Newsletters have been around for a long time. In the really olden days, we’d mail them hard copy. Your organization may even already have one and you’re probably subscribed to at least one or two. According to a report by the What If Group, 47.3% of consumers are subscribed to at least one email newsletter. As public affairs and communications people, our team signs up for dozens!
But just because a newsletter is distributed doesn’t mean it’s being used to its full potential. That’s why we’ve put together a list of recommended actions you can take to refresh and maximize your newsletter.
If you’re not aware of all the ways a regular newsletter program can benefit your organization, then check out Part 1 of this newsletter blog series.
Key Tips to Maximize Your Newsletter Program
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Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail. Developing a plan, including an editorial plan for multiple editions, for your newsletter will help you:
- Establish goals and objectives for the newsletter; some of these should align with and support your overarching communications goals
- Create content themes or categories that you use for every (or almost every) edition of the newsletter. This helps people know what to expect when reading your newsletter
- Identify your wish list of content and plan out editions — be flexible and move content forwards or backwards in time depending on what is happening
- Compile a library of on-brand visuals (stock, custom, graphics — all can work) that you can use for your newsletters. Creative Commons, Canva, Unsplash and Pexels are great sources at low costs
- Message Discipline. Use your key messages whenever and wherever, giving you ample opportunities to amplify your messaging, mission, vision and values.
- A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words. Using visuals — photos, videos and infographics — and ensuring you are telling a story will help you engage the hearts of your readers, which will make them more informed about your organization’s activities and help convert them to dedicated supporters. Pull out quotes are even better than text quotes. Icons and graphics all help make it visually interesting. No one wants to read a block of text!!!
- Reuse, Recycle and Repurpose. You don’t need to create brand new content every time you write a newsletter. Reformatting evergreen content that you created for another purpose — like a report, social media, proposals and blog posts — is not only a great way to be efficient with your time and resources, but it also helps broaden the reach of your content.
- Data. Data. Data. Regularly measure and review by setting up Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and monthly/quarterly and yearly reports to measure how your newsletter and content are “performing” over time. Use this data to inform the review and update of your newsletter’s content and format. If your executive thinks the newsletter is stale or isn’t working but your open rates are 35+%, that data confirms you are on track.
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Audience is Key. Increase your subscriber list by getting sign-ups in a number of ways:
- Have a physical sign-up sheet at in-person events and activities or invite people to drop in business cards
- Have business card-sized promo cards with the sign up QR code on them at events or to hand out
- Add your partners and pre-existing contacts to your list (under the CASL anti-spam legislation, you can add to your list anyone with whom you have a previous relationship)
- Use social media to share the link to subscribe to your newsletter — in posts with a call-to-action and add the link to your LinkedIn profile
- Add a link to subscribe to your email signature
- Ask your partners if you can be featured in their newsletter with a call-to-action to subscribe to your newsletter
While we recommend following all of the above, implementing even just a couple actions will help your organization fully leverage your newsletter program and take advantage of the benefits.
Do you need help refreshing a newsletter program? Coast Comms can help! Reach out to us at info@coastcomms.ca.
And don’t forget to subscribe to Coast Comms’ newsletter for best practices, tips and insights!
