Are You Harnessing the Secret Power of Email Newsletters?

Are email newsletters old-fashioned...or fundamental?

Email newsletters can get a bad rap. They may even seem a little oldschool...and for good reason. The first mass-marketing email was sent in May of 1978! But don’t let the fact that newsletters are 43 years young fool you: what worked in ‘78 is still working just fine today.

The benefits don’t stop there: chances are, your customers actually want to hear from you via email. According to marketing studies 86% of Americans surveyed enjoy receiving promotional emails at least once a month. 

The secret to not annoying your email subscribers? Make sure you’re delivering valuable content, and they’ll likely want to hear more from you.

Newsletters are truly worth their weight in salt, providing a cost-effective tool for driving sales and a way to build stronger relationships with your clients.

So what’s the secret superpower of email newsletters, and how can you take advantage of this venerated form of client communication? Below, we explain why email newsletters are so powerful, and share some of our favorite tips and tricks for how to use email newsletters to improve your client relationships, boost data gathering, and strengthen your social media presence.

The best relationships start in your inbox

Developing meaningful and lasting relationships with your clients is easier said than done. But one foolproof way to begin is by creating captivating and useful content that your clients will love, then delivering that on a regular basis through email newsletters. 

While these newsletters will go out to some clients who have already worked with you, many of your mailings will likely be sent to potential new clients. These leads may not be looking to purchase any services just yet, but regular communication with these folks is still of great value to you.

Consistently delivering useful content establishes you as an industry thought leader, and builds long-term trust. When the time comes for a lead to shop around for a service they need, who will they immediately think of? You, of course! You established a relationship with this client before they were even your client.

Don’t miss out on key metrics!

This one is a little tricky with the news that a certain iOS is now automatically opening emails...you simply can’t rely on the rate of opens anymore. Even so, the metrics provided through email marketing campaigns are of tremendous value to your business.

Especially for Apple device users, it’s important to focus on clicks rather than opens. When you look at the clicks, you’ll be able to see which article topics are actually engaging your leads, which titles are driving people to your site, and who your most engaged contacts are. 

If you happen to be using automation, you can find just how effective a nurture sequence is. If your goal is to create an intelligent and effective lead nurturing campaign, you’ll need the information that having a newsletter provides.

If you use a service like HubSpot, you can see just how long your audience spends viewing your email. This can help you evaluate if your email is resonating with your audience. A metric of this sort is especially helpful for Vye, as we can tweak your newsletters to ensure your leads perceive your mailings as valuable. 

Social media marketing and email newsletters are a match made in heaven

Social media has revolutionized the way we connect with each other and do business, but email marketing is still gold when it comes to driving profits. 60% of consumers subscribe to a promotional email list, while only 20% follow a brand on social media for deals.

Even with those statistics, social media is of vital importance when it comes to building your mailing list.

Newsletters will help you build a larger social media presence.

By boosting your socials to a network of already-invested readers, you’re more likely to gain followers. And vice-versa: your social media channels provide an outlet for more leads to view your content and sign up for your company’s newsletter. A happy cycle!

All you’ve got to do is make sure you facilitate that symbiotic relationship.

Quick tips for social media and email marketing success

• Include social share buttons at the bottom of all emails. Email subscribers are three times more likely to share content on social media than leads who found your content through another channel.
• In your social media posts, include a signup link to your mailing list. This link should also be in your bio. You want your followers to have plenty of opportunities to receive regular and personalized content.
• To save time and cut down on costs, reuse content from your newsletters in your social media posts. You’ll also get the added benefit of improving your brand consistency.

How to build your best newsletter

You’ve got valuable information and are ready to craft some killer newsletters. But how do you make sure your emails cut through the clutter and actually get opened?

• Craft a must-click subject line: The most important part of any successful newsletter is that attention-grabbing subject line. Your job is to clarify what the reader can expect from your newsletter, and speak to client concerns with relevant and timely information.
  
  
• Make it scannable: When the email is opened, it must be easily scannable. Your reader needs to be able to quickly peruse the headlines and click on the links they’re interested in without getting confused or distracted. Clearly organized information, with unmissable visual cues, is the key to click-throughs to your blog/product/landing page.
  
  
• Know your readers: At Vye, we always get specific about who, exactly, our clients are writing to. We ensure that all content is perfectly tailored to the interests of readers, whether that be internal newsletters to employees or mass emails to a broad swath of subscribers.

Wishing you had more help with email marketing?

Here at Vye, we’re always happy to use our marketing expertise to craft highly effective email marketing campaigns. Our clients walk away with stronger client relationships and improved email marketing ROI, all through the power of newsletters. Contact us today for creative solutions to achieve your marketing goals.