She said to me “an email newsletter is too expensive. I’m just going to focus on growing my social following instead. I wouldn’t even know what to put an email newsletter anyway.” I wanted to stop her in her tracks and shake her. Not because her way of thinking is unusual but because it’s the wrong way to think about it. The best email newsletters are there to serve your audience and in the long run your business too.
You see the secret to a newsletter is that you own it. If Instagram disappeared tomorrow then all your following would be gone, but with a newsletter, you own that list. Whether you send email newsletters from a free account on MailChimp, customizing emails from Klaviyo to keep up with your Shopify account, or keeping your audience up to date with emails from ConvertKit. You can download your list and reupload to different platforms again and again.
Not only do you have the power to utilize your email list no matter what, but the engagement and conversions are 10 times higher. Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are the introduction to your brand, but your newsletter is where you build trust. It’s the place to provide value again and again until you need to make the ask.
That’s the trick to creating the best email newsletters, it needs to be back full with value. Here are some simple ways to showcase value in your next email newsletter:
- Highlight your recent blogs posts and send your audience back to your websites
- Showcase products that you’re loving, both your own and others that match the value of your brand
- Provide inspiration and encouragement with journal prompts, quotes, and articles to other sites that you’re loving
- Link to a recent video you created on IGTV or YouTube that show’s your audience how to do something
- Tell the behind the scenes story of your brand or how your product is made
- Tell the story of someone using your product and highlight how it’s fixed the pain point they’re facing
- Highlight the ways you promote sustainability or how your product is making an impact in the world
- Answer your most frequently asked questions
- Announce sales in advance and give promo codes to your dedicated audience
Of course, there are a million more ways to create the best email newsletters. These options will provide value to your customers and keep them coming back for more.
The next key to having the best email newsletters? Consistency. It’s true in every part of your marketing. Whether you send an email monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly, choose a schedule and stick to it. You want your audience to know when to expect a message from you and to be excited about it. I know that my favorite emails come on Sunday mornings and I look forward to reading them with my morning cup of tea.
While it feels like a lot of work or you feel confused at what to create, start with a template. Create a format for your newsletter that you’ll create every week. If you need to, sign up for your competitor’s email to get some ideas. With a few specific types of content in mind, it will be easier to pull together what you need. And if you can’t seem to find enough ideas, space out your email newsletters. You don’t want to push send unless it’s going to provide value to your customers.
Consistency and value are the keys to running a strong business. Provide that in your marketing over and over again and you’re sure to grow a following and increase your sales.
