Newsletters are becoming fewer. It’s rare to get an actual printed newsletter in today’s world, everyone is going green and the perception is that a digital communication is greener than a printed one (and there’s a whole can of worms there, but now is not the place to explore that!) However, even digital newsletters seem to have reduced in number – or maybe I’ve just unsubscribed from all the ones that used to land in my inbox, so I don’t see them anymore.
The reality is that none of us will voluntarily subscribe to someone’s newsletter, unless there is a good reason. We don’t want any more ‘stuff’ cluttering up our inbox.
So, if you want to keep your email lists warm, how do you persuade them to:
- Part with their email address?
- Stay subscribed when they start getting your newsletter?
The answer to a) is to offer subscribers something of value – that’s usually a digital download that gives them useful information, tips, a checklist, a worksheet or something else your target audience will see as worth parting with their contact details for.
To keep your subscribers you have to keep delivering value. In other words, not just a monthly update on what you’ve been doing all month. You’re not interested in the machinations of other people’s companies, so why would they be interested in yours?
If you’ve given them a free item that they’ve wanted enough to subscribe, then you know where their interest lies – and if you keep delivering more information around the same subject or allied subjects they will keep getting the value they want.
Yes, a few people will unsubscribe. But they are probably not the people you want to engage with anyway. It’s the ones that stay connected, keep opening your email newsletters and appreciate the value you deliver.
You may not hear from them for months – or even years – but every newsletter reminds them of your value. When they want whatever you offer, your name is at the top of their consciousness. Also if anyone asks for a recommendation, they may well recommend you as you’ve proven you know your stuff! I have a call recently from someone who had been on my newsletter list for at least 5 years and when she needed some help, I popped into her head straight away, so I know it works.
Your newsletter can educate your readers about the range of your knowledge and talents, in a way that adds value for them. It’s not selling, it’s marketing.
