Connecting with Your Customers Using Email Newsletters

Even if your small business uses social media, there is still a place for newsletters in your company’s marketing. Email newsletters are a very cost-effective platform for connecting with prospects and customers.

Email newsletters offer numerous advantages:

Brand building. Email newsletters enable you to build your brand - not so much by touting your product or service, but by positioning yourself as an expert and/or thought leader in your industry. They show your target market that you stay up to date on industry trends.

Lead nurturing. Email newsletters help keep prospects in the sales pipeline. When sent at regular intervals, email newsletters keep you top of mind with prospective clients by reminding them of who you are and what you do.

Relationship building. If your business has a lengthy sales cycle, an email newsletter can build trust with your prospects by demonstrating your knowledge, expertise and experience on the topics that matter most to your target audience.

Cross-selling and up-selling. Don't assume that your clients know everything about your business. An email newsletter is a great way to highlight other products or service areas they may not know about.

Company promotion. The best email newsletters keep the marketing and promotion to a minimum. You can, and should, tell your customers and prospects about new products, special offers, and other company news. But also let them know if you have a Facebook page so they can become a fan. Did you launch a redesigned website? Ask them to check it out. Let them know if you’re attending a trade show or hosting an event. When used properly, an email newsletter is an excellent platform to promote your other marketing activities.

Be consistent once you start an email newsletter. Schedule your newsletter at times that are appropriate to your audience and remain on schedule. For some businesses, once a month is good, for others, once a quarter works.

Use catchy email subject lines to grab people's attention. Even the best newsletters won't have an impact if they don't get opened and read. Update your email list on a regular basis to make sure it's current.

Most important, provide real value to your readers through articles that address their most pressing issues and concerns. When you consistently provide valuable content, people will look forward to reading your newsletter, and will see you as a trusted source of information - a critical step in turning today's prospects into tomorrow's paying customers.