Create Interesting E-newsletters by Using Effective Content and a Solid Subject Line

A good e-mail newsletter must offer reasons for readers to stay engaged and read on. Coupons, incentives and freebees as well as effective content are motivating incentives.

Suggestions for Content

Let’s talk a bit about effective content – it’s free for you to create, you just have to apply yourself and write about your field of expertise. Once you have your content you can use it again to promote your business and add to your web site. Search engines like words and they read text – having informative, well structured content on your site can help in search engine rankings. Plus, help to inform and educate your customers.

Write Content Pertaining To:

1. Customer success or human interest stories
2. Interviews with knowledgeable people
3. Questions with Answers – you know your business or topic – don’t assume everyone else does
4. Industry stats, trends or news
5. Information morsels or colourful tidbits
6. Time savers

Now Will They Open It?

Once you have your content or idea, pick a subject line that grabs interest and inspires reading. We’re all being bombarded with email and readers will decide in 3 seconds if they’re going to open your mail.

Subject Line Suggestions:

1. Short, honest, direct and to the point
2. 5 – 8 words containing up to 40 characters – that’s about what the average email program will display
3. Incite curiosity by asking a question
4. State a benefit or reward
5. Be timely by focusing on current events or holidays
6. stay away from blatant hard sell techniques such as: FREE!!!, You’ve Won, Guaranteed, Act Now, Today Only – you know… you’ve all seen then in your Inbox and it’s a sure way to have your mail flagged as spam
7. Use upper and lower case – all caps are harder to read and implies yelling on the Internet

Instilling reader confidence and building trust will help your company or association communicate effectively with readers. By implementing some or all of these techniques you’ll be on your way to producing a better e-newsletter.

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