Beat the Delete!

Posted January 11th, 2008

E-mail newsletters are one of the fastest growing communication and marketing tools today. But that sure doesn’t mean they’re all good. Avoid being filtered to the delete folder with a few of these tips.

You only have a few seconds to catch their attention. Consistently deliver valuable information that doesn’t have a lot of introductory fluff.
Write short. Short means about 50 percent less than you write for a printed newsletter. Set a word count maximum and stick to it. (Ours is 300 words)
Make sure it sounds like you. Don’t be formal if you aren’t…and don’t be conversational and casual if your natural style is more formal. Remember, it’s an extension of you and your brand.
Use lots of bullet points and lists. Think written sound bytes.
It’s going to be forwarded. Count on it. So don’t say anything you wouldn’t want the world to see.
Newsletters are considered a news source. Do not spend so much time selling your services that they have to dig for the helpful information.
Create plenty of eye rest. People like to scan first and then go back to read. So break up your copy with bullet points, illustrations, graphs, or photography.

E-mail newsletters are a great way to start a conversation. Invite feedback, honor the above guidelines and have some fun. You’ll like the results.