As a small business, email marketing by sending a newsletter is one of the most cost effective ways to connect with your audience. A great newsletter starts with a great blog, which gets the fresh, SEO optimized content Google loves onto your website.
You know you should blog but…
It’s ok we get it. Yes you’ve heard that people go online to search out information and that it would be good for you to portray yourself as an expert. Yes you’ve heard that Google only indexes original content so you can’t get away with copying someone else’s stuff or getting one of those blog autofeed services. So why the heck aren’t you doing it? The most common answer we hear is lack of time. Sure you mean to do it. You even understand intellectually how important it is. But the tugs you feel from clients and staff just seem to pull harder. Here are some more stats to inspire more frequent blogging:
- Reported 45% increase in website traffic when over 20 blogs are posted
- Leads almost double when blogging increases from 1x to 2x week
- Traffic doubles when you blog daily
Blogging can be one of the most effective ways of capturing attention online with the added bonus of content repurposing as a white paper, lead magnet, presentation or post.
I hate getting emails…why should I send a newsletter?
First you probably hate all of those impersonal emails that ask you to buy something from a complete stranger. Well guess what? That’s not what you are going to send. A loyal list of followers needs to receive value from your newsletter. And value means providing content with tips, advice and insights. It doesn’t hurt to have some entertainment value thrown in.
When you’re sending a newsletter, your purpose is to keep your brand top of mind with the people on your list. They may not have a need for your services immediately, but they will, and you’re more likely to be the guy or gal they remember. You’re also trying to drive more traffic to your website. You don’t give away the entire meal in your newsletter, you offer appetizers with a click to your website to dine on more great content.
Here are the top emotional triggers that catch attention when sending a newsletter:
- Belonging and having a sense of community
- Hope and expectations
- Guilt – how to make something right
- Vanity – flattery over smart decision making
- Fear – what will happen if they don’t take action
- Lust and desire (we don’t suggest the first one unless you’re in one of “those” businesses)
- Greed for wealth or power
Generally we recommend sending your newsletter monthly. More frequent campaigns are best personalized via your CRM system.
