I’m pretty passionate about building and nurturing relationships through my email list. I love that they subscribed to my list because they want to hear my thoughts and insights on content marketing!
But when I bring up starting an email newsletter to my clients, a lot of them are concerned that they won’t know what to say or won’t have enough content to fill out a monthly email.
Don’t let a lack of content ideas hold you back from starting work on this incredibly valuable marketing tool! Here are some tips for delivering content that will engage and nurture your list to eventually turn your subscribers into some of your business’s biggest fans.
Email Newsletters vs. Sales Sequences
One thing to get really clear on before starting your email newsletter strategy, is to understand that an email newsletter is entirely different from an email sales sequence.
A sales sequence is designed to lead your audience to take action – like purchasing your product or scheduling an appointment – but an email newsletter has a different purpose.
An email newsletter is designed to connect and engage with your audience. You want to give them content that is beneficial to them in some way, while also providing some light encouragement to work with or buy from you.
Delivering Content Your Audience Wants to Read
In order to keep my subscribers around, I always want to make sure that I am aligning my content with their expectations. About a year ago, I surveyed my subscribers to see how I was doing.
That survey led to me completely revamping my newsletter!
And the results speak for themselves. My email open rates average between 40-50% on every send, and my click-through rates are between 3-6%. Those numbers are a huge reason why I am so passionate about helping people with their email marketing. Frankly, it works!
Sending useful content that my audience is actually interested in, on a consistent basis, has led me to expand my reach and build relationships with those potential leads. As a result, my subscriber list has exploded with people who often read for a few weeks or months and then ultimately schedule a consultation to work with me.
The Logistics of a Successful Email Newsletter
The key to a successful email newsletter is to get the logistics down just right. The length of your email, as well as the consistency of each edition, will depend on your audience and their needs.
What’s the Right Email Newsletter Length?
Some audiences will benefit from emails that are short, sweet, and to the point. Others will enjoy a longer, content-rich email. You want to make sure you’re sending an email that is long enough to convey your message and be useful to your audience but not something that is so long that people will ignore it.
And yes, some of this comes down to personal style! I’m a little more long-winded (and it’s a content marketing newsletter, so that’s what people expect!), but I have other clients who prefer short, snappy, and straight-to-the-point content because that fits their brand’s personality.
What’s the Right Email Newsletter Frequency?
In terms of your send schedule, consistency is key. You want your audience to know when they can expect to hear from you.
For most service-based businesses, I generally suggest a monthly newsletter. Once you build up your audience, you can expand to a twice-monthly newsletter. Personally, I think a quarterly email is not enough. Your audience will forget who you are. However, for nonprofits, a quarterly newsletter might be the perfect addition to your content marketing strategy.
For my retail or product-based clients, I suggest starting with a twice-monthly newsletter. Every other week is a great way to get a pulse on your audience and keep them engaged with your brand. Once your audience is primed to hear from you, you can build up to a weekly email.
Content Ideas for Email Newsletters
Once you’ve developed your send schedule, it’s time to figure out what to say! Here are some of my favorite content ideas.
Helpful Industry News
Share recent industry news such as a new article, an interesting podcast, or an inspiring book you just read. Be sure to include a brief blurb with your own thoughts.
Sales, Deals, or Specials
Let your email subscribers be the first to know about upcoming sales, deals, or specials in your business.
Personal News
Share some personal stories, a brief life update, or something that shows your personality. Humanize yourself to your audience.
Upcoming Events
If you are a business with a local audience, share local events. If you have a larger audience base, share upcoming industry events. Let them know if you are planning on attending and invite them to join you.
Educational Topics
Share content you’ve created that showcases your expertise. If you have links to blogs, podcasts, or posts, link them!
Employee Spotlight
Shine some light on your team members and introduce them to your audience!
Customer or Client Spotlight
Don’t forget to show some love to your customers, too. Shout out some of your customer or client wins and invite your readers to check them out, too.
Recent Testimonials
Everyone loves social proof! Share your most recent testimonials with a link to your customer’s website or social media handles. Show your audience how you helped them and explain how you can help your readers, too.
Create Email Newsletters Your Audience Will Love to Read!
Have I convinced you to start an email newsletter list yet? I sure hope so!
My email newsletter is one of my favorite ways to connect with my network of supporters and subscribers. I love keeping them up to date on everything happening with Emily Writes and the content marketing industry. Plus, they love to read it! Getting responses to my content every other week lets me know what my readers want to see next.
Interested in seeing the type of exclusive content I send to my list? Subscribe today!
Do you need an incredible team to help you get your email newsletter project off the ground? My team and I are always happy to help. Reach out to schedule a consultation and see how we can help you build connections and expand your reach!
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