If you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably asked yourself this question: should I start an email newsletter? But, you don’t have to own a business or be a writer to start a newsletter. In fact, this might be one of the rare instances where “because everyone’s doing it” is a good enough reason to start.
Email Marketing is Good for Business
On average, email marketing has the highest overall return on investment, beating out social media, SEO, and affiliate marketing. For every $1 spent, the return on investing in email marketing is $40—a 4,000% return.
Around 4 billion people, more than half of the world’s population, have an email account. This decades-old form of communication shows no signs of slowing down. Despite the rise of social media, people continue to use email more than other platforms; the number of email users around the world is expected to increase by 3% annually.
Why Start a Newsletter?
There’s a saying, “don’t live in your inbox.” Yet we continue to see users actively in their inboxes, especially with the rise of remote work. And, if you want to connect with people, it might be a good medium to get grab their attention.
Here are a few reasons to start a newsletter, whether you’re a company owner or not:
- Encourages you to write regularly, which can improve your writing skills.
- Allows you to reflect and learn more about the topic about which you’re writing.
- Gives you direct access to your subscribers. You “own” your list and can reach them when social media is unavailable.
- Opportunity to tell you/your brand’s story. The more intimately people know you/your brand, the more likely they are to support you.
- Prospect to position yourself as a leader and expert in whatever topics you cover.
- Can be the best way to market your business and any services/products you have for sale.
A survey of retailers has shown that email marketing is the most effective way to attract new customers and keep existing ones.
Newsletter Next Steps
If you’re convinced that starting a newsletter is a good move, it’s time to decide what to write about.
- What creative ideas keep you up at night?
- What’s the first thing you want to discuss when you meet someone new?
- What topics do friends and family members consider you an expert in?
- Your answers might reveal the topic(s) of your newsletter.
Discover your Niche
Marketing experts argue that, above all else, the content in newsletters should bring value. Offer your readers advice, resources, and/or tools that actually help them with some aspect of their life. If you’re a business owner looking to reach your ideal client, spend 30 minutes writing down any and all topics that your ideal client will find valuable. What information can you share that they’ll find helpful, educational, inspiring, and/or entertaining?
How you write is just as important as what you write. Author and emotional intelligence researcher, Justin Bariso, recommends writing as if you’re writing to a good friend, one who happens to have the needs of your target audience.
Conversational is the new professional when it comes to emails and newsletters. In a world where inboxes can be a dreadful place, you want readers to go “ooh,” not “ugh,” when they see your email.
Here are a few platforms that make it easy to create and share your content:
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