When it comes to marketing campaigns, a newsletter isn’t likely the first idea that comes to mind. However, despite its reputation as a “boring” or antiquated tool, newsletters can offer a unique way to connect, communicate with and sell to, your customer base.
Heck, you might already have a newsletter you send out each month (or on the rare occasion when you’re bored or remember to do so). But are you harnessing it’s full potential? Do you even know what its full potential can be?
Sure, we’ve all used newsletters for the standard “updates” or holiday reminders, but newsletters can be so much more. Campaigns and other mailings can be difficult to personalize, but newsletters can be highly tailored can individually crafted to connect with very specific sub-segments of your customer base.
If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to implement or brush the dust off of that old newsletter, then read on. We’ll take you through some commonly overlooked benefits to be had when approaching a newsletter correctly.
Commonly Overlooked Benefits of a Newsletter
1. All Inclusive
Your campaigns (email or otherwise) likely target a specific group of prospects or customers. And while the same can be done with newsletters, they can also be “all inclusive” and beneficial for everyone in your database. By offering a diverse and value driven content drip you will connect with individuals and businesses you may not have otherwise engaged thru other channels.
2. Broader Reach
Unlike an advert, social or display campaigns that run for specific time zones or even periods of time, a newsletter can reach clients around the globe on their own time from the comfort of their own homes or offices or while on the go. Point is, they allow the end user the flexibility to engage and connect on their own schedule.
3. Showcase your Knowledge
Newsletters offer a way for you to showcase your knowledge and position yourself or your brand as an authoritative go-to source for information within your industry. Demonstration of proficiency in topical subject areas will instill trust, and trust drives sales and long term relationships.
By demonstrating expertise, you can build confidence in your company and brand. A survey conducted by PR 20/20 found that newsletter content that provided company insight into subject areas helped increase the perception of the brand as an industry leader.
PRO TIP: Share and comment on important issues in your sector or market, including industry research and breaking news and trends.
4. Build and Strengthen Relationships
Newsletters offer a cost-effective medium to maintain frequent contact with your customer base. When polled, Nielsen Norman Group found that respondents stated that they preferred to receive company updates and over 90% cited wanting this information via newsletters vs only 10% that preferred social media.
5. Increase Awareness
Newsletters afford you the opportunity to increase awareness and understanding of your products, services, company and brand. Customers often have a limited perception of what your company can or does offer. Newsletters are a great way to help broaden their awareness of other services or products you can provide that might solve a problem or fulfill a need or want.
PRO TIP: Include links to referenced products, services and write-ups
6. Increase the Lifetime Value of your Customers
Often times, all your customer base needs is a little reminder at the right time about the right offer to nudge them into making another purchase. Segment your newsletter into sub-groups and tailor newsletter message timing to co-inside with key trigger points to drive revenue and sales thru the roof.
PRO TIP: Certain purchase types might coincide with seasons (i.e. back to school, winter clothing, etc.). Purchases might also repeat when an item is used up (i.e. 30 day supplies of an item). Think of triggers that would correlate to times when customers are more likely to make an additional purchase.
7. More Referrals
Newsletters are typically jam-packed with all kinds of helpful and useful information. As such they have a high “pass along” value and tend to get shared with friends, family and co-workers. This can mean increased exposure for your brand and company without having to spend another dime on marketing.
PRO TIP: Include social sharing buttons and a short link (like goog.le) so viewers can easily spread the word.
8. Drive more Traffic to your Website
Each newsletter push typically will correlate to additional traffic to your site or blog, bolstering your stats and offering you the opportunity to provide even more value and close the sale.
9. A Simple but Effective Value-Add
A subscription to your newsletter, even though it is “free,” is a perceived value add to being a member or follower of your organization or brand.
Final Thoughts
If you haven’t already considered it, there is no time like the present to get started on a newsletter for your audience. Newsletters offer a budget-friendly, time-tested way to improve your branding, connect with you audience, drive sales and engagement and increase awareness of what you have to offer.
Not sure how to get started? No problem, contact us today for a no obligation chat about how we can help.