000 subscribers and then also need more advanced reporting features, I suggest you take a pick between AWeber and Constant Contact, AWeber definitely being more complex.

Are you using another tool ? Tell us about it in the comments !

 

Next week I will give you some final tips before you start creating your own newsletter !

If you would like to start exploring this marketing technique but don't know where to start, contact your Virtual Assistant or send me an e-mail to sarah@simplicityadmins.com.

To sign up for my newsletter simply fill in your name and e-mail in the form to your right.
Thank you.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Newsletter Marketing – Benefits

by Sarah Santacroce

This is the first post of a 3-post series about Newsletter Marketing. Come back soon or subscribe to my RSS to be sure to get the next articles.

Did you know that e-mail is still the number 1 sharing method for content ? After Facebook and after Twitter ? Think about it… Do you know a person who does not have an e-mail account (Grandparents don’t count). Not likely… Do you know a person who still resists Facebook and Twitter ? I know quite a few and I’m sure you do too !

That’s why Email newsletters are still an essential part of an effective Online Marketing Strategy. Newsletters are a good way of building relationships with your existing customers and network. They are very targeted and effective and with the available tools also very measurable. But let’s look at what other benefits a well prepared newsletter has to offer:

Benefits

It creates trust
Receiving a regular Ezine (which is another word for Newsletter) creates a feeling of trust in your customers. They feel like they know you a little bit more with each edition and when the moment comes, where they need the services or products that you have to offer, they will think of you first.

It shows your expertise
If choosing the content of your newsletter wisely, you can demonstrate your expertise in your area of activity. So don’t just try to sell your product, act as an expert, give advice and consult your readers.

It offers continuity
Compared to other marketing channels, a newsletter offers continuity. Your subscribers know that they will hear from you every week, month or quarter. They will start to look forward to your e-mail.

It increase referrals
Every newsletter should have a “Share with a friend” button at the bottom. This way the subscriber can forward your e-mail to someone else who he thinks might be interested in your news.

It increases traffic to your website
I mentioned before that the point is not to just sell in your e-mail, but every once in a while it’s ok to slip in a special offer, coupon or just feature one of your bestselling products or services. And by default the footer of your letter will contain a link to your website, so chances are that your traffic will increase.

It increases sales
Let’s be honest here: we are not just writing newsletters because we are nice people and want to help the rest of the world. In the end our main goal is still to increase our sales. And this will happen if you apply all the above suggestions :-)


What do you think ? True or not true ?

Next week we will have a look at 3 of the best e-mail marketing tools on the market which will help you create a nice newsletter.

If you would like to start exploring this marketing technique but don't know where to start, contact your Virtual Assistant or send me an e-mail to sarah@simplicityadmins.com.

To sign up for my newsletter simply fill in your name and e-mail in the form to your right.
Thank you.