While your content plays a big role in the effectiveness of your newsletter, it’s not the only thing that you should think about. A lot of other factors come into play. You would want something that caters to your reader’s needs, is pleasant to look at, and won’t waste your reader’s time.
1. Think clean layout: Clear lines, text segmentations that are well-spaced with just enough white space to let the eye rest, and the correct balance between text volume and the size of your graphics are things you should be aiming for when designing your newsletter. Since your photo will be occupying plenty of space, and there’s probably only room for two paragraphs or less in your newsletter, pick something relevant and attractive. It can make or break your newsletter.
2. Get straight to the point. Your readers haven’t got all day. They’re probably just sifting through their non-work email. Make your subject head engaging. Pick a hook: curiosity, an offer they can’t resist, or tips you know they need in their profession. Use it, and when you write your content, do so in a straightforward fashion. It’s not just about shortening attention spans. Your readers really need to get the information you promised, and they don’t have the patience and the time to uncover it as your content “progresses”. Keep things short and sweet.
3. Always be reachable. Include easily recognizable social media buttons so your readers will know how to reach you should they have questions, or if they want to see your latest products. Provide buttons to your Facebook, Instagram, and other relevant social media accounts, and make sure these buttons are very visible.
4. Have irresistible offerings. An invitation to a free webinar is just as attractive as, let’s say, a 20% discount on your products. If you can’t give freebies, find opportunities to keep your readers interested by giving other “gifts”. Make these gifts highly visible on your newsletter.
5. Put yourself in your readers’ shoes. Be critical of your own work. Try to see what else they would need, or better yet, let them give you suggestions through a poll. Once you’ve established a clear communication line between you and your readers, you will probably never go wrong with your newsletter design.
You might not be able to put all of these things together in a single newsletter, but if you know your readers well enough, you should be able to put just the right amount of pizzazz to your work. Try to channel them when you design your newsletter. As long as you’re thinking about what they want from you, you should be able to create effective email marketing tools.
