The Reader Is Always First
Getting your message out about your business is always the goal when it comes to marketing, but in the eNewsletter world, the proper focus should be on your readers' needs.
Remember that readers get dozens or even hundreds of emails per day, so content is key. Keep the content concise, and use subheads and shorter paragraphs to ensure a quick read and a good flow.
A good tip to use is the 80/20 rule: Spend 80 percent of the newsletter focused on information beneficial to the reader, and 20 percent explaining how your business can directly benefit them. This works for both existing customers that already use your services or products, and it engages prospects to use the information you're proiding for their benefit.
Make It Brief
According to a June 2006 Nielsen Norman Group study on users' reading behavior, participants fully read only 19 percent of newsletters, and that the predominant behavior was scanning.
In some cases, users didn't even scan the entire newsletter. The study found that 35 percent of the time, readers only skimmed a small part of the newsletter and glanced at the content.
That being said, focus on the content and how it can help your readers. Consider the following questions when putting together article topics:
- What are you saying?
- How do you want to say it?
- How can this article directly benefit the reader?
- What information would I use from this article?
Good ideas for content may include case studies – real-life business success stories with a premise any company could take and use. Other options include references to industry studies and analyses of industry trends and news. Approach arranging content with the goal of your readers keeping the articles as reference sources.
Other tips include surveying your employees to see what topics your audience would appreciate. Speaking to Customer Service, Sales or Human Relations departments may help form useful articles. Or, include a Frequently Asked Question section. Also try to track the articles that were the most popular, and arrange future topics on the most popular subjects.
Need more tips on how to keep your readers engaged? Contact the professionals at Proven Systems at (970) 223-6565 or visit www.provensystems.com. |
