Develop a Newsletter

Develop a one-page newsletter to send to your mailing list.  The topic can be an extended version of your Top Ten List or an article you have authored.    For instance, you can take 1 - 3 items from the list and expand them (this one Top Ten list can provide you 3 - 10 newsletter articles).  Or, you may want to expand your teleclass into an article.  Be creative, and add depth to your topics through using quotes, resources, and any links to more information.

When writing and sending your newsletter, these 5 tips will support you in gaining more interested readers and a growing list of long-term subscribers.

   1. Make your newsletter short and interesting.  One printed page is more than enough for a weekly newsletter, and more than 2 pages printed are too much for any newsletter.    Keep the articles interesting and exciting by inviting feature authors to write for your newsletter.  You can ask your colleagues to write for you, or you can use an online article archive such as www.topten.org, www.ideamarketers.com, or www.goarticles.com.  (NOTE:  You must request permission from the author prior to using his or her article.)

   2. Use a brief table of contents at the top of your newsletter so that your readers can scroll to the section in which they are most interested.  

   3. Add a personal message that comes directly from you.  Adding humanity and a little bit of humor can create a connection between you and your reader:  “During the month of September, I have spent much of my time interviewing folks about what drives them crazy about customer service.  Here is what I found out….”

   4. A short but fantastic list of resources.  People love resources, so add a few each month to your newsletter.  Do a search on the Internet for some of the best resources available, and provide the link for your readers.

   5. Make the subject line of your e-mail interesting.  Avoid using the words “October Newsletter.”  Many people will simply delete this without opening.  Instead, use something punchy like “Save Big Bucks During the Holiday Season.”

To deliver your newsletter, you may use your e-mail program such as Outlook or your contact management system such as ACT or an eZine delivery service.