Want people to open your e-newsletters? Wix.com offers tips, and techniques on how to do exactly that. Learn best practices for creating and sending out newsletters that your clients will love to read.
Creating an engaged customer base is hard to do. And it starts with creating a successful newsletter. Even though social media is important, email is often overlooked. Learn how to best leverage your email marketing.
Learn more at http://www.wixeducation.com
Transcript:
Newsletters offer a simple and affordable way to communicate with your network and strengthen your brand.
In order to write great newsletters, you need to start with the end in mind. That means, you need to know what it is you want your readers to DO when they read your newsletter. This is your call to action and every newsletter needs one.
Examples of a call to action can be to:
· Use a coupon code
· RSVP to an upcoming event
· visit your website to read about new products
Once you’ve established your call for action, try to think about how you can lead readers to it without sounding too pushy.
Next step – The Subject Line
Like you, your subscribers likely scan their email inbox looking to clean it out and delete unwanted mails. Don’t give them an excuse to delete your newsletter! When writing your subject line, use these rules of thumb:
· People are more likely to open emails with a timely or enticing premise in the title.
· Good subject lines are attention-grabbing and thought-provoking. “Our August Newsletter” won’t do the trick.
· Your subject line should be between 5 and 7 words long
· Don’t use all capital letters and be wary of using exclamation points. They can make your email look like spam and many email services will block it.
What’s the best practice? Before you hit send, read the subject line to yourself and decide – would I open this email?
Next, choose great images for your newsletter. They should be relevant to your business, interesting or beautiful to look at. (Or you can just use kittens or babies.) Pictures are a great way to catch your readers’ attention and encourage them to keep reading. When coupled with a catchy title, they can go a long way in increasing open rates.
What’s the best practice? – Use compelling, original images in high resolution. Or kittens.
Content is key to achieving your goal! Not sure how to produce good content? Here are a few tips:
· Make sure your newsletters share either timely, educational or valuable content. Don’t write fluff just to fill the page.
· Break your newsletter up into short paragraphs with headers. Long paragraphs can cause readers’ eyes to quickly glaze over. Get to the point. Write only as much as you need to get the message across.
· Keep jargon out. Don’t try to show off; it’s not a term paper. Use a casual, but professional tone. Be friendly and informative.
What’s the best practice?
Fill your emails with interesting and relevant articles, tips, links to great websites or inspirational ideas. Vary the content in each of your newsletters to keep them fresh. Write content worth reading.
Finally, when sending out your newsletter, remember to think about timing and frequency.
Don’t exhaust your subscribers with constant emails. They’ll unsubscribe. On the other hand, if you promised a monthly newsletter chock full of tips or coupons, keep your promise and stick to a regular schedule.
Send out newsletters in the morning, ideally on a work day. That way, they have the best chance of being read. Emails sent on Friday afternoon can easily get buried in your subscribers’ inboxes over the weekend.
What’s the best practice?
Send out your newsletter once a month or once a season on a Monday or Tuesday morning.
Ready to get started? Check out Wix’s ShoutOut and start creating great newsletters!
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